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The summer season has arrived and the electronic appliance that is used the most in this hot season is our refrigerator. The fridge remains on 24 hours to keep chilled water, milk, curd, fresh vegetables, fruits and leftover food from getting spoiled. But sometimes after running continuously, suddenly the cooling of the fridge starts reducing. In such a situation, most people consider it to be a major technical fault and without thinking immediately call an expensive mechanic. Whereas in many cases the problem is very minor. Actually, due to the rubber (gasket) on the refrigerator door being loose, hard or damaged, the cold air inside starts coming out. Due to this, the cooling of the fridge not only reduces but the electricity bill also starts skyrocketing. The good thing is that with the help of a simple paper trick, you can find out this problem in minutes sitting at home without any expense. What is rubber gasket and what does it do? The rubber strip around the door of the refrigerator is called gasket in technical language. It may seem simple in appearance, but it contributes a lot to the functioning of the refrigerator: Airtight Sealing: Its main function is to keep the refrigerator door completely closed ‘airtight’. Temperature Control: A proper gasket prevents the cold air created by the internal compressor from escaping and prevents hot and humid air from the outside environment from entering the refrigerator. What is mechanics’ favorite ‘paper trick’? This is a very popular and easy home method to check the strength of the sealing of the refrigerator. For this you do not need any special tool, machine or technical knowledge at all. You can do this test with just a simple piece of paper or a crisp note. Do this step-by-step check: Keep the paper: First of all open the door of your refrigerator. Now place a simple A-4 size paper or any note between the door rubber (gasket) and the body of the refrigerator. Keep in mind that half of the paper should be inside the refrigerator and the other half should be outside. Close the door: Now close the refrigerator door completely as usual, so that the paper gets pressed between the rubber. Pull the paper: Now try to slowly pull the protruding part of the paper outwards with your hands. Test Result: If the paper slides out easily: It clearly means that the rubber gasket of your fridge has become loose and its grip (magnetic seal) is weak. This is the reason why cold air from the fridge is leaking and cooling is getting less. If the paper gets stuck tightly: If the paper does not come out easily when pulled or gets stuck and tears, then understand that the rubber is still fine and there is no fault in the sealing of the refrigerator. The reason for less cooling could be less gas or some other problem with the compressor. Why is perfect sealing of refrigerator door so important? Better and faster cooling: Proper sealing keeps the cooling locked inside the fridge for a longer period, keeping the food fresh. Relief from heavy electricity bills: When the door does not close properly, the temperature inside starts increasing. To manage this, the refrigerator’s compressor starts running repeatedly and continuously, due to which the electricity consumption increases significantly. Long life of the compressor: Due to continuous overloading and non-stop running, the ‘compressor’, which is called the heart of the refrigerator, can blow up or get damaged prematurely. Perfect sealing does not allow excess pressure on the compressor. 4 easy tips to keep the rubber (gasket) of the refrigerator good for years. If your paper test has failed or you want to save your rubber from getting spoiled, then keep these things in mind: Clean regularly: Milk splashes, dirt or fungus often accumulates in the rubber of the refrigerator, which reduces its grip. Clean it gently every week with the help of lukewarm water and baking soda. Avoid sharp objects: While cleaning the refrigerator, do not take a knife, fork or any sharp object near the rubber, it can cut the rubber. Do not slam the door forcefully: Some people have a habit of closing the refrigerator door by pushing it very forcefully. By doing this the gasket becomes loose very quickly. Replace it on time: If the rubber fails the paper test even after cleaning or appears torn somewhere, then without delay ask the mechanic to get a new gasket installed.