Obviously, the refrigerator is one of the most important items in the kitchen. After all, it is thanks to the refrigerator that it is possible to preserve food or cool it for a longer time. In the modern world, not a single housewife can imagine life without this unit. Therefore, it is very important to maintain the refrigerator in working condition, promptly identify and correct any breakdowns. Even if it's just a door that doesn't close tightly. It would seem that what could be terrible about this?
The problem is that the door of the refrigerator ensures its tightness, which allows the temperature inside to remain low for a long time. If the refrigerator door does not close tightly, the entire unit will soon fail. Because in order to maintain a low temperature, if the door breaks, the cooling system will have to work continuously, which will significantly increase its wear and therefore reduce the service life of the refrigerator.
Reasons associated with equipment failure
Reason No. 1. The seal is broken
The seal is a rubber gasket that runs around the perimeter of each outer refrigerator door. Often there is also a magnet inside the seal, which allows the door to fit more tightly to the refrigerator. If not properly cared for, rubber can quickly fail, causing loss of elasticity, drying out, and cracking. This, in turn, can lead to rupture of the seal itself. At the rupture points, cracks form through which warm air enters the refrigerator.
Reason No. 2. The door is deformed
If the door is, for example, warped or dented, this may prevent a tight seal. This may, of course, not be entirely obvious at first glance, but if you take a closer look, everything will be clear. After all, most often refrigerators have a glossy surface, which perfectly highlights all the curves on a flat surface.
Reason #3: Loops
Like any doors, refrigerator doors are held on hinges. If the hinges are not properly maintained for a long period of time, the refrigerator door may become difficult to open and close, which may result in the door not closing properly.
Reason No. 4. Spacer element
The spacer element is the part that ensures the door opens sufficiently. Externally, it is presented in the form of an arc made of plastic or metal. If this part becomes loose and fails, you may notice that the refrigerator door is pushed away from the body.
Why the refrigerator door stopped closing - possible malfunctions
Have you checked how the refrigerator stands, carefully placed food on the shelves and in drawers, removed heavy food from the shelves of the refrigerator door, but the refrigerator still does not close well? This means the cause is a malfunction, and you need to call a technician. Here are the cases in which the refrigerator requires repair.
The seal is worn out - from 1200 rubles*
Rubber gradually ages, becomes hard and brittle. Cracks, chips, tears appear on it, and even small pieces fall off. A defective seal does not fit well to the body, and the door does not close tightly. The compressor runs longer and turns on more often to maintain the desired temperature in the chambers. This leads to rapid wear of the motor and increases electricity consumption. A damaged seal must be replaced with a new one.
Loose door hinges - from RUB 1,200*
The supporting hinges become deformed and become loose. Because of this, the door moves away from the body, closes poorly and allows air to pass through. Sometimes the malfunction can be eliminated by adjusting the hinge mechanism. But more often it is necessary to completely replace the parts with new ones.
The mounting holes of the hinges on the refrigerator body are loose - from 1,200 rubles*
The hinges are fixed to the body in the mounting holes. The weight of the door and opening and closing causes the fastening points to become loose, so the door moves away from the body and sags. The compressor receives additional load due to the rising temperature in the compartment. To fix the problem, the door is moved to the other side.
The reed switch door closing sensor has failed - from RUB 1,400*
Modern refrigerator models have a door closing sensor. It turns on an alarm sound if the refrigerator door is open for a long time. Sometimes the sensor fails so that it signals an open door even when it is closed. Then the refrigerator starts beeping with the door tightly closed. If checking with a probe shows complete tightness, and the signal does not stop, then the reed switch needs to be replaced.
*The price does not include parts, they are paid additionally, their cost depends on the brand and model of the refrigerator.
Have you discovered that the refrigerator door has stopped closing and don’t know what to do? Call Ice Man! Repair within 24 hours after application, warranty on work and spare parts for two years.
We wish your equipment excellent performance!
Reasons not related to equipment breakdown
Reason No. 1. Seal contamination
Thanks to the seal, tightness is ensured. If the seal has not been cleaned for a long time, it will inevitably become dirty. If the accumulations of dirt are too large, they will certainly begin to interfere with the door closing tightly.
Reason No. 2. The refrigerator is not installed correctly
The problem is that not much attention is paid to the installation of the refrigerator, and the most important criteria for placement are that it fits well into the interior and does not interfere. But there is one more very important nuance. The refrigerator must be installed level. So, if the refrigerator is installed tilted forward, it is quite difficult to ensure that its door closes tightly.
Reason #3: The stem is too close
The rod is a part for lighting the refrigerator chamber. In modern models, a defect due to incorrect installation is rarely found, but you should not exclude it. If the door seems to push back when closing, the reason may be that the rod is too close and needs to be moved.
Reason No. 4. Placing dishes inside
There are often cases when a plate that is too wide simply does not allow the door to close tightly, resting its sides against the back wall. Therefore, before sounding the alarm, you should carefully check the dishes that are in the refrigerator.
Reason No. 5. Overloading of shelves
On the refrigerator doors there are separate small shelves for storing small items. If these shelves contain too many or heavy items, the door holding the shelves may not close tightly.
What to do if the refrigerator door does not close
Before you say goodbye to your old refrigerator, you need to see what can be done to make the door close normally. Can I fix this problem myself?
How to check if a door closes tightly?
The following situation may also happen: the door, at first glance, closes tightly, but the food in the refrigerator begins to quickly deteriorate, and the unit itself often overheats.
Such a case is a reason to check the operation of the door. To do this, take a regular notebook sheet and press it against the refrigerator door. If it closes, it means the unit remains sealed; if not, its density is lost.
Main reasons
Before you start repairing the refrigerator, you should understand the reason why the door does not close. There may be several of them:
- the rubber seal is too dirty, greasy and therefore does not maintain its tightness;
- the rubber seal has lost its tightness due to age and expiration;
- the door spacer element has become loose, causing its position to become uneven;
- the strut began to crack from age;
- overloading the refrigerator door, which caused its position to become deformed;
- The refrigerator is tilted due to an uneven floor.
If the unit is equipped with a special sensor that monitors the tightness of the door closure, there is another reason: it could break down and give false information that the refrigerator door is not slammed shut.
Consequences of a leaky door closure
Obviously, one thing that fails can lead to complete breakdown of the refrigerator. Here are some of the not-so-pleasant consequences of a door that is not tightly closed.
Compressor
The compressor is the part of the refrigerator that cools the air inside the refrigeration chambers. The compressor operates intermittently, since under sealed conditions the air does not need constant cooling. If the seal of the refrigerator is broken, there is a constant supply of warm air, which, in turn, does not allow the compressor to cool the air to a certain temperature and forces it to work continuously.
Therefore, if a loose door was not repaired in time, and the refrigerator began to rattle more, this means that the compressor will soon also fail.
Short circuit
If a door that does not close tightly causes the compressor to break down or increase the load on it, a short circuit may occur, which will lead to a fire or the release of harmful elements that are released when the plastic melts.
Food spoilage
If a door malfunction occurs during the warm season, the warm air entering the refrigerator chamber can lead to a fairly high positive temperature, which will certainly lead to spoilage of some food products.
Thermostat failure
The thermostat is the part that controls the temperature in the refrigerator compartment. If the temperature is unstable and warm air comes from outside, the thermostat can easily fail, and after it the compressor will certainly break down, because without a thermostat it will be impossible to determine the temperature in the refrigerator chamber and understand whether cooling is required.
Replacing the seal
If the problem is that the seal has ruptured, then it needs to be replaced. Of course, you can contact a specialist who will do this work, but often you can make the replacement yourself.
The first thing to do is turn off the refrigerator.
After turning off, you need to wait about half an hour. At this time, for convenience, you can remove the door and position it horizontally. Next you need to remove the sealing tape using a screwdriver. This must be done carefully so as not to damage the door itself. Then clean the channel under the rubber seal. For cleaning, use a soap solution or a mixture of water and vinegar, depending on the degree of contamination. Afterwards you need to dry the cleaned surface.
After preparing the door, the sealing tape is stretched around its perimeter and installation is carried out. The type of installation method depends on the fastenings provided; it can be glue or self-tapping screws. It is very important to install the whole thing and not in sections. At the end of the installation, everything is thoroughly dried with a hairdryer and an inspection is carried out to ensure that the seal fits tightly when closing the refrigerator. When installed correctly, the door is perfectly attached to the body without gaps.
Adjusting the refrigerator door
There are times when, in order to fix a door, you just need to adjust or rehang it. This, too, most often does not arise difficulties. But it is worth noting that it is better to do the work together, because the doors are quite heavy.
When re-hanging the door, the refrigerator is also left unplugged for 30 minutes. If possible, remove the protective covers at the top and bottom. Next, unscrew the bolts from below using a special screwdriver. Then unscrew the bolts at the top and remove the door. With the help of a partner, the door is placed on the opposite side and secured with bolts, starting from the top. Then they hide the visible holes with plugs and return the protective covers to their original places.
How to Adjust the Refrigerator Door
If the refrigerator does not close tightly due to the door being skewed, adjust it. To do this, the equipment is disconnected from the network and allowed to stand for half an hour. Then take a small wrench, open the unit and loosen the top and bottom bolts . After this they are tightened. If, as a result of the performed actions, a distortion has formed at the top, remove one top tab and tighten the screws. If from below, remove the bottom one and tighten the bolt.
Important! After adjustment, the refrigerator is checked for leaks. The process is repeated from the beginning if the problem is not solved the first time.
How to prevent a malfunction?
Of course, it is much easier to prevent a refrigerator from breaking than to repair it. What needs to be done to avoid problems with the door?
- When cleaning the refrigerator, pay special attention to the rubber seal. Clean only with mild detergents. After washing, dry thoroughly.
- Do not load the shelves located on the door, as this can lead to misalignment of the axle and hinges.
- Lubricate the hinges with special oil at least once every three years.
- When opening the refrigerator door, grasp the handle, not the seal.
- Don't slam the door.
- Stick to the three minute rule. If the door was closed, open it only after this time has elapsed. Since after closing, a pressure difference occurs in the refrigerator chamber, which causes stronger adhesion of the seal. If you open the refrigerator earlier, this can lead to microcracks, which will lead to destruction and breakage of the seal.
- If you suspect a breakdown of any part, make timely diagnostics.
- Entrust repairs of increased complexity to professionals.
Very often, the rules for caring for home appliances seem too boring. Everyone thinks that such breakdowns are not about them. However, this is not at all true. Even the newest equipment models are susceptible to breakdowns if not properly maintained.
That is why it is important not to ignore the rules for using home appliances and to take proper care of them. It is much more profitable to keep the equipment that you have in order than to constantly purchase new ones or carry out repairs without understanding your mistakes.
If there is a suspicion that any part is broken, it is very important to identify the reasons in a timely manner. As it turns out, in the case of a refrigerator door, this is not so difficult, you just have to pay attention and put in a little effort.
How to avoid breakdown
It is recommended to follow simple rules:
- Do not slam the door when closing, this will break the seal.
- There is no need to immediately open the camera after closing it. There is a pressure difference inside, so the seal sticks more strongly to the body. When you open the refrigerator, microcracks appear on the cuff.
- During defrosting, clean the cuff as described above.
- Do not overload the door shelves, otherwise this will cause it to warp.
The video instructions describe in detail how to clean the seal at home:
So, by adhering to simple rules, you will maintain the functionality of the refrigerator for many years. Do not cause serious damage, fix problems as necessary.
