Cooling

• The first thing that results from a bad seal on a refrigerator door is a decrease in its ability to keep cool air in and warm air out. An open refrigerator door quickly lets the chilled air inside the fresh food compartment escape into the kitchen air, and warm air creeps inside to raise the temperature. When a door doesn’t close tightly, the same issue results. If the seal is bad enough, it may prevent the refrigerator from keeping your perishable foods at a safe temperature. If the temperature inside climbs above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, it may allow bacterial growth and make for a dangerous situation involving food poisoning.
  
  

Condensation

• Excessive frost and moisture buildup inside your freezer and refrigerator can result from a poorly sealed door. High humidity inside the refrigerator can cause sweating on the interior walls of the refrigerator or any other surface. In the freezer compartment, the lower temperatures may turn this sweat into ice that can cause further problems. The more air that is allowed inside the refrigerator, the more moisture it may take on. Keeping the door closed tightly will help keep the interior dry and functioning properly.
  
  

Wasted Energy

• A refrigerator door that doesn’t close can cost you significant amounts of money over the course of the year. Your energy bill can be affected if the refrigerator’s door isn’t tightly shut. As cool air escapes around the door, the compressor has to work that much harder to maintain temperatures, which requires it to run much more often than it should and use more electricity. Also, if the door will not stay shut completely, then the lights inside the refrigerator may also stay on, which will also use unnecessary power. Since the refrigerator is the biggest consumer of electricity of all the appliances in your kitchen, you should consider the repercussions of this seemingly minor problem.
  
  

Common Causes

• To get your refrigerator door to close tightly, you will first need to figure out why it is not closing properly. There are several reasons why this could happen. If the refrigerator is brand-new, make sure there isn’t some unseen packaging such as plastic wrapping or foam that was not removed. Make sure the doors were mounted properly. Otherwise, check for food packages in the way of the door or refrigerator drawers or bins that are protruding and keeping the door from closing properly. A common reason for the door not to close tightly is a dirty or damaged rubber gasket. This gasket makes the door stay closed, and it may not seal correctly if the gasket is dirty or torn.