How to Change a Maytag Refrigerator Gasket

The door gasket on your Maytag refrigerator may need to be replaced long before the refrigerator itself gives out. The gasket forms a seal around the door, keeping the cold air in and the food fresh. Years of use will cause a gasket to become brittle and tear, and cut down on the efficiency of your refrigerator. Pick up a replacement gasket at an appliance repair store and get your Maytag running efficiently again.

Things You'll Need

• New Maytag refrigerator door gasket
• Nut driver

Instructions

1. Place the stopper in the kitchen sink drain and fill the sink half full of warm water. Set the new gasket in the warm water to allow it to soften while you are removing the old gasket. Softening the gasket makes the gasket easier to work with during installation in the refrigerator door.

2. Open the Maytag refrigerator door and remove the contents from the door shelves. At the top of the refrigerator door, use your thumbs to lift up the bottom of the refrigerator gasket to reveal the hex head screws. Use a nut driver to back out the screws 1/4 inch. Do not remove the screws from the door. By keeping the screws in the door, you can remove the gasket without removing the inner door panel.

3. Raise the gasket with your thumbs on the bottom and sides of the door just as you did on the top of the door. Back the retaining screws out 1/4 inch with a nut driver. Carefully start pulling the gasket out of the door panel starting from the bottom of the door and working your way up both sides until the gasket is removed completely at the top of the refrigerator door.

4. Pull the new Maytag refrigerator door gasket out of the water and dry the gasket well with a towel. Place the gasket over the inside of the refrigerator door and insert the gasket between the door panel and the inside groove starting at the top middle of the door. Some Maytag models will use a metal strip to hold the gasker rather than the door panel. If your unit uses a metal strip, the gasket will fit between the metal strip and inside door panel. When the top of the door gasket is installed in the top of the door, tighten the screws until they are barely snug. This will keep the gasket in place until the rest of the gasket is installed.

5. Insert the gasket at the center of the bottom of the door. Work your way from the bottom center of the door out to the sides, inserting the door gasket between the door panel and groove. Tighten the bottom retaining screws until they are barely snug. Start placing the hinge side of the gasket into the groove. Tighten the screws down slightly and repeat the process for the handle side of the refrigerator door.

6. Close the refrigerator door to make sure that the inner door panel closes without any obstruction. If necessary adjust the inner door panel by moving it slightly with your hand and tighten the two screws at the upper hinge corner of the door. Once the door panel is aligned and the door closes properly, tighten all the screws down completely.

7. Set the contents that were stored on the refrigerator door back into the door and close the refrigerator door.

Tips & Warnings

• Apply a small amount of liquid dish soap to the inside edge of the new gasket to help slide the gasket in the door groove.

References

• ApplianceAid.com