Run the seal test — get a verdict
Do the dollar-bill test on your door, look the gasket over, then answer three questions. The verdict applies the same thresholds the service guides below use.
Thresholds: USDA FSIS 40°F guidance + the manufacturer service-guide dollar-bill test.
Browse all answers
Each row shows one complete set of answers and its recommendation, using the same rules as this tool.
| Close a dollar bill in the door and pull. What happens? | How does the gasket rubber look and feel? | Any of these symptoms? | Recommendation and explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firm drag everywhere | Soft and intact | None | Your seal is healthy Firm drag the whole way around with soft, intact rubber is exactly what a working gasket feels like. Retest every 6 months — the same interval as condenser-coil cleaning. |
| Firm drag everywhere | Soft and intact | Condensation or frost at the door frame | Recondition and retest Weak spots or stiff rubber can often be recovered: wash with warm soapy water (never bleach or abrasives), work in a thin coat of food-grade silicone, and rerun the bill test at the weak spots. If the drag does not return, replace. |
| Firm drag everywhere | Soft and intact | Compressor runs nearly constantly | Recondition and retest Weak spots or stiff rubber can often be recovered: wash with warm soapy water (never bleach or abrasives), work in a thin coat of food-grade silicone, and rerun the bill test at the weak spots. If the drag does not return, replace. |
| Firm drag everywhere | Stiff, sticky, or flattened | None | Recondition and retest Weak spots or stiff rubber can often be recovered: wash with warm soapy water (never bleach or abrasives), work in a thin coat of food-grade silicone, and rerun the bill test at the weak spots. If the drag does not return, replace. |
| Firm drag everywhere | Stiff, sticky, or flattened | Condensation or frost at the door frame | Recondition and retest Weak spots or stiff rubber can often be recovered: wash with warm soapy water (never bleach or abrasives), work in a thin coat of food-grade silicone, and rerun the bill test at the weak spots. If the drag does not return, replace. |
| Firm drag everywhere | Stiff, sticky, or flattened | Compressor runs nearly constantly | Recondition and retest Weak spots or stiff rubber can often be recovered: wash with warm soapy water (never bleach or abrasives), work in a thin coat of food-grade silicone, and rerun the bill test at the weak spots. If the drag does not return, replace. |
| Firm drag everywhere | Cracked or torn | None | Replace the gasket A bill with no drag, or cracked/torn rubber, means the magnetic seal is gone — warm air is leaking in around the clock. A typical OEM gasket runs $40–$120 and most are owner-replaceable in 30–60 minutes. Estimate the repair cost |
| Firm drag everywhere | Cracked or torn | Condensation or frost at the door frame | Replace the gasket A bill with no drag, or cracked/torn rubber, means the magnetic seal is gone — warm air is leaking in around the clock. A typical OEM gasket runs $40–$120 and most are owner-replaceable in 30–60 minutes. Estimate the repair cost |
| Firm drag everywhere | Cracked or torn | Compressor runs nearly constantly | Replace the gasket A bill with no drag, or cracked/torn rubber, means the magnetic seal is gone — warm air is leaking in around the clock. A typical OEM gasket runs $40–$120 and most are owner-replaceable in 30–60 minutes. Estimate the repair cost |
| Slides out easily at some spots | Soft and intact | None | Recondition and retest Weak spots or stiff rubber can often be recovered: wash with warm soapy water (never bleach or abrasives), work in a thin coat of food-grade silicone, and rerun the bill test at the weak spots. If the drag does not return, replace. |
| Slides out easily at some spots | Soft and intact | Condensation or frost at the door frame | Recondition and retest Weak spots or stiff rubber can often be recovered: wash with warm soapy water (never bleach or abrasives), work in a thin coat of food-grade silicone, and rerun the bill test at the weak spots. If the drag does not return, replace. |
| Slides out easily at some spots | Soft and intact | Compressor runs nearly constantly | Recondition and retest Weak spots or stiff rubber can often be recovered: wash with warm soapy water (never bleach or abrasives), work in a thin coat of food-grade silicone, and rerun the bill test at the weak spots. If the drag does not return, replace. |
| Slides out easily at some spots | Stiff, sticky, or flattened | None | Recondition and retest Weak spots or stiff rubber can often be recovered: wash with warm soapy water (never bleach or abrasives), work in a thin coat of food-grade silicone, and rerun the bill test at the weak spots. If the drag does not return, replace. |
| Slides out easily at some spots | Stiff, sticky, or flattened | Condensation or frost at the door frame | Recondition and retest Weak spots or stiff rubber can often be recovered: wash with warm soapy water (never bleach or abrasives), work in a thin coat of food-grade silicone, and rerun the bill test at the weak spots. If the drag does not return, replace. |
| Slides out easily at some spots | Stiff, sticky, or flattened | Compressor runs nearly constantly | Recondition and retest Weak spots or stiff rubber can often be recovered: wash with warm soapy water (never bleach or abrasives), work in a thin coat of food-grade silicone, and rerun the bill test at the weak spots. If the drag does not return, replace. |
| Slides out easily at some spots | Cracked or torn | None | Replace the gasket A bill with no drag, or cracked/torn rubber, means the magnetic seal is gone — warm air is leaking in around the clock. A typical OEM gasket runs $40–$120 and most are owner-replaceable in 30–60 minutes. Estimate the repair cost |
| Slides out easily at some spots | Cracked or torn | Condensation or frost at the door frame | Replace the gasket A bill with no drag, or cracked/torn rubber, means the magnetic seal is gone — warm air is leaking in around the clock. A typical OEM gasket runs $40–$120 and most are owner-replaceable in 30–60 minutes. Estimate the repair cost |
| Slides out easily at some spots | Cracked or torn | Compressor runs nearly constantly | Replace the gasket A bill with no drag, or cracked/torn rubber, means the magnetic seal is gone — warm air is leaking in around the clock. A typical OEM gasket runs $40–$120 and most are owner-replaceable in 30–60 minutes. Estimate the repair cost |
| Falls out or no drag at all | Soft and intact | None | Replace the gasket A bill with no drag, or cracked/torn rubber, means the magnetic seal is gone — warm air is leaking in around the clock. A typical OEM gasket runs $40–$120 and most are owner-replaceable in 30–60 minutes. Estimate the repair cost |
| Falls out or no drag at all | Soft and intact | Condensation or frost at the door frame | Replace the gasket A bill with no drag, or cracked/torn rubber, means the magnetic seal is gone — warm air is leaking in around the clock. A typical OEM gasket runs $40–$120 and most are owner-replaceable in 30–60 minutes. Estimate the repair cost |
| Falls out or no drag at all | Soft and intact | Compressor runs nearly constantly | Replace the gasket A bill with no drag, or cracked/torn rubber, means the magnetic seal is gone — warm air is leaking in around the clock. A typical OEM gasket runs $40–$120 and most are owner-replaceable in 30–60 minutes. Estimate the repair cost |
| Falls out or no drag at all | Stiff, sticky, or flattened | None | Replace the gasket A bill with no drag, or cracked/torn rubber, means the magnetic seal is gone — warm air is leaking in around the clock. A typical OEM gasket runs $40–$120 and most are owner-replaceable in 30–60 minutes. Estimate the repair cost |
| Falls out or no drag at all | Stiff, sticky, or flattened | Condensation or frost at the door frame | Replace the gasket A bill with no drag, or cracked/torn rubber, means the magnetic seal is gone — warm air is leaking in around the clock. A typical OEM gasket runs $40–$120 and most are owner-replaceable in 30–60 minutes. Estimate the repair cost |
| Falls out or no drag at all | Stiff, sticky, or flattened | Compressor runs nearly constantly | Replace the gasket A bill with no drag, or cracked/torn rubber, means the magnetic seal is gone — warm air is leaking in around the clock. A typical OEM gasket runs $40–$120 and most are owner-replaceable in 30–60 minutes. Estimate the repair cost |
| Falls out or no drag at all | Cracked or torn | None | Replace the gasket A bill with no drag, or cracked/torn rubber, means the magnetic seal is gone — warm air is leaking in around the clock. A typical OEM gasket runs $40–$120 and most are owner-replaceable in 30–60 minutes. Estimate the repair cost |
| Falls out or no drag at all | Cracked or torn | Condensation or frost at the door frame | Replace the gasket A bill with no drag, or cracked/torn rubber, means the magnetic seal is gone — warm air is leaking in around the clock. A typical OEM gasket runs $40–$120 and most are owner-replaceable in 30–60 minutes. Estimate the repair cost |
| Falls out or no drag at all | Cracked or torn | Compressor runs nearly constantly | Replace the gasket A bill with no drag, or cracked/torn rubber, means the magnetic seal is gone — warm air is leaking in around the clock. A typical OEM gasket runs $40–$120 and most are owner-replaceable in 30–60 minutes. Estimate the repair cost |
What the door seal actually does
The gasket is a hollow magnetic strip that mates the door to the cabinet. When it's healthy, it makes an airtight seal — the compressor cycles infrequently because warm room air can't reach the cold interior.
When it fails, three things happen at once: the compressor runs longer to fight the leak, the interior drifts upward (toward and past USDA's 40°F threshold for safe refrigeration), and condensation forms on or around the door frame as humid air contacts cold surfaces.
A leaking gasket can push fridge temps above USDA's 40°F safe-refrigeration threshold — especially in summer or in hot kitchens. Test the seal before you chase a dying compressor.
The test, step by step
- 01
Wipe the gasket and door frame
Use a damp cloth with warm soapy water. Crumbs, sticky residue, and dust can fool the test by holding the bill in place where the rubber isn't actually sealing.
- 02
Close a dollar bill in the door
Place a US dollar bill (or any thin paper of similar stiffness) so half is inside, half outside. Shut the door normally — don't slam it.
- 03
Pull the bill straight out
A healthy gasket grips firmly — you should feel real drag, and the bill may resist or tear before sliding free.
- 04
Repeat at every position
Top corners, sides, bottom corners, and across the bottom. The most common failure points are the lower hinge corner and the bottom edge — start there if you're skipping anywhere.
- 05
Check for visible damage
Look for tears, splits, hardening, or permanent deformation. A torn gasket fails the test and needs replacement regardless of grip elsewhere.
Reading the result
| What you observed | Verdict | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Strong drag everywhere | Healthy seal | No action — recheck in 6 months |
| Drag at most points, slips at one spot | Localized failure | Try cleaning + reshaping; retest |
| Slips out at multiple spots | Gasket failing | Replace gasket |
| Visible tear, split, or hardening | Gasket failed | Replace gasket |
| Condensation on door frame even when closed | Air leak around seal | Replace gasket; check door alignment |
| Door doesn't auto-close from 45° open | Hinge or level issue (not gasket) | Re-level the unit (see leveling guide) |
Fix or replace
Three escalating responses, ordered by effort. Manufacturer service guides treat replacement as the only durable fix once the rubber has lost shape.
Clean and recondition
Wipe with warm soapy water. Apply a thin coat of food-grade silicone or petroleum jelly to the sealing surface. Avoid bleach, ammonia, and abrasive cleaners — all degrade the rubber.
Reshape a deformed gasket
If a section was crushed or kinked, run a hair dryer on low heat over the deformed area while pressing it back into shape. Re-test once cool.
Replace the gasket
Order the OEM part by your model number. Most modern gaskets snap into a retainer or are screwed in under a flange. 30–60 minutes per door for a competent DIY; longer for built-ins.