How to Change a Refrigerator Gasket
If your refrigerator isn’t cooling properly, it must be because the gasket is not intact enough. Over time, a refrigerator gasket can become damaged, and when it does, it’s time for you to replace it. This is a fairly easy task, as long as you know the proper procedure.
What You’ll Need:
Screwdriver or nut driver
Appropriate gasket for your refrigerator model
Flashlight
Hot water
Towel
Dollar bill
Procedure:
Find out what’s the make and model number of your refrigerator before you buy the right gasket. You can find the model number in different places on your fridge. To be sure, call the local appliance store and tell the what your refrigerator brand is. They’ll be able to tell you where you can find the right gasket.
Call the appliance store and ask if they stock the gasket you need. If not, ask if they can order it for you. If you want to save some money, ask for a generic type, like Gemline.
Once you’ve got the right gasket, you have to remove the old one installed on your fridge. While you’re doing this though, soak your new gasket in some hot water from the sink. This will make it more pliable and will soften it for installation.
To remove the old gasket, use the nut driver or screwdriver. The type of nut or screwdriver you need depends on your refrigerator’s make. Simply lift the gasket so you’ll see the screws. Begin at the top, at the door’s outside corner, folding the gasket back as you loosen the screws partly along the side and half of the top. Don’t remove them all the way, though.
You’ll see a metal plate holding on the gasket when you loosen the screws partly. Keep this metal. You can reuse it when you put in the new gasket.
Get the new gasket, removing it from the water. Dry it completely with a towel.
Begin at the top again, putting the new gasket next to the door. Put in the first screw, securing the metal plate on top of the gasket before you screw it in completely.
Do this all the way. Screw in the screws snugly, but not too tightly.
If there are gaps between the frame and the gasket, it might mean that the door has been warped. Fix this by twisting the door a little ans loosening the screws. You might need to do this a number of times before the door is straightened.
Checking The Gasket
Shut the door properly, checking for gaps, The seal should be lying straight and smooth all the way, around the door. Afterward, put a flashlight in the freezer, the beam pointing towards the opening. Shut the door, If there’s no light leaking through, you’ve done well.
Put a dollar bill between the door, then shut it close. Try pulling the dollar bill out, and if it slides out easily, check the screws. They may need to be tightened a bit more.
A fridge that doesn’t cool properly is not very useful. Before bringing it to an appliance repair shop, see if changing the gasket will solve the problem. If it does, you’re in luck, but if not, have the appliance checked by a professional.