Repairing Your Appliances

Posted on: 20 July 2016

If you want to update the look of your kitchen, consider replacing the handle on your refrigerator with a designer handle. There are now handles available that have intricate designs on them to allow you to give it a sophisticated, unique look. Use the guide below to learn how to replace the handle on your side-by-side refrigerator on your own.

Purchase Your Replacement Handles

The first thing you will need to do is purchase the designer replacement handles to use on your refrigerator. You need to know the exact make and model of your refrigerator in order to find a replacement handle that is made to the exact specifications for that particular refrigerator. If you do not know the make and model of your refrigerator, look for a tag located on the inside of the refrigerator that details the information you are looking for. Visit a kitchen supply store to find the handles.

Remove the Old Handle

Next, you will need to remove the old handles from the refrigerator. Open the door to the refrigerator and look along the edge of the door closest to the handles. You should see two small screws. Use a hex key to loosen the screws. Hex keys come in a variety of sizes so you may have to try a few different keys until you find the right one for the exact size of screws that are holding your refrigerator door handles in place. Once the screws are loosened, you should be able to pull the handle from the door with ease. Repeat the process on the other door to remove the last handle from the refrigerator.

Tighten the Support Pegs

Once you have the handles removed from the refrigerator, you should see support pegs sticking out of the front of the doors. Use a hex key to turn these pegs clockwise to ensure that they are as tight as they can be. This will keep your handles from wobbling when you go to open your doors.

Attach the New Designer Handles

Once the pegs are tightened, align the new handle with the pegs so that the pegs slide into the openings on the handle. Use the hex key that you used to loosen the screws on the sides on the doors to tighten them again until they cannot turn anymore.

Once your handles are replaced, you can start using your refrigerator right away. This quick and easy change can give your kitchen a new look and make your refrigerator look fancy. If your refrigerator needs more than a face lift, or if you need help changing the door handles, contact your local repair person.