Have you ever walked into the kitchen and found the fridge door partially open? You quickly shut down, only to find this scenario happening again...
And when a family member says, "The refrigerator door won't stay shut," you start to dig deeper.
The door may have a very weak seal when closed, or worse, closing it normally causes it to swing ajar. You have to fix this.
I know how frustrating it can be when the refrigerator door won't stay closed (orany doorby the way). As a person who fixes things, you may not know how to solve this problem.
But don't lose hope just yet: your door can be fixed with some DIY tricks and methods.
Read on and you'll see that a little effort along with the following tips will kill hot milk and increase your utility bills.
How the fridge door stays closed
If you know a little about how refrigerator doors stay closed, it might help solve your specific problem.
Of course, these appliances are designed to stay hermetically sealed, so cold air stays in and your food stays fresh.
The door fits perfectly into the refrigerator frame thanks to the ingenious design of a specialized seal. You know, that rubber band with a long magnet inside?
The magnet and soft seal work together to get the tight seal you need.
But when the joint fails, the fresh food inside is about to go bad, which is never a good thing.
This happened when I was traveling for work. The seal on my old GE refrigerator failed and I came home to a bunch of smelly, rotten food.
At this point, I hope you were lucky enough to catch the door open sooner rather than later!
Reasons why refrigerator doors do not stay closed
Ports fail on all makes and models like LG, Samsung, and GE for the same reasons:
The magnetic door seal becomes dirty and interrupts the sealing power of the door.
In other words, the stamp surface has lost its grip and no longer sticks.
The door may need to be adjusted because it is too low or the refrigerator is not level (which can be checked by simply placing a spirit level on top of the refrigerator).
All of these reasons can lead to a door that won't stay closed or a refrigerator door that doesn't close properly in the first place.
We will fix it and cover all the causes of your problem.
The easy way to fix the door that won't stay closed
"The refrigerator door opens by itself while the owner is away" sounds like the title of a horror movie.
Some people think that the easiest way to fix a refrigerator door seal problem is to place a large brick in front of it. That's a little less than practical!
An easier way to fix the door is to: Clean the door gasket and frame.
You can do it by mixing a liter of warm water and a teaspoon of baking soda or mild soap.
Be sure to clean the surface where the door touches and seals.aboutthe metal frame of the refrigerator door.
You'll be surprised how messy this gets (which certainly affects how tightly the door can stay shut!).
Clean the stamp and dry it well with a dry cloth.
If you find dirt and grime stuck around the seal, allow the soapy water to soak into the dirt for a few minutes.
Once it has time to soak up the water, it will dry much easier (or at least with less effort).
If your refrigerator and gasket are more than a few years old, you'll want to "oil" the gasket surface.
You can do this by applying a thin layer ofVaselineto the seal.
Vaseline application is done by first wiping down the stamp and then using a clean cloth or fingertips to coat all parts of the stamp with the jelly.
Remember to use Vaseline (pure Vaseline, not grape jam!).
If you think a complete door replacement would be easier, think again about how to fix the problem.
a complete doorreplacementit can range from a few hundred dollars to more than $1,000.
That being said, if your fridge is getting old and is over 8 years old, you are living on borrowed time.
I understand that if you still like the look of your fridge and it still keeps things cold at all times, why not keep it going for a few more years?
I would recommend looking into some appliance insurance to protect yourself against future problems that you can't easily fix and paying less than $50 for parts.
Let's face it, appliance repairs can be expensive and not always as easy as this.
What if your fridge is not level?
Finding that the fridge door opens because the appliance is not level is usually a simple fix:
You can try adjusting the feet on the bottom of the unit by turning them to the left or right until the level indicates a slight slope at the back of the wall.
Use a wrench to adjust the feet to make them a bit easier. The adjustment will help the door stay closed.
When parts need to be replaced
Once you have verified and completed all the steps above and found that the brick is still the only way to keep the door closed, don't lose hope. It may be that the door seal needs to be replaced.
Signs that the gasket needs to be replaced
There will be obvious signs that the door seal needs to be replaced. You may find that:
- The door seal is cracked or falling off the door.
- Condensation on the seal means there is a leak.
- The seal no longer sticks to the metal frame of the refrigerator.
- The board has a hint of mold growing on it.
- The gasket is loose and looks like it's going to fall off.
How to replace a gasket
Gasket seal replacement is not as difficult as it seems.
You can find gaskets online or at most appliance stores. You'll also find that universal joints work just as well as name-brand seals made by Kenmore and Whirlpool. The cost of a new gasket ranges from $40 to $80.
It will depend on the make and model of the device you have.
You can change the gasket of any type of refrigerator.
Even if a side-by-side refrigerator door keeps opening, you can still find gaskets to fix it without too much effort.
To replace the seal, you will want:
1. Remove the old gasket by loosening the retaining screws. A great tip to remember is to soak the new gasket in warm water so it loosens up and is not as difficult to handle on installation.
2. Remove the old gasket from the door frame.
3. Clean the area under the old gasket and dry it with a clean cloth.
4. Snap the new gasket into place.
5. Rub petroleum jelly into the new gasket.
6. To prevent the seal from sticking to the refrigerator when you open the door, be sure to tighten the retaining screws.
This video can help you get started:
By following these steps, you'll have the guidance you need to make sure the job gets done right.
your frequently asked questions
Q: Why the fridge door magnet is weak or not working?
A: It is possible that your magnet is weak or not sealing well because it got dirty or something is interfering with the magnetic seal. Over time, the magnet may havelost his load.
Q: Do they activate the refrigerator door ajar alarm?
A: The simple answer to this question is "Yes." Whirlpool makes a refrigerator with a door alarm.
When I bought my last fridge, I was pleasantly surprised to hear a beep sound after my five-year-old couldn't close the door all the way.
It was a bit confusing trying to figure out where the beeping was coming from, but it saved us from missing out on some delicate foods.
If you have an old refrigerator, you cancompraran additional alarm to alert you that the door has been left open. You can buy the alarm for $20-$30.
Q: Will the above remedies also work on freezer doors?
The steps given above will also work on the freezer doors. The science behind the articulation is the same for both devices.
Just repeat the above steps and it will be easy for you to fix your freezer problem.
final thoughts
I am definitely rooting for you to fix the refrigerator gasket seal.
The task may seem impossible at first, but as you begin, you'll discover how easy it is to fix the problem and you'll never hear someone say, "The refrigerator door won't stay closed!" or asking why the hell the milk is hot.