How to Keep a Refrigerator Door from Freezing Shut
Your refrigerator door requires a gasket to keep the door shut, the refrigerated air inside and the warm air outside. An old, cracked, torn, loose or dirty gasket can cause the refrigerator door to freeze shut. The warm exterior air meets the cold air from the refrigerator, causing the moisture from the warm air to freeze along the seal, freezing the door shut. To avoid having the door freeze shut, clean or replace the gasket. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Baking soda
- Bleach
- Old toothbrush
- Soft cloth
- Phillips or slotted screwdriver
- Replacement refrigerator gasket
- Dollar bill
Instructions
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Clean Dirty Seal
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1
Look along the gasket of the refrigerator, pulling the folds of the gasket apart to look for signs of dirt and mold.
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2
Mix together 1 cup of warm water with 1 tsp. of baking soda or 1 cup of water with 1 tbsp. of bleach.
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3
Clean the gasket with an old toothbrush and the warm water solution. Dry the gasket thoroughly with a soft cloth.
Replace Damaged of Loose Gasket
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4
Pull the gasket up to expose the screws on the gasket retaining band. Loosen the screws on the band to remove the gasket from around the refrigerator door. Start at the top of the refrigerator door; work down the sides and across the bottom.
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5
Install the replacement gasket as you pull the old gasket from the refrigerator door. Slide the new gasket behind the retaining band so it fits in the same spot as the gasket you are removing. You will be removing the old gasket at the same time you are installing the new gasket.
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6
Tighten the screws on the retaining band to hold the new gasket to the door of your refrigerator. Close the refrigerator door on a dollar bill as you hold one end. There should be some resistance to pulling the dollar from the door if the gasket is properly installed.
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References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
