Freezer In Cold Garage Solution

A Refrigerator With A Single Thermostat Wont Work At Near Freezing Temperatures

Most fridge freezer combos have a thermostat in the fresh produce part of the refrigerator. If the outside temperature is below the refrigerator setting but above freezing, it will shut off and stop cooling the refrigerator.

Most refrigerators work by cooling the refrigerator section with air from the freezer compartment. Now that the refrigerator section is cold enough it has shut off the refrigerator and freezer and is no longer cooling. The temperature outside is still above freezing so the freezer temperature will now be above freezing spoiling everything in it. A refrigerator with 2 thermostats will handle cold outside temperatures better by keeping the freezer running if the freezer air warms above its setting.

A refrigerator only unit like a mini fridge will only have one thermostat. It will shutoff when it goes below its operating temperature and then go as cold as the garage after that. The only risk is if it gets cold enough for items in the mini fridge to burst. A blown up can of coke can make a gigantic mess inside your fridge. I found that out on my dads boat one day when I put one too close to the freezer element in the fridge.

Helpful Tips For Keeping A Refrigerator In The Garage

Having a second refrigerator in the garage can really help with space. Its nice to always have frosty cold beverages available out in the garage fridge opening up storage space in your kitchen fridge for other things. Can you use any refrigerator outside in the garage if you have an uninsulated garage without heating or cooling? What do you need to consider when keeping a refrigerator in the garage? Below are some things to know before putting a second fridge out in your garage.

Heat Up Your Fridges Thermostat

The air around your refrigerators thermostat needs to be warm enough in the winter to make it turn on. Depending on how cold it gets in your garage, there are a few ways you can do this.

Some manufacturers make a kit that lets you convert an older fridge into one that can work in colder temperatures.

Not every manufacturer makes a garage ready kit. However, if you have certain Frigidaire or Kenmore models, then there may be an inexpensive option for you.

Another way to trick your fridges thermostat into thinking its warmer than it really is, is to use a clamp-on work lamp near the fridge. Theyre available at your local home improvement store for a few dollars. When you fit them with an incandescent light bulb, the bulb will put off heat.

In colder temperatures, you can use an infrared heater to accomplish the same thing.

However, this option will only work if you have a fridge with an external thermostat.

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Upgrade Your Old Freezer

If you have a freezer older than 2004, consider upgrading to a newer model. absolutely have to keep a freezer in the garage, consider replacing the old model for a new one. Not only will this help you save $50 a year, but you could choose a garage freezer with a better operating temperature range.

Unfortunately, nearly 15% of people have freezers over twenty years old. That means the freezer is nowhere near as energy efficient as newer models. Using an older freezer in a garage with temperature extremes will most certainly add to your electricity bill.

To get an estimate how much you can save, use the Energy Star Flip Your Fridge Calculator.

Finally, its important to check your warranty. Depending on the manufacturer, using your freezer in a garage could actually void your warranty.

Garage Kit Heating Coil

Find the model number of your refrigerator and contact the manufacturers parts department to see if it offers a garage kit for your unit.

You may be able to solve your problem by installing a Frigidaire garage ready refrigerator kit, a heating coil to warm the air around the thermostat. The warmer air makes the compressor run longer and keeps frozen food, well, frozen. Check with the manufacturer to see if it makes one for your model.

But before you shell out $20 for the Frigidaire garage ready refrigerator kit, consider how much youll have to spend to keep your brews chilled and pizzas are frozen in the summer. Your old fridge is less efficient than your new one, so its already costing you more to run. Add 25 percent to run the old clunker in an 80-degree garage. Then double the bill if its running in a garage at 90 degrees and up. Are you sure you want to pay that much just to save a trip to the kitchen?

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How Does A Fridge Control Temperature

Most modern fridges operate by sensing the air temperature surrounding the fridge and adjusting their internal temperature accordingly. On fridge freezers, the temperature inside the freezer is adjusted to the outside air temperature and the freezer diverts cold air into the fridge directly from the freezer.

Build An Enclosed Conditioned Space

The ideal approach to keeping your garage refrigerator running at peak performance is to regulate the garage air temperature, heating or cooling it as needed. Since this may involve retro-fitting the garage with insulation and venting, it will likely get expensive quickly. A better option is often to condition a small space within the garage, by framing an enclosed space around the fridge.

This allows you to moderate the heat and cold only around the fridge. As a bonus, a climate-controlled space allows you to store other temperature-sensitive items like paint without worrying about them freezing or overheating.

If creating a warm area to keep your beverages cool seems like overkill, then read on for tips for a variety of budgets.

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Keep Ice In The Freezer

Storing extra ice in the freezer can allow it to handle outside temperature swings better. Ice and water are good at storing heat or cold. Keeping ice in your freezer will allow it to stay cold when its really hot in your garage or if your refrigerator turns off which can save your frozen food. It will also let you know if it warmed up in your freezer because all the ice is melted and no longer in cubes.

When Is It Fine To Keep A Freezer In The Garage

Freezers do fine in temperature-controlled environments.

So you need not hesitate about keeping your freezer in a heated garage.

Now, we already saw that its not wise to place a freezer in an unheated garage.

The efficiency of the appliance will be affected when the temperature fluctuations are significant.

It can result in high energy bills in summer and confuse the device controls in winter.

However, it will not be a problem if you live in a place where there are no temperature extremes.

If it doesnt get too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter, you dont have to worry about your freezer going into overdrive or shutting off.

Nonetheless, if you decide to keep your freezer in the garage, look out for the following signs that may suggest the garage is too hot or too cold for your freezer.

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Will Freezers Work In Cold Garages

Since freezers consume a lot of space, most freezer owners prefer to keep these appliances in the garage where its out of the way. However, unheated garages are prone to weather changes and humidity. So, will freezers work in cold garages?

Whether freezers will work in cold garages or not depends on the weather conditions and temperature fluctuations. They will get affected if the temperature fluctuates beyond 0°F and 110°F. If its too hot, freezers will work extra. When it gets too cold, the compressor unit will not work correctly.

Lets talk about this in more detail now.

Why Do Some Fridge/freezers Thaw In Cold Garages

The problem with many fridge/freezers is they only have one thermostat which is usually in the fridge. This means that once the rooms temperature drops below a certain point, the fridge detects that it no longer needs to generate any cool air and so shuts off. This leaves the freezer without power and everything in the freezer begins to thaw.

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Can You Have A Freezer In An Unheated Garage Why Not

Freezers can be very useful when it comes tostoring that excess food we may have stuffed into our fridge, however manydont consider their functionality when placed in an unheated garage. Thegarage is one of the most popular places to store a freezer, but if placed inan unheated garage, you may run into some issues.

Can you have a freezer in an unheated garage? It is possible to keep a freezer in an unheated garage. However, freezers will begin to face complications when the overall temperature of the garage drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. If located somewhere where the general temperature of your garage does drop far below this temperature, then your freezers compressor may fail to turn on resulting in the accidental thawing of your freezers contents.

There is much more, however, to consider whendeciding whether or not your unheated garage is a compatible location for yourfreezer. Understanding how certain conditions of your garage and itstemperature affect your freezer can save a large amount of money in lost frozengoods and repairs in the future.

Fixing A Freezer Design Flaw With A Little Bit Of Heat

As a shining example of the law of unintended consequences, demonstrates how certain types of freezer/refrigerator combinations fail to work in a cold environment, such as a garage during the winter. As points out in his video using the freezer unit in his own garage the problem lies with devices that put the temperature sensor in the refrigerator section, but circulate cold air starting in the freezer section.

This works great in a home environment with a room temperature comfortable for humans, as the refrigerator will constantly warm up slightly due to heat from the outside, triggering the cooling cycle and ensuring the freezer section will stay nice and cold. When placed in, say, a garage when its around freezing, the refrigerator section will not warm up, and thus no more cooling cycle gets triggered.

As obviously the freezer section is supposed to stay significantly colder than roughly around 0°C, the freezer section can warm up enough to allow frozen goods to thaw out. The easy fix here as demonstrates, is to add a constant source of warmth inside the refrigerator section, such as by keeping the refrigerator light on constantly.

Obvious complaints about the lack of energy efficiency and this combo units optimistically broken sensor design aside, it is a fairly simple and effective fix. Even so, perhaps trading such a combo unit for one with a dedicated temperature sensor in the freezer section would prevent headaches like these.

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Is It Ok To Put A Freezer In The Garage

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Living in a particularly cold part of the country, I was worried about putting a large chest freezer in my garage. But Im pleased to say mine has been working fine for years now, so I want to share with you what you need to do to ensure your freezer doesnt break.

Its fine to put a freezer in a garage so long as the garage is well insulated and climate-controlled. Without insulation and climate control, the freezer will become damaged due to exposure to extreme temperatures. Ensure that the garage is dry and that theres plenty of room for the air to circulate around the freezer.

Many manufacturers advertise their freezers as being garage-ready. However, its important to understand what to look for to avoid being taken in by the wild claims made by some big brands.

The Extremes Of A Hot Summer

In the summer, a freezer may struggle to cool itself and release the heat into the air. Objects stacked in front of a freezers air vent or it being too close to a wall will prevent it from radiating heat.

Owners also allow more heat to re-enter the freezer each time they open the door. This means that the freezers compressor must work even harder to bring the temperature back down.

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Can You Plug A Chest Freezer Into An Extension Cord

It is strongly advised not to use an extension cord to plug in a chest freezer. Or any heavy appliance for that matter. Extension cords are the best use on appliances or machines that need to be plugged in temporarily. A chest freezer requires a high-electricity current for more permanent usage. You do not want to keep plugging and unplugging your chest freezer because it will affect its effectiveness to keep the freezing temperature at the desired level.

A refrigerator or a chest freezer will mostly always need to be connected to the main electricity line to prevent short circuits, fire hazards, machine damage, and an increased electricity bill. Extension cords are useful in a garage but they can also be a bother because they are not pleasing to the eyes and you cannot hide them under the floor, above the ceilings, or through any walls. These requirements are suited for permanent electrical lines.

But, if need be, there are other ways around establishing a safe electrical line with an extension cord. Here is where a grounded extension cord comes in where that additional third wire offers a semblance of safety. It is still not advisable to use extension cords with chest freezers but there are available heavy-duty extension cords that can be considered.

Can You Keep A Freezer In An Unheated Garage During Winter

Its counter-intuitive, but freezing temperatures are actually bad for your freezer.

Thats because cold weather outside the freezer tricks your freezer into thinking that its already freezing inside the freezer.

When the outside temperature is below freezing, it causes the freezers thermostat to shut off more often than it should. Occasionally, it stops working completely.

When that happens, the food inside may start to thaw.

More importantly, cold weather can cause frost to build around the freezers insulation layer. As the freezing and thawing continues, that insulation inside the freezer will gradually get damaged.

Eventually this causes the freezer to not hold temperature as well. The compressor will end up working harder to compensate for that, leading to higher energy bills.

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Do Freezers Continue To Work In Low Temperatures

Some manufacturers claim their freezers will work as normal in sub-zero conditions, which is an important factor if you plan to put yours in an unheated room such as a garage or outbuilding.

We wanted to check for ourselves whether freezers can continue working properly in very cold conditions, so we tested a mix of four chest and tall freestanding models that had all scored fairly well for temperature stability in our standard tests.

We tested two models that came with guarantees that they would continue working as normal in sub-zero conditions – the Beko FFG1545W freestanding tall freezer and the Haier HCE519R chest freezer.

We also tested two models that came with no such guarantees – the Samsung RZ32M7120BC and the Hoover HMCH202EL .

Somewhat surprisingly, all four continued working as normal at -15°C temperatures – even those not guaranteed for use in such conditions.

But it’s not quite as straightforward as now going out and buying any freezer to store out of the house, because of the possibility of invalidating your freezer’s warranty.

Use A Heater In Your Refrigerator To Keep It Going In Freezing Temperatures

A heating coil can be installed inside the refrigerator to heat the thermostat so it doesnt shut off in near freezing temperature. A refrigerator designed to operate in very cold temperatures will need to heat the refrigerator section to keep it at ideal refrigeration temperature. A heating kit or garage refrigerator kit is available for many refrigerators.

Consult a refrigerator service technician or repair guy to see if they can add a heater or garage kit to your fridge before putting it out in the garage. For the DIY people out there you can try to put a heater pad by the thermostat to trick it and do the same thing.

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Keeping A Refrigerator In The Garage Tips

Refrigerators work best between freezing and 100F. Their optimal operating temperature range is room temperature between 68 and 71F degrees. Putting one in your garage can expose it to temperatures well outside of its normal operating range. Is it impossible to run a refrigerator in an unheated garage? No, it isnt. You need to look for the right refrigerator and there are some precautions you need to take.

Best Buy Customers Often Prefer The Following Products When Searching For Freezers For Garage

Garage freezers are a great way to keep food fresh without using up too much space in your kitchen. They’re a convenient option for organizing your food and frozen treats. And they will keep your favorite beverages cold and close, in case of a gathering or a night with your friends. Browse the top-ranked list of freezers for garage below along with associated reviews and opinions.

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