How to Repair an RV Refrigerator Seal
Though RV refrigerators are shaped and latch differently than standard refrigerators, almost all of them use the same kind of seal. If your RV's refrigerator is not keeping food cool enough, or you can feel cool air leaking out, adjusting the seal could save you some headache. Fortunately, a leaky seal does not always require replacement. Even if the door is slightly out of level, the rubber seal on the inside of the door will not meet the refrigerator correctly and air will leak.
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Remove any coverings on the top or bottom of the refrigerator's hinge. These pieces are often plastic and usually snap on an off.
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Open the refrigerator's door and place the level along the top. Examine the bubble in the middle of the level's horizontal tube. Skip to Step 4 if the bubble stays between the two lines on the tube. If not, continue to Step 3.
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Use a nut driver to loosen the bolt at the top of the door's hinge, then loosen the bolt on the bottom with the properly sized socket wrench. Slowly move the door on the hinge until the bubble in the level's horizontal tube is completely between the two lines. Tighten the bolts on either end of the hinge starting with the bottom and being careful not to allow the door to move from level.
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Replace the refrigerator's gasket if you have confirmed that the door is level and the seal is still leaking. Peel back the basket along the top and sides of the door and remove the screws holding it in place. Do not remove the bottom half of the gasket.
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Wrap the replacement gasket around the top and upper half of the sides of the door and run screws into the holes behind the gasket. Remove the bottom half of the original gasket and attach the bottom half of the replacement.
References
Tips
- An easy way to test a refrigerator's seal is to shut a piece of paper into the door. If the paper slides easily from the door, the seal most likely needs adjusted.
Writer Bio
Mike Smith began writing in 2007. He wrote for and edited his school's literary magazine and wrote film and music reviews for the school newspaper. He has also been published in "Indianapolis Monthly." Smith graduated from Franklin College in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts in English.
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