How to re-hang the refrigerator door on the other side: detailed instruction
Almost all modern refrigerators have the technical possibility of re-hanging the door to the other side.
Moreover, this procedure does not violate the conditions of warranty service and for its free implementation it is possible to apply to the service center of the manufacturer (for example, LG and Samsung provide such an option).
And what to do if the warranty is already over and there is a need to re-hang the door due to changes in the kitchen layout? How can you do it yourself and what should be aware of in advance?
Contents
Why the door on the fridge must be re-hung?
There are 3 situations when it may be necessary to re-hang the refrigerator door:
- The customer is left-handed. Accordingly, he will be more comfortable if the handle for opening the door will be on the right. And by default, it is installed on the left. Accordingly, the situation can be corrected by re-hanging the door.
- The kitchen layout has changed. And there is simply no room to open the door if it is located by default. The same will have to be done if the refrigerator is to be moved to a new location.
- The seal around the perimeter of the door is worn out. You can replace it with a new one, or you can simply move the door to the other side and continue to use the appliance.
But the principle of performing the door hinge in the majority of refrigerators is similar. And it is actual both for two-chamber and one-chamber models.
The door itself is mounted on top of the hinge, at the bottom there is a fixed rod - a pin. That is, to remove the door you only need to unscrew the top hinge, and move the pin mount.
This entire procedure takes, on average, 15 to 20 minutes. Certain difficulties may arise only with those refrigerators, which have an electronic display in the door.
What is needed to re-hang the refrigerator door
In most cases, you will need a basic set of tools: two screwdrivers (flat and Phillips), a spanner or head, masking tape.
You should also arm yourself with the refrigerator operation manual because there is a detailed step-by-step algorithm of how the door can be hung up. If you have any difficulties you can find there a hint what to do next.
Not all refrigerator manufacturers provide for the possibility of re-hanging the door. This can be clarified both in the manual and in the technical specifications on the official website of the manufacturer.
How to remove the door
The door is fixed with the help of hinges, which are located under the plastic decorative cover at the top and bottom. The principle of fixing the door of both refrigerator and freezer compartments is identical.
Its removal is carried out step by step as follows:
- First of all it is necessary to de-energize the refrigerator. Remove all shelves and products from the door.
- Remove the upper decorative plastic plug. As a rule, it is held only by special plastic grooves. It is recommended to pick up some plastic spatula or card, pass it all over the perimeter of the plug.
- Remove the decorative plug to the side. Open the door. At the top you can see the hinge mount. Is held, as a rule, only 3 screws, unscrewed with a regular screwdriver or screwdriver.
- Unscrew the hinge. After that, it will be possible to remove the door. There is no hinge at the bottom, instead there is a protruding rod on which the door is held.
- Unscrew the fastening rod. It will later need to be installed on the other side.
According to the same algorithm, the door of the freezer is removed.
Installation of the door from the other side
The first thing to do is to re-suspend the bottom hinges (fixed rods on which the door is held). That is, move them to the other side, fix them with screws.
Next steps:
- Install the door on the bottom hinge (rod), fix it with duct tape. Or ask a helper to hold it temporarily.
- Install the upper hinge, screw it.
- Mount the freezer door in the same way (if it is provided in the refrigerator).
- Install the decorative plugs in place.
Also after this procedure it is necessary to adjust the hinges.
As a rule, for this purpose there is a special adjusting screw (clarify where exactly it is located in the official instruction). That is, it is necessary to turn it for 2 turns for or against the clockwise, focusing on the resistance when opening the door.
It is not recommended to loosen the hinges too much, because due to this the sealant is less tightly attached to the case, that is the hermetic tightness of refrigerator or freezing chamber can be disturbed.
How to re-hang the handle
Most modern refrigerators do not have a handle.
More precisely, instead, a "grip" located on the bottom edge of the door is used. In this case, no additional manipulation is required, since the grip is provided by default on both sides.
If there is a full handle, then the other side of the door necessarily has decorative plastic inserts. With their help, the mounting holes are hidden, where it is installed.
That is, the step-by-step actions will be as follows:
- Remove the decorative inserts, behind which the mounting holes are located. You should not use a screwdriver or knife for this, as you can damage the door trim or ruin the enamel.
- The handle itself also has decorative inserts, behind which there are screws for mounting. Remove in the same way.
- Unscrew the screws.
- Install the handle in its new location.
- Cover the mounting holes where the handle was originally placed with decorative plugs.
It is also recommended to thoroughly clean the mounting location before installing the handle. Since the mounting points are provided with sealing rubbers - they protect the paint (enamel) from damage. And if water gets between it and the seal, it can lead to corrosion.
If the door has a display
About a half of all refrigerators now have the display built in the door itself (for example, Indesit ITI 5181 W or Atlant XM-4625-149-ND).
Technical information (e.g. current temperature indication inside the refrigerating or freezing chamber) or in some models it is possible to set one's own picture on it.
But the distinctive feature of such refrigerators is the power supply to the door. That is, there are wires connecting the refrigerator (its control unit) and the door itself.
How to re-hang it in this case? First of all, you should read the instruction manual.
There it is specified in detail where the cable-channel, in which the wire is located, is located. In most cases it is in the area of the bottom hinge (rod). There is a hinge connection (connector), which must be carefully disconnected when removing the door.
In other models, the connection is at the top, just under the decorative panel. A connector for power and information exchange is also available on the other side (where the hinge is attached).
That is, it is enough to unscrew the screws at the top, carefully disconnect the connector, then - mount the hinges on the other side, as well as the connector to connect the display.
There are also models, where the connection cable is inserted directly through the hinge. And on the top edge of the door there is one more decorative inset. It is behind it and is located connector to connect the display.
But most manufacturers place mini displays directly behind the upper decorative insert. That is, no wires are provided there to connect to the door.
In Samsung refrigerators, the connector for the connection is located directly in the hinge (there is a recess in the door for it). And the power to the display can be connected from either side (i.e. there are 2 loops on the control board, but only one needs to be connected).
If the wiring, connector or cable was damaged during disassembly, you should contact a service center. As a rule, all replacement parts can be purchased there, but the warranty will be voided.
When the door can not be re-hung
As a rule, it is not provided to re-hang the door in older refrigerators, as well as with their vertical placement (which open as "sashes").
But, as a rule, for such models are always produced two variations of the door: one common or two separate. But you will have to buy them at your own expense, replacement within the warranty service is not provided.
Bottom line, to re-hang the door of the refrigerator yourself - it is quite realistic. And any special skills or specialized tools to perform this task will not be required. The most important thing is to observe caution.
It is also necessary to take into account that even minor damages of hinges, display or the door itself are the reason for cancellation of warranty.
That is why if the refrigerator is less than 12-24 months old, it is better to use the services of a field service technician (apply to the authorized service center).
Useful Videos
It is not that difficult to re-hang the refrigerator door. See for yourself when you watch this video:
