If you have a faulty or damaged door seal, it will affect the efficiency of your oven. Your cooker may be losing excess heat or the oven door may not be closing properly which will be using up more energy. Here, we're going to show you how to replace the door seal on your oven using a universal door seal.
How do I know if my door seal is causing the problem?
To find out if your door seal is faulty there are a few checks you can perform. First, when the oven is switched on, feel around the door. If you feel warm air blowing out there may be a gap in the seal. Then, check for any clear signs of damage to the door seal. If it is cracked or damaged, it will need replacing.
What is a universal door seal?
A universal door seal is a generic replacement for your oven door seal which you will need to cut to size. There are different types of universal seals including three-sided and four-sided seals so make sure you're getting the right type to fit your oven.
If you're looking for an exact like-for-like replacement door seal for your oven then you can purchase a genuine replacement. You can purchase these from our online shop, just make sure you have your model number to hand.
The model number on your oven is usually found on the frame behind the main oven door or on the sides of the door near the hinges. If you can't find it here, look under the flap of the base of the front of your oven or on the back or sides of your appliance. You are looking for a combination of letters and numbers with some containing a dash (-) or slash (/). For more information on finding your cooker model number, check out our article.
However, if it is not possible to get a genuine door seal or you're looking for a more cost-effective solution, you can use a universal seal as long as your existing seal meets certain stipulations. These include:
- It must be a rubber type seal and not made of any other material such as woven cloth.
- For this particular door seal, it will need to have right-hand corners. We do provide a universal door seal for rounded corners if your model has this instead and you can find information on how to fit these in our article.
- It must have one hook per corner which fits into a corresponding hole in each corner of your oven. If there are multiple hooks per corner you won't be able to use this particular universal door seal.
How to fit universal oven door seals on a cooker step by step
Now you have established that a universal door seal is suitable for your oven, we're going to show you how to fit this. You can watch our how-to video or read the article below for your step-by-step guide.
What you'll need:
- Tape measure
- Scissors
- Universal door seal
Safety First!
Before you begin this repair, you will need to make sure your cooker is switched off and fully disconnected from the mains.
Step 1: Unclip the original seal
So let's get started. First, you will need to remove the faulty seal. To do this, simply unhook the seal from each of the four corners.
Step 2: Measure your oven door
To ensure you get the correct fit, you will need to measure the distance between the two holes on your oven door both vertically and horizontally using a tape measure. Take note of these measurements.
Step 3: Cut the universal door seal to size
Using your measurements, you will need to cut your universal door seal to size. The universal door seal will need to be cut slightly shorter than your measurements as it will need to be stretched to fit. The door seal will come with a set of instructions that will tell you exactly how much shorter it should be cut, depending on your measurements.
When you have worked out the measurements, measure the new door seal with your tape measure and cut to size with a pair of scissors.
Step 4: Cut the corners
Next, you will need to cut the inside of each corner diagonally so that when the hook is inserted they will sit flush.
Step 5: Insert the hooks
Now that the corners are ready, you will need to insert the hooks into these corners. The hook needs to be facing the same way as the flat part of the seal. You will need to make sure this is done correctly as once the hook is in, it won't come out.
Once you have the positioning correct, you can simply feed it in.
Step 6: Attach the door seal
Fit the four hooks into the holes in each corner and they should simply slot into place.
And there you have it, how to measure and fit a universal door seal to get your oven back up and running again.
In order to keep your oven in tip-top shape and prevent it from developing future faults, you will need to keep it clean. Read our article on how to clean your oven for some great tips, advice and product recommendations.
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