Are you looking at your freezer and wondering why the door keeps popping open?
It can be a common problem with freezer doors. Not only can the issue make it difficult for your freezer to keep the internal compartment cold, but your food may also spoil, and your utility bills will go up.
If your freezer door keeps popping open, ensure it’s not too full of food. You’ll also want to look at the door seal. Finally, you should also look at the ground and the legs of your freezer to ensure they are level.
Even though it can be difficult to deal with a freezer that keeps popping open, options are available. I’ve done a lot of research to figure out why freezer doors keep popping open, and now, I’ll share my findings with you.
Ready? Let’s keep your freezer door closed!
Why trust us? This article was written by Craig Anderson and Andy Fulenchek.
Craig has helped thousands of other homeowners repair their appliances since 2016.
Andy is one of our resident appliance repair experts with over a decade of experience. He currently runs his appliance repair company with a team of trusted technicians.
Why Is the Freezer Door Constantly Opening?
There are many reasons why your freezer door pops open, and they can range from simple to complex. Over the years, I’ve seen many causes of the issue, so here’s what I recommend you consider first.
#1 Your Freezer Is Too Full
In my experience, the first reason your freezer door keeps opening is that the freezer is too full.
When you close the door to your freezer, there is a rubber seal that is supposed to cause the door to stick to the internal compartment. If the freezer is too full, there will always be something inside the freezer pushing the door open. As a result, even if you close the door as hard as possible, the freezer door will pop open.
Therefore, to fix the problem, you’ll have to remove some of the items from the freezer. Otherwise, you will not get the door to close, and your food will start to warm up. Do not try to force the door to stay closed if the freezer is too full. The door will stick, and your food will spoil quickly.
#2 You Are Closing the Door Too Hard
Another possible reason your freezer door keeps popping open is that you’re closing it too hard. The harder you close the door, the bigger the rush of air will be when you seal the door back with the internal compartment. If there is a significant rush of air moving out of the freezer when you close the door, it will cause the freezer to pop open again.
Fortunately, the issue is easy to fix. All you must do is close the door a bit slower to give the rubber seal plenty of time to stick to the internal compartment.
#3 The Door Seal Is Not Working Properly
If your freezer door keeps popping open, you’ll want to look closer at the door seal. The door seal is a rubber strip responsible for sealing the door to the freezer. The door won’t stay closed if the seal is not working properly.
There are a few possible problems you have to consider if you’re concerned something is wrong with the door seal. The seal might be dirty after having collected lots of dust and debris. It’s important to keep the seal as clean as possible at all times to ensure proper functioning.
You will need to use a warm washcloth to remove the dirt and debris.
It is also possible that the door seal is damaged and has to be replaced. Look at the door seal. If the seal feels really dry or if you see a bunch of cracks, it is time to replace it. Check your user manual to determine what seal you need to order.
By ordering the right replacement, you can get a new seal that will protect your food and your freezer.
If you want to get any replacement part – or see how much one would cost – click to enter your model number in the search bar below. Our partners at AppliancePartsPros stock almost every part with free guides on how to install them.
#4 The Freezer Is Not Level
Poor leveling can also explain why your freezer door keeps popping open. Ideally, when your freezer was installed in your home, it was properly leveled by using tools such as a bubble leveler. However, sometimes the leveling is not done correctly, or other conditions can cause the freezer to move.
The heavy weight of the freezer might have put a few dents on the floor, causing one part of the freezer not to be level anymore. It could also be that your floor has warped over time, which can be caused by leaks underneath hardwood floors.
Ensuring your freezer is level is a good practice that will keep the door shut and lower power bills.
#5 The Freezer Legs Are Broken
Another possible reason your freezer door keeps opening is that one of its legs is broken. Typically, two legs underneath the freezer (at the front) are responsible for keeping it level. If one of the legs has broken, the freezer is no longer level. From what I’ve seen over the years, each corner of the freezer has a wheel that you can use to move the unit wherever you need it.
Pro-tip: If possible, keep your freezer standing only on the wheels and keep the front legs raised. To see whether there’s ever a water leak behind it.
If one of the legs is damaged, you’ll need to put something underneath the leg to stabilize it temporarily. This is not a permanent solution, and you need to figure out how you can get a new leg for the freezer. Check your user manual and see if there is any information you can use to help you.
Once you find the right leg replacement for your freezer, you can try installing it yourself or call a professional for assistance. My usual advice is to let the pros handle the job if you feel uncomfortable or uncertain about the process.
#6 The Door Is Not Properly Aligned
The last possible reason why your freezer door keeps opening is that it’s not properly aligned. When you close the door, it has to match up evenly to the frame. If the freezer door is not matching the frame perfectly, the door is not going to stay closed.
Close the door slowly and look at what happens. If a uniform and firm seal is created, that’s a good sign. But if not, something’s likely wrong with the frame.
You’ll want to look at the hinges to ensure they’re not dented or worn. If you need to replace the hinges, you can purchase them from a local home improvement store. Alternatively, you can look at the screws and see if they’re loose.
Sometimes, a few extra turns are all it takes to seal the door properly.
Finally, the issue could also be coming from broken or worn-out closing cams, which are small plastic shims between the door and the hinge that encourage the door to close when not in use. Typically, broken closing cams are not expensive, but they’re also somewhat complex to install, as the freezer door must be uninstalled.
While some people might be able to do the job themselves, I strongly recommend hiring a professional unless you’re completely sure you’re up for the task. In most cases, hiring someone to repair the closing cams will cost you around $175.
French Door Freezers and Railing Issues
There are many different types of refrigerators out there. One of the most expensive and popular models is French Doors, which have railing inside the freezer. The railing can rust over time, or the cogs that allow them to move can become misaligned.
The best way to tell whether your French Door’s freezer’s railings are in bad shape is to pull the door fully outward and see if one side extends more than the other. Here’s a permanent and a temporal fix for the issue:
- Temporal Solution: Firmly pull the side that isn’t extending as much to realign the teeth on the railing’s cog.
- Permanent Solution: Check the connecting bar between the gears; if it seems loose, it will need replacing.
Fixing Your Freezer Door
Ultimately, there are lots of reasons why your freezer door keeps opening. Perhaps you are simply closing the door too hard, or maybe there is something that actually has to be replaced. Regardless, you need to deal with the problem as quickly as possible to prevent the freezer from warming up and your food from spoiling as a result.
You can fix many of the issues on your own, but if you are having difficulty getting your freezer door to stay closed, you may also want to reach out to a professional who can help you.
Thanks for reading. If this article was useful and answered your questions, please check out our other resources below and consider subscribing to our newsletter.
Have a great day!
-Craig.
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