For your refrigerator to function effectively, the door seal must be airtight. Its purpose is to seal in the cold temperature that helps to keep your food fresh. Now, when the door seal is not sticking, the refrigerator’s performance suffers.
As a result, you must worry about food and other items in the fridge going bad, and your utility bills going up.
In this article, we want to help you avoid unnecessary stress by discussing possible causes and solutions to a fridge door seal that is not sticking. Read on to learn more.
Why your refrigerator door seal won’t stick
Some of the reasons the seal is not sticking include:
- Excess food in the fridge is protruding and blocking the door from closing.
- Heavy food items in the door make it heavy and affect its alignment.
- The gasket around the door is damaged or dirty.
- The door seal magnet has been demagnetized.
- Obstruction in the fridge door hinges.
- The hinges are out of alignment.
- The refrigerator isn’t level.
Troubleshooting a fridge door seal that is not sticking
There are different ways you can fix the seal on a refrigerator door without having to call a technician. They include:
1. Remove items blocking the door
The first thing to do to fix a weak seal on a refrigerator door is to remove any items that might be blocking the door. It could be a food item protruding too far from the shelves because it’s long or your refrigerator is filled up.
Whatever the case, remove the item and see if your refrigerator seal sticks when you close. You may have to rearrange the fridge to make sure the items fit properly.
While at it, remove heavy items like gallons of milk and other drinks from the door. These usually weigh down the door and cause it to move out of alignment.
2. Reattach the refrigerator seal
Next, check if the refrigerator seal is attached well. Sometimes the gasket will fail to stick because it’s detached or loose. This is common, especially after several years of use.
To determine the loose area, run your hand along the edge of the fridge door while it’s closed. When you feel cold air leaking from the refrigerator, that’s the spot you’re looking for.
Simply reattach the refrigerator seal and the problem is fixed. How? Start by applying petroleum jelly under the gasket to make it easy for the rubber to slide back into place, then push the gasket.
3. Clean the fridge seal
Dirt, build-up grime, and food spills on the fridge gasket could also prevent it from sticking when you close the door. Fortunately, you can avoid this by cleaning the seal regularly.
There are two ways to go about it: Cleaning the gasket while it’s attached to the door and removing the seal for a thorough clean-up.
For the first option, you’ll mix warm water with dishwashing liquid then dip a toothbrush into the mixture and use it to scrub off the build-up grime.
Make sure you scrub every surface, including the door pocket and the frame that comes into contact with the gasket. When you finish, wipe down the seal with a towel.
For the second option, remove the seal and put it in the mixture of warm water and detergent. Let it sit there for a while then use the old toothbrush to scrub every inch of the gasket. Allow it to dry before you reattach.
Read Also: How to fix a GE refrigerator that runs almost constantly
4. Apply petroleum jelly/silicone grease
After cleaning the gasket, apply some silicone grease/petroleum jelly on the side that connects to the fridge.
This helps to restore the seal’s softness and prevent it from cracking in the future. In addition to improving functionality.
5. Level the fridge
When the fridge tilts in any direction, it could make it hard for the fridge door seal to stick and keep the door closed.
Get a level and check the fridge’s alignment then adjust the feet accordingly.
6. Adjust/replace the refrigerator door hinges
After years of use, the refrigerator door hinges are likely to take a hit. They could either move out of place or wear out completely. This results in misalignment of the refrigerator door and the fridge, preventing the door seal from sticking.
To solve the issue, you must get your screwdriver and tighten the screws in place. If the hinges are damaged, buy new ones and screw them in.
7. Remagnetize the door seal
If your refrigerator seal relies on magnetization to stay closed, chances are that it has lost its magnetic power. To be sure, put a metal object close to the gasket and see if there’s a pull. If the power has faded you must boost it to maintain the fridge’s peak performance.
But how do you remagnetize a refrigerator door seal? It’s simple. Rub a strong magnet along with the refrigerator door seal magnets. Here’s a guide.
8. Replace the fridge door seal
Lastly, if your fridge door gasket is damaged beyond repair, replace it immediately. Make sure you know the make and model of your fridge so that you can order the right product. When the gasket arrives, leave it for 24 hours before you start the replacement procedure. You can soak it in warm water for a while so that it’s pliable for installation.
Next, get your fridge door seal repair kit and get to work. First, the old gasket has to go. Lift the gasket to expose the screws underneath then use your screwdriver to loosen the screws.
But, don’t remove them from the hole. Once all the screws are loose, the seal should come off easily.
Installing a new refrigerator seal
- Before you start the fridge door seal replacement, clean and dry the area.
- Apply grease to the side that connects to your fridge.
- Start installing in the top left corner moving towards the right corner.
- Press the seal firmly until it fits in the grove.
- You can use a fridge door seal glue to ensure it sticks properly.
- Also, blowing a low heat dryer helps to remove kinks.
- If it’s a screw-in seal, tighten the screws to secure the gasket.
- When you’re done, inspect the gasket to be sure it’s installed evenly.
NOTE: Check your user manual for the right installation procedure because they vary from one fridge to the next.
Read Also: Why your Frigidaire ice maker is not working and how to fix it
The ultimate test would be to close the door and if the door seal sticks then your problem is solved. Also, you can try the pull paper test below to clear any doubts.
- Put a piece of paper between the refrigerator and the door.
- Close the door and pull the paper.
- If the paper slips out with little resistance, then your gasket has a problem.
Conclusion
From these solutions, you should be able to solve your fridge door seal problem without any complications. Feel free to share this article with friends and family that might be experiencing the same issue. However, if the seal is not clicking still, call a certified fridge technician to help you out.