My kitchen is on the right side of my fridge and the doors open up to the kitchen can i take the doors off and swap to the other side so they open up differant. has anyone done this. It looks like it can. thank you
2007-01-31 07:40:09 · 9 answers · asked by atx1980 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Years ago I used to work in the appliances department at Best Buy, and we used to do this all the time.
I'm assuming you have the standard model fridge with a freezer on top. Even if the freezer is on the bottom, or there is not freezer at all, the principle is the same. Here is what to do:
1. Look at how the door hinges go into the doors at the top and bottom. Check the top and bottom of the doors on the opposite side. If it was designed for easy switching, there should already be holes for the hinges on that side too, usually containing a plastic plug. If your refrigerator doesn't have this, you're going to have a very hard time reversing the doors, and it may not be worth the effort.
2. Before you get started, EMPTY THE FRIDGE AND FREEZER SHELVES!!! If you don't, you'll have a mess to clean up later. Also, when you get to the part about lifting the doors off, don't use the plastic shelves as handles for leverage. They might break off.
3. To do this properly, get a friend to help. Start with the top hinge. Have the other person hold the freezer door steady while you unscrew the hinge. Once it is unscrewed from the fridge, you should be able to open the door and just lift it off of the bottom hinge. Then you can remove the hinge from the door. Just pull it straight out of the hinge pin hole.
4. Now that the freezer door is off, you should be able to get to the middle hinge, which is the top hinge for the fridge door. Take it off the same way. Then unscrew and remove the bottom hinge. Don't forget to have your friend holding the door steady during this part, or the door may come crashing down when you start unscrewing things.
5. Now unscrew the door handles from the doors. Then, carefully pull out the plastic plugs covering the screw holes where the door handles will go on the opposite side. If any of them are hard to get loose, try using a razor or knife blade to slip under the lip of the plastic plug and gently pry it up to get it started, then use a flathead screwdriver to gently pop it out. Be careful not to scratch up the fridge doors in the process. Then, flip each handle and screw it back in place on the opposite side. Use the plastic plugs to the fill the holes where the handles used to be.
6. Putting the hinges on the other side is basically the same process. Pull out the plastic plugs for the bottom, middle, and top hinge screw holes. Then screw the bottom hinge on the fridge first. If the screw holes don't seem to line up right, try using the hinge from the top, but flipped over.
7. Once the bottom hinge is in place, pop the plug from the hinge pin holes on the doors, and gently set the fridge door on the bottom hinge pin. With your friend holding the door steady again, put the middle hinge pin into the door and get that hinge screwed back in place. Then put the freezer door back on and put the top hinge into place.
8. Put all the remaining plastic plugs into all the remaining empty screw and hinge-pin holes.....and YOU ARE DONE!
I hope you enjoy finally being able to peek into your fridge without having to open the door all the way. :-)
2007-01-31 08:24:12 · answer #1 · answered by Gonzo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
On most common models, yes you can. You would probably also have to move the door handles to the other side.
The telltales on if you can do this with your model, would be hole plugs on the side opposite your hinges, and handle. If the plugs are there... then it is a simple matter of removing the plug covers, removing the hinges, and handles... and swap them out. Whole operation should take only 15 minutes, or less.
If you are not comfortable with doing this yourself, call an appliance repair company to send out a service tech to do it for you.
Good luck :)
2007-01-31 08:05:44 · answer #2 · answered by thewrangler_sw 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I work deliverying Appliance for Sears. Just make sure the other side of the hinges got holes with plastic caps on, if you remove these you will find three or two holes, that means your fridge is reversible.
2007-01-31 08:14:11 · answer #3 · answered by luispalma13 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you won't have to flip the doors, just the hinge pins from side to side. look on the top to see if your fridge has plugs in the top on the other side from where yours has it's hinges now. if it does, then you can change them to the other side. the bottom might have to go on the top and the tops on the bottom depending on the design though. good luck.
2007-01-31 07:48:53 · answer #4 · answered by car dude 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Usually.
2007-01-31 07:49:09 · answer #5 · answered by Al Munro 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Most frigs are the same way, check out this link.
http://www.applianceaid.com/reverse-door-gebm.html
Hope it helps.
2007-01-31 08:21:48 · answer #6 · answered by etcher1 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no, but you can change the direction it opens. if you flip it the shelving in it will be upside down and useless.
2007-02-01 04:11:35 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
normally you can on some fridges, check the manuel.
2007-01-31 07:45:58 · answer #8 · answered by fanadisney 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes you can.
2007-01-31 07:43:37 · answer #9 · answered by brian d 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋