Fridge door sticking

geoB
geoB Member Posts: 114
in Air Conditioning & Refrigeration
After several weeks of sitting in storage where the temperatures have been in the 80s & 90s (Reno, NV, is basically a desert town) the fridge door became stuck. When finally forced open there appeared to be some sticky substance in the upper right hand corner of the fridge frame & gasket. (Sorry, sticky stuff removed before thinking of take a picture.) The gasket cleaned up nicely; the frame did not like the vigorous use of Goof Off (xylene). The door no longer sticks.

Fridge is a Norcold 3-way.

My questions:

What's the source of the sticky?
Is it the fridge gasket & frame "melting" in the heat?
What's the recommended way to prop the fridge door open slightly while in storage?

Thanks.
2020 Toyota Highlander + 2021 T@B 400 BD 
Truckee, CA, expat, now driving out of Reno
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Comments

  • subkron
    subkron Member Posts: 200
    @geoB
    AS far as propping open, we take off one of the door shelves, open up the freezer and stick the shelf in it so it points out.  The freezer door can't close and the main fridge door can't close either.  We have the 3-way.
    2022 T@B 400 Boondock
    2015 RAM 1500 Outdoorsman Quad Cab
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  • dlb
    dlb Member Posts: 171
    We prop open the frig and bathroom door when in storage with a foam piece, think longitudinal sliced poop noodle. 
    2021 Tab 400 Boondock
    2020 Audi SQ5
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  • geoB
    geoB Member Posts: 114
    Thanks all. SWMBO thinks a small towel will do the trick.
    2020 Toyota Highlander + 2021 T@B 400 BD 
    Truckee, CA, expat, now driving out of Reno
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  • MuttonChops
    MuttonChops Member Posts: 1,937
    geoB said:
    Fridge is a Norcold 3-way.

    [c]  . . . What's the source of the sticky?
    [b] . . .  Is it the fridge gasket & frame "melting" in the heat?
    [a] . . .  What's the recommended way to prop the fridge door open slightly while in storage?
    [a] . . . other replies sound good

    [b] . . . No don't think it is melting.  Some transfer of the 'rubber' compound to the plastic door
                will occur but in general that happens on all Fridge units in all temperature environments.

    [c] . . . Most likely you spilled something.
               If your larger Norcold is like the smaller 3-way design wise, the door seal is just a pressure fit
               into the door molding.  There is no Norcold installed adhesive and the 'rubber seal' itself is
               non-adhesive.  In fact the 'seal' popping out is a common event . . . so much so that some
               folks do "glue" it in place.

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  • geoB
    geoB Member Posts: 114
    It's hard to feature spilling something above the fridge; the top is at eye level. The only thing above it is the Jensen "media" box.
    2020 Toyota Highlander + 2021 T@B 400 BD 
    Truckee, CA, expat, now driving out of Reno
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