Leveling a Refrigerator is important for the refrigerator to be able to shut and seal the doors properly. If you have been experiencing issues with your fridge not working properly, it may simply need to be leveled. If the fridge isn’t level then you may experience decreased performance from your refrigerator. When your refrigerator drains water from the defrost system or when the ice maker is working, a fridge that is NOT LEVEL can cause issues with all these systems. Your new or old fridge will perform best when it is level.
First… Make sure you have a level. Put the level on the top front portion of the fridge. Place a level on top of the refrigerator (not the door) near the front. Make sure the fridge is completely level from the left and right to the front and back.
If your refrigerator is level then you are okay. If not, you will need to adjust the legs. The legs of your fridge are large bolts that are designed to be turned to lower or raise up the fridge. Use a pair of good quality pliers and after looking at the level, figure out which way the refrigerator needs to be, either raised or lowered.
Is the fridge a little tilted to the left? Then lower the left leg downwards (to bring left side upwards) to get the fridge level or… the right leg upward to lower the right side to be level with the left. If the fridge is leaning back to far, then you may need to lower both the left and right front legs to get the refrigerator level. Questions about which way to turn the legs to get it level? Ask us using the comments form below.
NOTE: Not all fridges are supposed to be completely level. Many refrigerators are made to slope to the rear so the defrost drains properly. Also so the doors will close on their own. be sure to check your refrigerator owners manual first.
If your fridge has an ice maker and you just got your refrigerator leveled, put the level on the ice maker to be sure it itself is level. If the ice maker is not level, the water could spill or the ice maker may not work properly. If your ice maker is not level, use the screws used to mount it to re-position by loosening them. Make sure the ice maker is level so it works properly and tightening the screws securely.
The leveling method above will work on all refrigerators including LG, Samsung, Whirlpool, Frigidaire, Kenmore and more.
NOTE: Some refrigerators have rear wheels or feet and some do not. If your fridge does have the rear legs, slide it out and raise them so the back is a little higher than the front. Once you get it back in place then re-level the front. If your fridge does not have any type of rear adjustment, you can add a 1 inch shim board under the back.
