The need to change the direction of opening the refrigerator door often arises when moving or rearranging furniture in the kitchen. The standard factory configuration may not fit the layout of the room, especially if the door is against a wall or obstructs passage. A correctly performed procedure allows you to optimize space and make the use of equipment more convenient.
Modern manufacturers of household appliances often provide the possibility of rehanging, but the process requires care and adherence to a certain sequence of actions. It is important to understand that the design of hinges locks for different models can differ significantly, which affects the complexity and time of work.
In this article we will analyze in detail the stages of dismantling, transferring fittings and adjusting mechanisms. You will learn what tools you will need, how not to damage the seal, and what to do if your model does not have factory holes for replacement.
Assessing the design and preparing the workplace
Before starting any manipulations, you must carefully study the technical documentation of your refrigerator. The owner's manual usually includes an installation section that describes how the door can be rehung. If the manual is lost, you should carefully inspect end parts the housing and the door itself.
The presence of plugs on the opposite side indicates that the model is symmetrical and is prepared for rehanging. If there are holes on one side and a blank wall on the other, then transfer may not be possible without professional modification, which is not recommended to do yourself.
⚠️ Attention: Before starting work, be sure to disconnect the refrigerator from the power supply! Removing the plug from the socket is the first and mandatory safety rule in any maintenance of electrical appliances.
To complete the task, you will need to prepare a set of tools in advance so as not to interrupt the process. Usually a standard home set is sufficient, but in some cases specific keys may be required.
Make sure there is enough free space around the refrigerator to maneuver. It is recommended to move the unit away from the wall at least one meter in order to have access to the rear and side walls on all sides.
Required tools and consumables
The quality of the work directly depends on the tool used. An attempt to unscrew the bolts with an unsuitable screwdriver can lead to thread breakage or damage to decorative trims, which will entail additional costs.
The master's standard kit includes the following items:
- 🔧 A set of screwdrivers (phillips and flat) - for removing plugs and working with small screws.
- 🔩 Wrenches or a ratchet head - for dismantling the main fastening bolts of the hinges.
- 🧤 Work gloves - to protect hands from sharp metal edges and dirt.
- 🧹 Soft rags - for wiping surfaces and protecting the floor from scratches.
Some models of refrigerators Indesit or Atlant may require a hex key, which is often included with the device itself upon purchase. If you don’t have such a key, you can easily find it in any hardware store.
It would also be a good idea to prepare a container for small parts. A lost screw or washer can be a big problem if it rolls under the refrigerator or gets lost in the carpet pile.
Preparing the refrigerator for dismantling
After turning off the power, you must empty the doors of the contents. A completely empty refrigerator is much lighter, which reduces the risk of damage to the mechanism when tilted or skewed during operation.
The next stage is defrosting. Although quickly rearranging the hinges does not require complete defrosting of the chambers, it is recommended to ensure that there is no ice in the drainage channels that could fall out when changing the position of the unit.
| Preparation stage | Action | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning shelves | Removing all products and containers | Reducing the weight of the structure |
| Fixing | Secure moving elements with tape | Preventing spontaneous opening |
| Protection of the floor | Laying of cardboard or soft fabric | Preservation of the floor covering |
| Access | Moving equipment away from the wall | Free access from all sides |
It is important to lock the doors in the closed position if they do not have a reliable magnetic lock. To do this, you can use masking tape, carefully gluing it across the joint of the doors, without touching the paintwork of the case.
If your refrigerator is equipped with a system No Frost, make sure that the ducts that go to the door (for example, to supply cold air to the upper chamber) are of sufficient length or flexibility to be moved.
Dismantling the door and removing the hinges
The process of removing the door begins with the top fastening. In most models, it is the top hinge that holds the main load and fixes the position of the sash. Carefully remove the decorative plug by prying it with a flat screwdriver.
Unscrew the upper mounting bolts. At this stage, it is advisable to call an assistant who will hold the door so that it does not fall on your feet and damage the floor covering with its weight.
⚠️ Attention: Some refrigerator models have magnetic door closing sensors. When dismantling, be careful with the wires running inside the hinge so as not to break them.
After removing the top hinge, carefully lift the door and remove it from the bottom pin. Place the door in a safe place, it is best to place it on a prepared soft mat with the outer side down.
Now you need to dismantle the bottom hinge and make room for installing it on the opposite side. If the new side has factory holes closed with plastic plugs, remove them and move them to the vacant space.
☑️ Removing the door
In models with a bottom freezer, it may be necessary to remove the intermediate hinge. The principle of operation is similar: unscrew the fasteners, remove the element, free the holes.
Rearranging the fittings and installing them on a new side
The most crucial moment is installing the hinges in a new place. Insert the pins or hinge bases into the prepared holes on the opposite side of the body. Make sure that they fit tightly and do not wobble.
If the door design requires handles, they also need to be rearranged. Typically, handles are attached to screws on the inside of the door. Unscrew them, move the plugs to the old places and screw the handle on the new side.
Installing the door is done in the reverse order:
- 🚪 Place the bottom end of the door on the bottom hinge pin.
- 🔩 Align the door with vertical and place the upper part against the body.
- 🔧 Insert the bolts of the upper fastening and tighten them by hand.
- ⚙️ Tighten the fasteners with a wrench, but do not use excessive force so as not to strip the threads.
Special attention take seal. When rearranged, it could become deformed or displaced. Check that the rubber band fits evenly around the entire perimeter of the body, without gaps or bulges.
What to do if the holes do not match?
In rare cases, when the case is skewed, the holes may not match. Check whether the refrigerator is level on the floor and adjust the legs. If the problem is a manufacturing defect, you may need to drill new holes, but this will void the warranty.
Adjusting and checking tightness
After installation, you need to check the operation of the mechanism. The door should open smoothly, without creaking or jamming. If you notice misalignment, it can be corrected using adjustable supports at the bottom of the refrigerator.
Rotate the front legs clockwise or counterclockwise until the door closes itself when opened at an angle of about 45 degrees. This indicates the correct tilt angle of the housing back.
Checking the tightness is a critical step. Take a sheet of paper or a banknote, press it with the door and try to pull it out. The sheet should come out with noticeable force along the entire perimeter.
If in some place the paper comes out too easily, it means that the pressure there is broken. Try to slightly loosen the hinge mounting bolts on the side of the problem area, press the door more tightly and tighten the bolts again.
Frequent problems and their solutions
Unforeseen difficulties may arise during the work process. For example, after rearranging the door began to touch the frame or adjacent furniture. In this case, you need to check the horizontal installation of the refrigerator itself.
Sometimes users are faced with the fact that the indicators on the door do not work or the light inside does not light up when opening. This indicates that you forgot to connect the wire connectors, if they are provided for in the design.
It happens that magnetic lock (if there is one) stops holding the door. Check that you have not mixed up the left and right mating parts of the lock when rearranging, as they often have a directional design.
⚠️ Attention: Technical characteristics and design of locks may vary depending on the year of manufacture of the model. Always check the current diagram for your specific device.
If you find that the door does not fit well due to deformation of the seal after long-term storage in a closed state, try heating it with a hairdryer at low temperature or pouring boiling water over it to restore elasticity to the rubber.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions
Is it possible to turn the door on a refrigerator with a display?
This is only possible if the display is located on the body and not on the door. If the screen is on the door, then when rearranged it will end up on the other side, which may be inconvenient, and the length of the cable may not allow it to be moved. In such cases, it is often necessary to re-solder the wires or abandon the idea of re-hanging.
Do you need to wait after installation before turning it on?
There is no need to wait specifically if you did not tilt the refrigerator more than 45 degrees and did not carry out any work with the refrigerant pipes. However, allowing the seal to straighten out for 2-3 hours before loading with products will be useful.
What to do if the plug for the holes is lost?
Plugs can be ordered at the manufacturer's service center or selected similar in size at a furniture fittings store. As a last resort, the hole can be carefully sealed with a decorative sticker matched to the color of the body.
Does rearranging the door affect the warranty?
Independent rearrangement of the door, as a rule, does not affect the warranty if parts were not damaged in the process, threads were torn off or the tightness of the circuit was broken. However, if you break a bolt or break a hinge, this unit will not be considered a warranty case.