Is your kitchen refrigerator-freezer so packed with food that finding the items you want is virtually impossible? Short of downsizing your family, you have come to realize that the best solution to this problem is to put a refrigerator in your garage. Before you simply move your kitchen model outside, it’s important to learn about how the varying climate in your garage may require a fridge specifically designed for that area.
The distinction between kitchen and garage lies in the temperature. While you probably keep your home at a pretty standard moderate temperature, the same cannot be said for the garage. This un-insulated space tends to be blisteringly hot in the summer and below freezing in the winter if you live in a climate with distinctive seasons.
This makes a huge difference in the way your fridge and freezer function. In intense heat, your appliance’s compressor needs to work extra hard to keep items cold and frozen. Ultimately, this will shorten the life of your compressor and lead to a costly visit from a refrigerator repair company. By contrast, below-freezing temperatures may mean that the thermostat in your fridge never comes on because your refrigerated items are already cold enough. However, since there is usually only one thermostat in your appliance, the freezer also remains turned off. That leads to your frozen foods thawing when you don’t want them to.
Fortunately, appliance companies manufacture refrigerator-freezers designed specifically for the varied climate in your garage. Many of them contain separate thermostats for the fridge and freezer that enable foods to be maintained at the appropriate temperatures. In addition, most refrigerators designed specifically for the garage contain markedly better insulation. This protects against the intense temperature fluctuations that uniquely occur in your garage, keeping your cold foods cold and your frozen items frozen.
If you decide to invest in an appliance for your garage, it is also important to understand the distinction between models designed for the garage and those labeled as “outdoor refrigerators.” It is a common misconception that so-called outdoor refrigerators get this designation because they are built to handle variations in climate. In reality, these models are certified by the Underwriters Laboratories as weatherproofed against wet outdoor conditions. These appliances are typically used in wet, moderate areas and are not equipped to handle the conditions found in many garages.
That is why your ideal garage refrigerator-freezer should be specifically designed to work in an inside area that is not subjected to extreme weather conditions. It should either contain two separate thermostats or be equipped with a garage refrigerator kit that fools your thermostat into “believing” that it is actually warmer in your garage, resulting in the compressor coming on and your frozen foods being preserved. Since the original purpose of getting a garage refrigerator was to give yourself increased space to keep your valuable foods cold and frozen for weeks or months, doesn’t it make sense to invest in a garage model?