Changing the opening side of the refrigerator door is a standard procedure that is often required when remodeling a kitchen or moving to a new apartment. Equipment owners Indesit often face the need to relocate handles and hinges to provide convenient access to products in confined spaces. Fortunately, the design of most models of this brand allows you to perform this operation yourself, without resorting to the services of paid craftsmen.
The hanging process takes from 30 to 60 minutes and requires a minimum set of tools that can be found in every home. The main thing is to act consistently, be careful when working with heavy body elements and not lose small fasteners. Reversing the door dramatically changes the ergonomics of using the device, making its placement in the kitchen more logical.
Before starting work, it is strongly recommended to empty the refrigerator of food and completely defrost it if there is ice left in the chamber. This will not only lighten the weight of the structure, but will also prevent moisture from entering the electrical components during dismantling. Also make sure that you have free space around the unit for maneuvers.
Necessary tools and workplace preparation
The success of the operation directly depends on proper preparation. You don't need complex industrial equipment, but using the wrong tools may strip threads or damage trim. The main tool will be hex key, the size of which usually corresponds to 4 or 5 mm, depending on the specific model. Indesit.
In addition to the key, you will need a Phillips screwdriver (usually PH2 size) to remove handles and some types of plugs. To protect the floor covering from scratches from the heavy refrigerator body, prepare thick cardboard, a rug, or several layers of soft fabric. It would also be a good idea to have a small container on hand for storing screws so they don’t get lost.
☑️ Preparation for work
It is important to ensure good lighting of the work area, since some fasteners may be located in hard-to-reach places or hidden by decorative elements. If you are working alone, enlist the help of an assistant to hold the door while unscrewing the lower hinges, as it is quite heavy.
Dismantling the top part and removing the door
The first step is always removing the top door if you have a two-chamber refrigerator. Start by removing the decorative cap that hides the top hinge hardware. Usually it is located directly above the door or at the end of the housing. Carefully pry it off with a flathead screwdriver, being careful not to damage the plastic.
Once you have access to the fasteners, use a hex wrench to remove the bolts holding the top hinge. Do not remove them completely at once - loosen them enough so that the hinge can be removed, but the door will still hold. Then you need to remove the loop itself and put it aside. Now the door is held only by the middle hinge (if there is one) or simply pressed.
⚠️ Attention: The top door of a two-chamber refrigerator is not secured with magnets from below, so after removing the top hinge it may fall. Be sure to hold it with your hand or ask an assistant to fix the position before completely unscrewing the bolts.
Next, you should disconnect the wires if your model Indesit has lighting or indication in the top door. The connectors are usually located inside or near the hinge body. Gently pull the connector without tugging on the wires themselves to avoid damaging the contacts. After disconnecting the electronics, you can completely remove the door from the lower support and set it in a safe place.
Nuances of working with wires
In some models, wires may be passed through the hollow hinge axis. In this case, before removing the door, you must first carefully pull the wire out of the hole, remembering the trajectory of its exit, so that when assembling on the other side you do not twist the wires.
Working with the bottom door and freezer
If your refrigerator has a side-by-side design or you are re-hanging a single-chamber model, the procedure will be similar, but taking into account the bottom hinge. In two-chamber models, after removing the top door, it is necessary to remove the middle partition or bar if it interferes with the rearrangement.
To remove the bottom door (freezer compartment), you will need access to the bottom hinge, which is often hidden by a plinth or decorative panel at the bottom of the refrigerator. Remove the panel, unscrew the bottom hinge fasteners and carefully lift the door to remove it from the axis. The weight of the freezer compartment is usually greater than that of the refrigerator compartment, so the help of a second person is required here.
When working with lower loop pay attention to the presence of a pin or bushing on which the door rests. This element will need to be moved to the opposite side. Often it is simply inserted into the hole and requires the use of force to remove it, or is unscrewed along the thread.
| Element | Action during dismantling | Action during installation | Tool |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper hinge | Remove the plug, unscrew the bolts | Install on the other side, tighten the bolts | Hexagon |
| Middle bar | Dismantle after removing the top door | Install in a new place | Screwdriver |
| Bottom hinge | Remove the base, unscrew fasteners | Rearrange the pin, secure the hinge | Key, screwdriver |
| Door handle | Unscrew the screws from the inside | Install in the prepared holes | Phillips screwdriver |
Re-hanging the handles and rearranging the plugs
The most visible part of the changes is the relocation of the handles. Refrigerator doors Indesit usually have hidden holes for fastening on both sides. On the inside of the door (seal side), find the screws holding the handle and unscrew them. Remove the handle and install it on the opposite side using the prepared holes.
The holes that remain free after removing the handles and hinges must be closed with decorative plugs. Typically, a set of such plugs comes with the refrigerator (in a bag with documents or attached with tape to the back wall). If the factory plugs are lost, you can use plastic elements that match the color and size or even paint over the holes, although this is less aesthetically pleasing.
Make sure that all handle screws are tightened tightly, but without excessive force, so as not to strip the threads in the plastic. Handle fastening is under constant load, so the reliability of the fixation here is critically important for durability.
Assembling the structure on the new side
Assembly is carried out in the reverse order of dismantling. Start by installing the bottom hinge (or middle hinge, depending on design) to the new side. Insert the pin or support sleeve into the corresponding hole on the body. Make sure that the hinge is level and fits tightly to the surface.
Install the bottom door into place, placing the hole in the hinge on the pin. Then install the top door (for two-chamber models). Now is the time to thread the lighting wires through the technological holes in the loops, if necessary. Be careful not to pinch the cable with the metal when finally securing it.
Secure the top loop with the bolts, but do not tighten them all the way yet. This will allow for final adjustment of the door position. After installing all the elements, check the vertical installation of the doors and the tightness of the seal around the entire perimeter.
Adjusting and adjusting the tightness
After all the elements are installed, you need to check the operation of the doors. They should open freely, without distortions or jamming. If you notice that the door is warped or does not fit tightly against the body, adjustment will be required. Loosen the fastening bolts of the upper and middle hinges slightly.
Align the position of the door so that the gap between the door and the body is the same over the entire height. Pay special attention to the corner opposite the hinges: this is where the gap most often forms. Once aligned, tighten all bolts evenly. Check the operation of the magnetic lock - the door should close on its own when brought to a distance of 2-3 cm from the body.
⚠️ Attention: If after adjustment the door still does not fit tightly, check the integrity of the rubber seal. When re-hanging it, it could be accidentally damaged or dislodged. Dents on the seal can be straightened out with a hairdryer by heating the rubber.
The final step is to connect the refrigerator to the network. Do not load products right away - let the unit run idle for 2-3 hours to get into mode and make sure that the thermostat is working correctly after all manipulations.
Possible problems and ways to solve them
Unforeseen difficulties may arise during operation. Users often encounter rusted bolts that cannot be removed using standard methods. In such cases, a penetrating lubricant (for example, WD-40) will help, which should be applied to the threads and left for 15-20 minutes.
Another common problem is lost plugs. If they are not included in the kit, and the holes spoil the look, you can order universal furniture plugs or use self-adhesive furniture stickers in the color of the body. Also, sometimes there is a situation when the wires are too short to be transferred to the other side - in this case they cannot be pulled, you need to carefully reroute them inside the case, if the design allows.
If after assembly you hear an extraneous knock or creaking when opening, check whether the door is touching the elements of the case or the floor. You may need to tighten the refrigerator's adjustable legs to change its tilt.
Is it possible to turn the door over if the refrigerator is built-in?
For built-in refrigerators Indesit the procedure is more complicated, since the door is attached to the facade of the kitchen unit. You must first unscrew the facade from the refrigerator door, then perform the standard rehanging procedure, and then secure the facade to the new side. It is important to check whether the design of the kitchen cabinet allows you to outweigh the hinges of the facade.
What should I do if the instructions for my model are lost?
Don’t worry, the principle of the hinges in most models Indesit (BIA, DS, EF and others series) is unified. Find a sticker with the model (usually inside the chamber or on the back), enter its number in the search engine along with the word “scheme” or “manual”, and you will find a technical data sheet with a drawing of the hinges.
Do you need to defrost the refrigerator before rehanging it?
Yes, this is a mandatory requirement. Ice makes the doors heavier, which is dangerous during dismantling, and water can flow into the hinge mechanisms or onto the floor. Complete defrosting will take time, but will protect you from breakages and slipping.
Does re-hanging the door affect the warranty?
Re-hanging the door yourself, as a rule, does not void the warranty if parts were not damaged in the process (threads were torn off, plastic was broken, wires were broken). However, if you call a repairman under warranty due to a breakdown that occurred as a result of your actions, the repair may cost a fee.