Question about keeping a fridge in the garage....

[freemotion]

My understanding is that I can't keep a fridge in the garage, where the temperatures drop well below freezing, even below 0 degrees F, for days or even weeks in the winter.

Just wanted to see if this is absolutely true, or if newer fridges are different. I have the faintest hope. We are having some difficulty finding a spot for our new second fridge, as the original plan is not working out.

We could put in easily in the garage or on the uninsulated porch. The motor, in the back, is located low in one corner and is open....can it be insulated for the winter? What about the coolant lines? Will they freeze, is that the real issue?

I can have dh get a picture if that would be useful.

Thanks!

 

[PamsPride]

I keep a frig and an upright freezer in my garage. There is a broken window that is in between them too. I have not had any trouble with them. It is the frig in the house that died!

 

[reinbeau]

Free, if the garage is heated and stays about 40 degress or so it's ok, but not if it isn't. The fridge will turn into a heater when the temps get cold (as you know they will!). I guess it's safe to say you just can't use it during the cold of winter, otherwise go ahead.

 

[me&thegals]

Can you use the whole garage as a fridge? We have freezers in our garage without a problem. When we need extra fridge space, we use the front porch, cellar or garage, keeping thermometers in each place to know which is the proper temp.

 

[reinbeau]

Hey, check this out, I read about it in my Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners newspaper. It's the CoolBot, and it turns any room or storage area into a huge cold cellar. All you need is a window AC and this little Coolbot unit (it costs $299). A bit spendy, but much cheaper than trying to buy a refrigerator that size!! I thought it was a neat idea.

 

[Blackbird]

We have a fridge, a smaller upright chest freezer, and two large chest freezers in our garage. We haven't had an problems. Obviously the inside of the fridge would be warmer in the winter but it will still keep food the same. The only side affects would be more ice built up on the freezer part of it, and even then it shouldn't be too bad.

I should add, at times it has gotten down to -40F in our insulated garage, so far no problems.

 

[FarmerChick]

I have 3 refrig. and 1 upright and 1 giant freezer in the garage for my farm business.

No problems.

NC winter gets cold for a few months. Never had any type of food problem for storage at all but the freezers sweat a bit.

So for me it is a win/win

 

[reinbeau]

Our house up in Maine is unheated unless we're in it. It frequently gets to zero and below for days. If I have left ice cream in the freezer, when I go up there the next time, it's been melted and refrozen - when the temps get down too low the thermostat in the fridge tries to maintain the temp it's set at, and it goes into overdrive. Same thing always happened to my father's beer fridge out in the garage. Obviously we've had different experiences here.

 

[punkin]

I have 5 asst. freezers and fridges in my garage and our shop building. I have never had a problem. Our Tenn. winters aren't as cold as yours, but we can have several days below freezing.

 

[SKR8PN]

Free, if the garage is heated and stays about 40 degress or so it's ok, but not if it isn't. The fridge will turn into a heater when the temps get cold (as you know they will!). I guess it's safe to say you just can't use it during the cold of winter, otherwise go ahead.

I have to disagree with you on this one, reinbeau.......a refrigerator can not turn into a heater. Physically impossible. If the outside temp drops below what you have the thermostat inside the fridge set for, it simply will not run. We have had a fridge in an unheated outside porch to use when we have an overflow. It has sat out there for 5 years or longer, and it works great. Never hurt anything on the fridge.