Fridge Seals

Before removing the old fridge seal, ensure you have been supplied the correct fridge seal by holding it up against the existing fridge seal, then carefully place it on the floor in its correct shape (a warm area that will heat the seals if possible). Ensure to remove all items from the shelves in the door prior to loosening any screws. Start by loosening the screws on the top half of the door only! (There is no need to remove these screws in most cases). From the centre, at the top of the seal, carefully manipulate and remove the existing seal, ensuring not to bend or damage the PVC liner or metal strip. Work your way to the corners and then half way down the sides where you loosened the screws to. Fold the old seal down and start fitting the new seal from one corner and work your way to the other, ensuring not to over-stretch the seal as you go. Before fastening any screws, check that the corners and edges are sitting nicely and evenly stretched, check the length at each bottom corner. When fastening each of the screws, support the door behind each screw to avoid twisting the door and be sure not to over tighten the screws. Repeat this procedure for the bottom half. Take note when shutting the door for the first time that the seal on the hinge side is not going to catch and roll. If so, use your hand on the inside of the fridge to manipulate the seal, allowing the door to shut without damaging the seal. Once the door is shut, run your fingers around the seal ensuring that it is sitting straight, if there are any areas where the seal does not meet the fridge, gently heat the seal with a hair drier this will soften the rubber allowing the magnet to extend the seals concertina, sometimes light pressure on the door is required. When you are satisfied that the seal is sitting correctly, leave the door shut for at least 15 mins, allowing the seal to cool down and set. If you have experienced a twist in the door i.e. door is closed at the top but open at the bottom. Then lightly loosen all the door screws and gently twist the door back into shape before tightening the screws while holding in position.

Gently pull out the existing seal being careful not to damage the PVC seal retainer, especially at the corners. Support the new seal in its correct shape to ensure it does not get damaged, starting at the top, position the seal’s arrow head in the door’s seal-retainer cavity and apply pressure with the palm of your hand or thumb. You may need to manipulate the seal while applying pressure and/or use both thumbs. Be careful not to stretch the seal as you fit it! Only complete across the top and partially down the sides approximately 100mm, then start at the bottom working your way back up the sides. This is to avoid over-stretching the seal. Check that the seal is pushed in correctly all the way around before shutting the door. When shutting the door for the first time, ensure that the seal is not going to catch on the cabinet and get damaged, by watching the hinge side close from the outside of the door. Sometimes these seals require mild heat with a hair drier when the door is closed to soften the PVC and allow the magnetic strip to extend the seal concertina. After heating the seals do not open the door until the seal has cooled down (approximately 10 minutes).

Some manufacturers decided that they could save time by fitting the door seal to the plastic inner door liner, before clamping the door together and filling it with expanding foam. To replace these seals follow these Fridge Seal Fitting instructions. To remove these seals simply grasp the seal firmly and use it to pull out and separate the PVC liner from the metal door shell, enough to enable the seal to slide out. You will hear a tearing sound from the foam as it separates, but try not to pull it out too far, just enough to get the seal out. Once the seal is off, using a butter knife, flat screw driver or painter scraper, clean any loose foam out from between the PVC inner liner and the metal door shell, so they do not obstruct the new seal when fitting. Now start to fit the new seal at one corner (across the top first), taking care of the welded corners so as not to damage them, wedge a screwdriver in to help hold the liner out, this will make it easier to insert the new door seal. If there are areas where you may have separated the liner too much, i.e. the seal is not fitting firmly between the PVC liner and the metal door shell, you can fit some small screws under the seal as close to the outer edge as possible. Ensure that the seal is secured on the hinge side well, so that it does not roll and foul up when closing the first time, you may need to manipulate it with your fingers to get the door closed. Then work your way around the seal with a hair drier, gently heating it up and allowing the seal’s magnet inside to expand the seal where required.