Nothing can be more frustrating and annoying than having a full freezer, but with a faulty door!
Imagine all the time you wasted making all those delicious, tasty and nice meals. The time put together in making sure all of them are properly wrapped and properly frozen, just to find out that nothing inside your freezer was frozen at all.
Why? Your freezer door is faulty. Don’t get so angry! You are not alone in this.
Most times this has happened to me, my initial worry is always that my freezer has gone bad. Or my freezer was unplugged mistakenly. Or that somehow, someone without my knowledge, turned down the temperature in my freezer. Or perhaps, my freezer door was left open for too long.
These are all possible reasons the contents in my freezer could stay unfrozen.
But most of the time, it could result from your freezer door seal being faulty. This does not spell doom and doesn’t mark the end of the freezer. Your freezer door can be remagnetized, and with this article, I will show you how.
Do not be in a hurry to dash your freezer instantly to a technician or a repairman when you find out your freezer seal is not working properly.
Instead of doing that, you can use a very strong magnet to run along the gasket of your freezer’s door to reactivate your freezer’s door seal magnetic ability, bringing back its snugging function.
Although the process is simple, it is very technical, and when not properly done can lead to damage to the entire freezer’s door seal.
Let us look at how to remagnetize a freezer door and get its seal all active again.
Can a Freezer Door Seal be Remagnetized?
The answer to that question is yes. Freezer door seals can be remagnetized. But before we proceed to how this is done, what are freezer door seals in the first place?
A freezer door seal is the strip of magnetic rubber in your freezer door that helps to keep the freezer door airtight. It is most often referred to as gaskets.
When being used for too long, the seal of some freezer doors becomes way too loose, so keeping the freezer closed becomes a problem.
If you have ever been in this situation, then you know how frustrating this can be.
Fortunately for you, the seal of your freezer door can be remagnetized using the following method.
Remagnetizing a Freezer’s Rubber Seal
There are not many ways to remagnetize your freezer door. So you need to learn how to do this in case you find yourself in this situation.
You can follow the steps below:
- Find a very coercive and very strong magnet. An example of such is a neodymium magnet.
- After this, run the strong neodymium magnet on every side of your freezer’s gasket following the same pattern and direction.
- The current of the magnet or the magnetic strength is now what will remagnetize your freezer gasket and bring back its sealing and magnetic properties.
Although this method is very effective, only use it when you know for sure that your freezer door won’t shut properly because its gasket has lost its magnetic ability.
When you misuse this method, you can damage the seal of your freezer door permanently by demagnetizing it and ruining it instead of fixing it.
If you know you doubt your ability to achieve great or positive results while doing this, it’s never a crime I reach out to experts. Never hesitate to ask for help when you need one.
Signs of a Bad Freezer Door Seal
Now you know how to remagnetize the seal of your freezer door. The next thing to know is how to know if the seal on your freezer door is bad. Or if it is about getting bad.
It is recommended that you check the seal of your freezer door every year so that you’ll notice if some cuts or cracks need to be fixed.
When you detect these signs, it helps you to determine the best course of action before the situation becomes worse.
Apart from the freezer door not being able to lock properly, there are 2 more signs that will show that the seal on your freezer door is bad.
And hey! These signs do not need a technician to see. Neither do you need a degree in electrical engineering or electronics. You just need your eyes and a keen sense of perception.
Freezing Takes Time
One of the first signs you’ll notice when the seal on your freezer door gets bad is that freezing your food takes time. Not only that, but the state at which your food loses its freshness and taste is fast.
Because of faulty freezer gaskets, your freezer might even be warm, or the food inside might only be chilled but not frozen, and they go bad very fast.
This can cause a strain on your pocket as your freezer will have to do extra work trying to attain the ideal temperature, maxing out your electricity bill.
Freezer Over-condensation
One of the signs of a bad gasket is the over-condensation of your freezer. When your freezer gasket is loose, the chances of moisture or air entering the freezer become very high.
When this happens, extra condensation is formed inside the freezer which leads to the malfunctioning of your freezer’s internal structures. Most especially the condenser.
Indeed, you can’t stop your freezer gasket from going bad, but at least, you can slow down the process.
Always make sure the gasket fits into the doorway perfectly, and if it doesn’t, you can use heat from a hairdryer or any source to make your freezer gasket compact once again.
Can Freezer Doors be Resealed?
Slowing down the loosening process of your freezer gasket is possible. But it is impossible to try to reseal the damaged part of your freezer gasket. Once it is gone, it is gone. But hope is not lost as there are things you can do to prevent the negative effects of this from happening.
Which is:
- Hot or warm air entering the freezer
- Cold air seeping out of the freezer
Let’s look at how to avoid these things and have a properly functioning freezer.
Removing oil and dirt from the gasket
Most times, the seal of your freezer door is faulty because of oil, dirt, grime, mold, and even the grooves in the gasket. These substances can interfere with the sealing ability of your freezer gasket, and when it happens, your freezer’s ability to cool is reduced.
To solve this problem, you need to completely remove the dirt, grime, mold, and grooves. You will need a powerful cleaning solution for this. The solution should contain vinegar, detergent, and warm water.
After that, use a very clean cloth, dip it into the cleaning solution you made, and wipe the substance off the gasket.
Warm water is used to make the gasket more pliable, and increase its chances of contracting again. Some people advise that when cleaning your freezer gasket, you can remove it from the freezer before cleaning, and put it back after. Be careful while bending the gasket to avoid damaging the integrity.
Use Petroleum Jelly
After cleaning your freezer gasket, allow it to dry thoroughly. When it dries, take a significant amount of petroleum jelly and apply it to the line of the seal of your freezer door.
When applying the jelly, make sure that it goes round and covers all rips, tears, gaps, and surfaces of the gasket.
Why are you applying petroleum jelly to your freezer gasket? The answer is simple. To prevent it from drying up.
Although it is not common, when freezer gaskets dry up, they act and look like wood. They become so hard and less efficient in doing their job.
But a thin film of the jelly helps to retain some moisture in the gasket after you’re done cleaning. It can also restore your freezer door’s ability to seal and trap cold air in and keep hot ones out.
Leave a Reply