How to Replace a Refrigerator Door Seal

If your refrigerator door seal is leaking, it will lead to wasted energy. The various symptoms that signal that you need a relpacement are cracks in the seal or dryness, condensation of water droplets around its edge or that the refrigerator is less cold than it should be. The subsequent energy wastage leads to high energy bills. It also shortens the life of a refrigerator by putting stress on it. Finally, the higher temperature inside the refrigerator may lead to mold growth and your food getting spoiled. Here's how you can replace the refrigerator door seal yourself.

Step 1 - Order Replacement Door Seal

You can easily find door seals online. While placing the order for new seal, match the refrigerator model number carefully.

Step 2 – Check Seal Size

Though, the sizes are usually correct, it is better to verify it so that you don’t have to do the job twice. To verify, simply hold new seal against the old one.

Step 3 - Locate Screws 

Lift the edges of seal to find the screws which hold the plastic liner and the door seal. Usually, screws hold in the plastic liner which then clamps the seal to door.

Step 4 - Loosen Screws

Loosen the screws located in previous step. Don’t remove them completely but just loosen them to reduce your work.

Step 5 - Remove Old Seal

After loosening all the screws, you can easily slide out the door seal from behind the liner. The plastic liners are generally brittle and hence don’t apply too much force while sliding out seal.

Step 6 - Insert New Seal

Slip the small lip of new door seal behind the liner. It is better to start at either of the top corner and then move around the door.

Step 7 - Tighten the Screws

Once the door seal is in place, tighten back all the screws that you loosened in step 4. It is advised to tighten the corner screws, check the alignment of seal and door and then tighten the remaining ones.

Step 8 - Apply Powder

Use some powder (talcum or baby) to prevent sticking. Also, apply some powder around hinge side corners of door seal. This will prevent the seal from twisting as it meets the metal of the refrigerator.

Step 9 - Check for Gaps

Verify that there are no gaps in the door seal. To do this, turn on a flashlight, place it inside and then close the door. There is a gap at any point where you can see the light.

Step 10 – Fix Gaps

At all the points where you find gaps, pack out the seal using a strip of weather stripping or tightly rolled up paper.

Step 11 – Alternative to Fix Gaps

Instead of packing out seal, you can also heat the door seal using a hair dryer. This will soften the door seal and you can then stretch it.

Step 12 - Check Corners

If powder fails to prevent twisting of seal, wedge a screwdriver under seal when you close the door. Leave it like this for an hour and seal will mould into correct shape.