August Kitchen Maintenance To-Do: Clean/Check Refrigerator Seal

The dog days of summer are barking and Labor Day is just around the bend, signaling the end of yet another epic season in the sun. But before you give your flamingo pool float one last hurrah, take a break with some home maintenance prep for the changing season ahead. And some home maintenance tasks, like checking and cleaning some of your larger Kitchen Appliances, are best tackled in the late Summer months, before temperatures start dipping.

When the temperatures are at their hottest, the last thing you want is to have your refrigerator not keeping your food cool, fresh and properly preserved.  You also don’t want to be throwing your money away on unnecessarily high electric bills.  Which is why you need to pay attention to whether or not your refrigerator door is properly sealed.  It’s such a small thing, and often overlooked, but it can become a big deal if left ignored.

• Start by cleaning the door gaskets on your refrigerator thoroughly with soap and water, then inspect the gaskets for cracks or tears.
• To test how well the gasket seals, place a dollar bill between the gasket and fridge, close the door, and try to pull the bill out. If the seal is working properly, you should feel resistance as you pull. If the paper bill pulls out easily, you may need to align the refrigerator door or replace the gasket.
• If the gasket isn’t sealing, start by checking to make sure the door is aligned squarely on the hinges. If it’s not, adjust as needed, following the instructions in the refrigerator manual.
• If the refrigerator still isn’t sealing properly, replace the gasket by pulling the old one out of its groove (look behind it first to see if it’s held on with screws). Press the new gasket gently into the groove, and replace any screws when you’re done.

All done! Now reward yourself by doing a cannonball into the pool!

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Photo Credit:  monte_a / Shutterstock.com