How to Replace Door Gasket for Vulcan Hart Refrigerator

A Vulcan Hart refrigerator's door seal can be installed with household tools.

Vulcan Hart refrigerators use a series of screws to hold the door seal and the inner door panel together at the same time, much like many other brands of refrigerators. The screws are hidden behind the door seal (also known as the gasket) and can be exposed by grasping the seal and folding the outer part outward. Vulcan Hart manufactures both commercial and non-commercial units; the gasket type is the same in each although the size varies.

Things You'll Need

• Tub of warm water (90-100 degrees)
• New door seal for specific model of Vulcan Hart refrigerator
• Phillips screwdriver set

Instructions

1. Remove the new Vulcan Hart gasket from its packaging and place it into a tub of warm water, allowing it to soak for at least 1/2 hour to one hour. This will condition the rubber, making it easier to shape when installing.

2. Unplug the refrigerator and re-locate food items to a temporary refrigerator. Open the refrigerator door and hold a Phillips screwdriver in one hand. Beginning in the upper right-hand corner of the seal at the top of the refrigerator door, use the thumb of the other hand to fold the seal upward to expose the screw hidden behind it. Loosen the screw half way, but don't remove it completely. Work your way clockwise around the seal, locating and loosening all of the screws as you did the first one.

3. Gently remove the gasket beginning in the upper right-hand corner where the first screw was loosened. The rubber lip is sandwiched between a metal or plastic retainer and the plastic lining of the inner door panel. With the screws loosened, the rubber lip of the gasket can be lifted out from between these surfaces. If it is sticky, gently pry with a screwdriver. Remove in a clockwise direction.

4. Remove the new gasket from the warm water bath and gently stretch from one corner, working your way around the entire seal to loosen it slightly. Stretch it to be slightly larger than normal, but it will contract to its correct size just hours after installing.

5. Install the new gasket beginning in the upper right-hand corner of the door interior and sliding the rubber lip between the retainer and the plastic interior door panel. Slide the seal lip behind the retainer all across the top of the door, from corner to corner first so the remainder is easier to install while the top holds it. Once the top is installed, choose either side and then work in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction until the sides and bottom are in place.

6. Wait for about an hour or two for the rubber to contract to its final size before tightening the screws to secure the seal in place. If the screws are tightened before letting the gasket contract, it may buckle in spots which will prevent a complete seal. Inspect the gasket after the time allotted for contraction and even out any spaces by gently stretching if needed, and then tighten down all of the screws, beginning in the upper right-hand corner and working in a clockwise direction.

7. Operate the refrigerator for a 24-hour period and again inspect the seal to ensure no areas have buckled, which will cause an improper seal. If so, loosen the screws to each of the sides where the rubber has contracted to form the buckle and run your hand across the area to smooth it level and re-tighten the screws. This step should only have to be performed once, if necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• Although most Vulcan Hart refrigerators are equipped with screw-mount gaskets, not all use this style. Some high-end commercial Vulcan Hart refrigerators use an even simpler door seal which is magnetic and snaps into place. For these, simply snap off the old one (this requires plenty of pressure when pulling) and snap the new one into place. For glass door gaskets, the replacement is equally simple because these simply slide onto the rails around the door, requiring no tools at all.

• Don't use a screwdriver or any other metal object to assist in sliding the lip of the new seal between the retaining surface and the door panel as these may cut, rip, or tear the material. If any item is needed as an assist, use a thin plastic item with rounded edges such as an old credit card.

References

• American Appliance: Refrigerator Door Seal Replacement