Instructions on how to overtake the refrigerator door with your own hands
Some of the jobs that sometimes need to be done around the house include rearranging the refrigerator door. This procedure is carried out for several reasons, especially in connection with the repair. Despite the fact that such work usually does not cause problems, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of specific household appliances. Therefore, it is not always possible to unequivocally answer the question of how to outweigh the refrigerator door yourself.
Why is it necessary?
The need to rearrange the refrigerator door occurs in the following cases:
- The kitchen is being renovated. After changing the interior, it is often necessary to install the refrigerator so that the door rests against the wall or adjacent drawers.
- Door wear. This problem is typical mainly for old household appliances. If you do not rearrange the door or change the rubber seal (depending on the cause of the malfunction), hot air will constantly flow into the refrigerator compartment.Due to this, the load on the compressor will increase, which will eventually lead to a breakdown of the part and, as a result, an expensive repair of household appliances.
- The owner of the refrigerator is left-handed. In this case, moving the door to the other side makes it easier to use household appliances.
It is recommended to check the tightness of the door at regular intervals. To do this, simply glue a piece of paper. The latter, in the case of a loose cut, comes out freely under the door.
Despite the fact that this procedure should not cause special difficulties, it is not always possible to carry out such work. The latter is determined by the design features of a particular refrigerator model. In some cases, inside the side walls, the manufacturer has provided holes for the bolts that fix the door and the handles. If the refrigerator has a different design, the considered procedure cannot be performed.
It is strongly not recommended to independently drill holes in the interior chambers to fix the doors. This can damage household appliances.
Tools required
The kit needed to hang up the refrigerator door includes several screwdrivers and wrenches. The type of tools required for this procedure depends on the design features of a particular model of household appliances. If work is being carried out in connection with a single-compartment refrigerator, the help of a second person will be required. In this case, you need to remove and put in a new place a large door, which is difficult to do on your own.
If the holes for fixing doors and handles are covered with decorative coatings, then a trowel or construction knife should be prepared.
Some models of refrigerators are equipped with a set of necessary tools.In addition, many manufacturers include this type of work in the warranty. In such cases, it is recommended to contact the service center to hang up the refrigerator door.
set of keys
The type of keys used in this procedure depends on the design of the device. In some cases, these tools are not applicable. However, open-end wrenches and socket wrenches are usually required to hang up the doors.
screwdriver set
This procedure requires a Phillips or flathead screwdriver. The choice also depends on the appliance model.
Scotch
Tape is used to secure the door. Thanks to this, the refrigerator part will not fall during dismantling work.
Instructions
It is not recommended to start disassembly without instructions. This document contains information about the possibility of performing this procedure, about the design and other features of a particular model.
Procedure
Before starting work, it is recommended to do the following:
- remove food from internal chambers;
- disconnect the device from the mains;
- wait for defrosting;
- remove drawers and shelves;
- remove the magnets.
When carrying out work, you need to remember that you need to change the location of the freezer. After the transfer is complete, it is recommended that you do not connect the device to the mains for eight hours. In the process of work, you also need to replace damaged parts with new ones.
Appliances should be kept away from walls and furniture. When performing work, you must ensure that the refrigerator does not tip backwards. Also, do not place the device on the ground.This will lead to compressor failure and, as a result, costly repairs.
Removal of the upper door
Many refrigerators have two chambers, each with its own door. Accordingly, the order of work depends on the type of model installed at home. It is easier to change positions on two-chamber devices, since the size of the parts (and weight) in this case is smaller.
The procedure begins with the fact that the upper door, using adhesive tape, is firmly fixed in several places on the body of the refrigerator. On most devices, the external parts are fixed by means of hinges, which are fixed with two bolts. The next step is to use a spatula or knife to remove the plastic plugs covering the holes on the other side of the refrigerator. Then the bolts are unscrewed with a suitable screwdriver.
Be careful when removing the plugs. These parts are made of plastic, which breaks when applied with great force. On some models, the holes are covered with decorative strips, which require a Phillips screwdriver to remove. On other refrigerators, you will need to remove the top cover to access the hinges.
When disassembling, it is recommended to put each part in a previously prepared container. After removing the top hinge, you can access the door handle. This part is also covered with a decorative coating. In cases where the handle is not bolted on, this step can be skipped. The reason for this is that the manufacturer has provided for the possibility of reinstalling the doors. Accordingly, the handle of such devices is located in such a way that it is not necessary to disassemble this part. After completing the above work, you can remove the masking tape and remove the door.Then you need to rearrange the plugs in the holes in which the hinges were previously fixed.
Dismantling the lower door
The disassembly of the lower door begins with its fixing with masking tape. Then you need to remove the joint from the pin and, using a key, remove the central hinge.
Then you need to lift the door and put it aside, then move the plugs of the holes intended for the removed part.
The next step is to disassemble the bottom hinge. To do this, use a screwdriver or a wrench. Using the listed tools, you need to remove the bushings and pins, unscrew the bolts and remove the lower hinge. The holes left after removing the parts must be closed with plugs.
Loop transfer
If the refrigerator is two-compartment, it is recommended to start by transferring the lower hinges. This approach will simplify the installation of doors. At this stage of work, it is recommended to transfer the parts to a mirror. Repositioning the hinges will make the doors impossible to install in their new location. This will damage the compressor in the future.
The procedure in this case is as follows:
- The last deleted loop is moved to a new location. Then the part is fixed to the same bolts.
- Bottom pin and spacer are secure.
- The handle (if provided by the design) of the lower door is moved to a new location.
- The door is installed on the bottom hinge and attached to the refrigerator with adhesive tape. You can also tilt the instrument back slightly at this point.
- The middle loop is attached.
- The center hinge pin slides over the door socket.
- After all parts and holes are aligned, the hinge is secured with bolts.
The upper door is mounted in the same way. The procedure is carried out in the following order:
- The door is installed on the middle hinge pin and secured to the refrigerator with adhesive tape.
- The pin is installed on the upper bushing.
- After the parts are combined with each other, the hinges are screwed with bolts.
At the end of the work, it is recommended to check the tightness of the fit of the parts. If problems are identified, it is necessary to adjust the hinges. After that, the check is repeated.
Some two-chamber models have doors installed on different hinges (not the middle one). The procedure in this case is carried out according to the same scenario as described above. The only downside is that the top door is installed at the far end, not the middle hinge. It is more difficult to carry out the intended procedure compared to a single-compartment refrigerator. This is explained by the fact that for such devices, the upper hinges are generally masked by decorative overlays, the dismantling of which often poses a problem.
What to do with the showcase door?
If the manufacturer has provided for the possibility of moving the doors to the other side, then for such models of the refrigerator, the cables connected to the screen are equipped with connectors for connection. In addition, the wiring for these devices usually runs along the top loop.
The transfer of the door with the display is carried out according to the following algorithm:
- Top decorative panel is shown (if provided by design).
- The bolt securing the top hinge is unscrewed and removed and disconnected from the wire connector.
- The remaining bolts are unscrewed and the upper door is removed according to the algorithm described above.
- The top cover is dismantled.This opens access to the control panel.
- The cable is moved to another hole in the control panel.
Then the door is moved to the opposite side, according to the given algorithm. Once the chassis is locked, a cable is connected to the screen and connected. At the end, the last bolt of the upper hinge is screwed.
Features of working with models from different manufacturers
Difficulties in moving doors are usually due to the design features of a particular refrigerator model. Manufacturers, in order to increase the attractiveness of their products and expand the functionality of devices, lay additional cables and make other changes. In particular, some refrigerator models have only one hole on the other side.
Atlantic
It is in Atlant brand refrigerators that a hole is located on the other side. Therefore, if it is necessary to move the doors, it is necessary to purchase a new left hinge suitable for this model. It is forbidden to drill holes in the wall of the device yourself.
Atlant refrigerators have foam plastic behind the decorative panel. This insulating material must be removed during the work. To loosen the top hinge bolts of Atlant refrigerators, you need a hexagon. The lower attachment of these models is also concealed by a decorative strip. The rest of the work steps are carried out according to the described algorithm.
LG
Refrigerators of this brand have hinges, which require a specialized accessory to be removed. Care should be taken when carrying out work at this stage. If the hinges are bent, the door cannot be reinstalled.In addition, LG models have a control unit whose wires must be transferred to the other side.
Bosch
Bosch refrigerators are distinguished by their sophisticated electronics. Therefore, before starting work, it is recommended to study the attached instructions, and during the process of dismantling, note each step. The rest of the procedure is carried out according to a similar algorithm. The main thing is to correctly connect the wiring after the transfer of the chassis.
Stinol
Structurally, the models of the Stinol brand do not differ from the previously mentioned refrigerators. But at first glance, owners may have questions. In particular, in such models, the holes to which the hinges are attached are closed with a bar fixed with self-tapping screws. Both doors are held in place by a central support.
Some difficulties arise when dismantling the decorative cover. This part is fixed with latches, which can be accessed through discreet holes. To simplify the task, it is recommended to stick two matches in these niches and pull the decorative coating towards you. During this step, you should not use much force to avoid damaging the part.
Ariston hot spot
Ariston Hotpoint models are not equipped with plastic inserts designed to change the mounting location. It is not recommended to move the doors of these refrigerators yourself. But if you want, you can swap the upper and lower hinges and check how the door leaf closes. The design of Ariston Hotpoint models includes an indicator that lights up after opening the door. This part must also be moved to a new location during the work in question. Problems usually do not arise at this stage.
Turquoise
Refrigerators from the Russian brand Biryusa are distinguished by a simple design. The hinges of such models are attached to the walls with self-tapping screws, which are unscrewed with a Phillips screwdriver. Some Biryusa refrigerators have an electronic control panel. To disassemble the latter, you must first tighten the visor. Small grooves with latches are located under this part. By clicking on the latches, you must pull the visor towards you.
Disassembly of doors to Biryusa refrigerators is carried out according to the described algorithm. The doors of such devices are fixed to each other on a central support.
North
The difficulties in overriding the sashes in the Nord models are that the procedure for carrying out this procedure is not described in the attached instructions. However, household appliances of this brand are distinguished by a simple design. Therefore, the procedure can be performed according to a single algorithm used compared to other similar equipment. When performing manipulations, you should pay attention to the features of the fasteners. Basically, hinges and brackets from Nord are fastened with self-tapping screws.
When to contact a specialist?
It is not recommended to hang up the door yourself when the refrigerator warranty is still valid. Also, some manufacturers include this procedure in these obligations. That is, while maintaining the warranty, employees of the service center will take it free of charge upon request.
It is recommended to contact a specialist if the door contains:
- display;
- electronic panel;
- Water fountain;
- other control devices.
In other cases, you can independently move the door to the other side of the refrigerator, provided that the design of the device allows such manipulations.