How to straighten dents on a refrigerator

Minilifter (vacuum suction cup)

There are several models of this device on the market. Allows you to eliminate defects without subsequent painting. Easily aligns and locks in the desired position. Rubber supports prevent sliding on the surface of the refrigerator.

Minilifter

To activate it, you need to heat up the hot-melt adhesive and place it on the glue piston. Then a piston is installed on the device itself and the screw is adjusted. You need to level out the dent gradually, moving your handles. After removal, wipe the surface with alcohol or glue remover.

Video: how to rehang refrigerator doors

Re-hang refrigerator doors

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Trowel and rubber hammer

Using classic straightening methods is only suitable for experienced people. To remove the dent, you will need a flat metal trowel, and for mechanical impact, use a rubber hammer. The surface must be prepared by cleaning and degreasing. Then you need to:

• Warm up the defect area with an industrial hair dryer, but pay attention to the temperature. It should not be too high so as not to damage the paint;
• Next, apply the trowel to the unevenness so that it completely covers the dent;
• Thanks to weak blows on the trowel, resonance is obtained;
• After these steps, the dent should level out;

Rubber hammer

Features of disassembling and rehanging the refrigerator door of various brands

Features of working with models from different manufacturers

Difficulties in moving doors usually arise due to the design features of a particular refrigerator model. Manufacturers, in order to increase the attractiveness of their products and expand the functionality of devices, lay additional cables and make other changes. In particular, some refrigerator models have only one hole on the other side.

• Atlant. Atlant brand refrigerators have one hole on the other side. Therefore, if there is a need to move doors, you must purchase a new left hinge that is suitable for this model. Drilling holes in the wall of the device yourself is prohibited. Atlant brand refrigerators have foam plastic behind the decorative panel. This heat-insulating material will have to be removed during the work. To unscrew the bolts on the top hinge of Atlant refrigerators, you will need a hexagon. The lower fastening of these models is also hidden by a decorative overlay. The remaining stages of work are carried out according to the described algorithm.
• LG. Refrigerators of this brand have hinges, which require a specialized attachment to remove. Care must be taken when performing work at this stage. If the hinges are deformed, it is impossible to reinstall the door. In addition, LG brand models have a control unit, the wires from which must be moved to the other side.
• Bosch. Bosch refrigerators are distinguished by the presence of sophisticated electronics. Therefore, before starting work, it is recommended to study the attached instructions, and during the dismantling process, write down each step. Otherwise, the procedure is carried out according to a similar algorithm. The main thing is to connect the wiring correctly after moving the sash.
• Stinol. Structurally, Stinol brand models do not differ from the refrigerators discussed earlier. But upon first consideration, owners may have questions. In particular, in such models the holes to which the hinges are attached are closed with a strip secured with self-tapping screws. Both doors are held in place by a central bracket. Certain difficulties arise when dismantling the decorative trim. This part is fixed with latches, access to which is provided through inconspicuous holes. To simplify the task, it is recommended to insert two matches into these niches and pull the decorative trim towards you. During this stage, you should not make great efforts so as not to damage the part.
• Ariston Hotpoint. Ariston Hotpoint models are not equipped with plastic inserts designed to change the mounting location. It is not recommended to move the doors of such refrigerators yourself. But if you wish, you can swap the upper and lower hinges and check how the sash closes. The design of Ariston Hotpoint brand models includes an indicator that turns on after the door is opened. This part also needs to be moved to a new location when carrying out the work in question. Problems usually do not arise at this stage.
• Biryusa. Refrigerators of the Russian brand Biryusa have a simple design. The hinges of such models are attached to the walls using self-tapping screws, which are unscrewed with a Phillips screwdriver. Some Biryusa refrigerators are equipped with an electronic control panel. To dismantle the latter, you will first need to tighten the visor. Under this part there are small recesses with clamps. By pressing the latches, you need to pull the visor towards you. Doors from Biryusa refrigerators are dismantled according to the described algorithm. The doors of such devices are attached to each other on a central bracket.

• North. The difficulty with re-hanging the sashes on Nord models lies in the fact that the procedure for carrying out this procedure is not described in the attached instructions. However, household appliances of this brand have a simple design. Therefore, the procedure can be carried out according to a single algorithm used for other similar techniques. When performing manipulations, you should pay attention to the features of the fastenings. Basically, Nord's hinges and brackets are fixed using self-tapping screws.

Effect of thermal expansion

If the damage is insignificant, then simple laws of physics will help correct the situation. If you look at it, a dent is a place with a high level of internal stress on the metal wall. To restore the original shape, you just need to reduce the voltage.

Thermal expansion method

You will need an industrial hair dryer and ice. First you need to clean the defective area, heat it with an industrial hair dryer and cool it sharply with ice. In addition, you can use a smoothing iron or another tool of the same shape. If the dent is not removed even after 3 attempts, there is no need to continue.

A dent can be removed from the stainless steel of a refrigerator using a hair dryer and dry ice.

This method is perhaps the most effective. First, you need to clean the dented area of ​​your refrigerator. Cleaning the affected area will allow you to see the dent clearly and will remove dirt and food particles. Use a soft cloth, rag or paper towels for this job. Heat the perimeter of the wrinkled area with a hairdryer, approximate heating time is from 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remember - the main goal of using a hair dryer is to heat the metal so that it expands slightly.

Use a hairdryer at medium or just warm temperature to avoid overheating the metal and not compromising the integrity of the inter-wall seal.

Wear thick gloves to protect you from injuries such as frostbite when handling dry ice. (Dry ice is sold in granules, is widely used for various purposes, you can buy it or make it yourself)

Wrap a piece of dry ice in a soft chamois cloth. The suede cloth will protect your stainless steel refrigerator from any scratches when using dry ice.

Gently press the resulting dry ice pack in the center of the dent area, then rub the dry ice gently in a circular motion around the entire perimeter of the affected area. The duration of rubbing will take about a minute, then you need to stop rubbing and remove the rag with ice, the dent will straighten and disappear within a few seconds after application. You should hear a “popping” sound, this will mean that the metal has returned to its normal position.

If after the first attempt, the dent is not removed from your refrigerator, repeat the entire above procedure again. The rapid change in temperature from using a hair dryer while applying dry ice should cause the dent to eventually straighten out.

Fortunately, many dents and creases can be repaired cheaply and quickly by exposing them to rapid changes in temperature. All you need is a few minutes and a few simple things.

Clean the surface of your refrigerator by spraying it with glass cleaner and wiping it with a soft cloth.

Heat the indented area with a hairdryer until it is hot to the touch, but not too hot. Follow the procedure described above, only instead of dry ice, you can use a can of liquid carbon dioxide - spray (liquid carbon dioxide). It is not expensive and can be purchased in specialized stores (Abicor Binzel non-stick spray is widely known). In addition, the spray is convenient to spray on the surface of the dent; this is done within a few seconds. When spraying, hold the can upside down.

Wait a few minutes for the surface to react. If the dent does not go away, repeat as necessary.

What you will need

• Glass cleaning products
• Soft cloth for cleaning
• Hairdryer
• Some dry ice or spray.
• Thick gloves

This method works best on small dents on a large surface. It cannot completely erase deep dents and creases.

• Make sure your room is well ventilated before using dry ice.
• Always wear gloves when handling dry ice and do not touch it with bare skin.

A good man will always press the button

Dear Mikhail! To do this, take a cylinder with liquid carbon dioxide, lay it on its side and secure it well. After this, we put a linen bag over the neck of the outlet fitting, and secure the bag with thin wire so that it does not tear off. All that remains is to open the valve and let out a stream of carbon dioxide. The bag will quickly fill with a white substance resembling snow. This is what it is - dry ice. You can also use the contents of a carbon dioxide fire extinguisher. You can find it faster. The extraction technology is the same.

Hello. I have a question. I bought a new refrigerator as a gift and accidentally made a dent on the door, the size of a small penny and not deep. I can straighten it using the hairdryer method. as you say.

https://www.konstantinn.com.ua

Carbon dioxide

You need to rinse and let the surfaces of the refrigerator dry. Then heat it with a hairdryer and sprinkle the hot spot with carbon dioxide. This product is produced and sold in a spray can. You can buy it at a car store.

Carbon dioxide cylinders

When this product comes into contact with air, an endothermic reaction begins. Because of this, the surface cools down very much. If it doesn't work the first time, you can repeat it.

Compressed air

A can of compressed air intended for cleaning dust from a computer and keyboard must be turned upside down and spray air onto the dent. Repeat spraying until cold condensation forms. When exposed to cold, the metal will shrink and straighten.

Compressed air cylinder

Do not put your hands near the air stream. Dry ice can cause burns.

What not to do

You need to understand the type of damage. If the paint layer is not damaged, then there is no need to rush. The metal at the defect site is in a state of tension and it is possible that it will return to its original position. Simply heat the surface slightly and the dent should disappear.

If enough time has passed and the dent does not disappear, then you cannot resort to the following actions:

• Apply an iron hammer to the dent area. The coating will suffer even more, and the paint will become cracked;
• Disassemble the unit door. The refrigerator may lose its seal and the shape of the door may change. Loss of tightness will cause the compressor to start operating in a different mode and fail;
• The presence of a minor defect only affects the appearance. If the dent is small and it is not critical, then it is better not to touch it, so as not to damage the refrigerator by careless action. In the production of modern refrigerator models, thin metal is used, which is quite easy to damage;

The following recommendations will help eliminate minor defects. Larger and deeper dents should be left to professionals.

How to remove a refrigerator door

Refrigerator upper chamber door

Most units are two-chamber. Their compartments are located one above the other. In this case, they start from the upper chamber. If the device is single-chamber, everything is done in the same way, only for one door.

• Sequencing
• We close the door. We take tape and use it to attach it to the body in several places. This way the sash will not fall during dismantling.
• Unscrew the top hinge fastening. If it is located in plain sight, nothing else needs to be done. In some models it is covered with a decorative strip. You will need to first remove it, then unscrew the fasteners. We remove the loop.
• Unscrew the fasteners on the handle. We take out the bolts and remove the element.
• Remove the tape. Remove the door, lifting it slightly to remove it from the middle hinge. It is located at the bottom of the sash. Unscrew the bolts of the fastening element and dismantle it.

It remains to prepare the mounting holes on the opposite side. Using a flat screwdriver, carefully pry up the plastic plugs and remove them from the grooves. You can immediately rearrange them into the vacated slots or do this after you finish rehanging the door. It is advisable to put all removed fasteners and hinges in a separate box or drawer so as not to lose a single element.

Refrigerator lower chamber door

To do this, we perform several operations sequentially.

• We secure the sash with tape so as not to drop it during dismantling.
• We remove the caps from the hinge fasteners on top. Unscrew the bolts. Some varieties have a middle loop. It is common for the lower and upper door leaves. In this case, it is simply untwisted.
• Remove the tape. We slightly lift the sash to remove it from the fasteners, and remove it from the socket. Set the canvas aside.
• We dismantle the hinge mechanism, unscrew and remove the pins and bushings. We rearrange the plugs into the vacated holes and remove them from the sockets on the opposite side.

We carefully fold all dismantled components and fasteners so as not to lose anything.