Refridgerater in garage.

[bullheaded]

I put a fridge/freezer in my unheated garage last summer, now I think I am having problems with it not getting cold in the fridge. My question is will a fridge/freezer freeze up in the winter?

Thanks Bullheaded

[DonBo]

I'v had one in my garage and in the cabin over the winter for years with no problems.

[DRH1175]

I have a chest freezer and it seems to be working just fine. Of course it is brand new just getting it this fall. I do no that if your garage is too cold it may not work. My garage stays at about 38 in winter though I am in the process of installing a heater to keep it at 50. How old is your fridge.

[sparcebag]

I always have a reefer in garage never any problem in a unheated.Last fall I bought a new 2nd freezer contacted different appliance shops about new freezer in unheated garage,I was told it may shorten the life span of appliance but it will work just fine.So far it does,I lived by Duluth and that old freezer was always in garage never a problem there either!

[BoxMN]

Yes, you will see that, at least with an older fridge. I just make sure to not have anything important in the freezer in the winter, or at least when I am not heating the garage. I.e. pizza will start to get a bit soft, or meat might even start to thraw a bit. So I put all the good stuff in the basement freezer when it starts to get cold (like real cold when the garage is below or at freezing temps).

All my neighbors see the same thing, and we all have detached garages that are insulated and have heaters, but we don't heat them all the time. We all have "used" fridges too, ha, so I can't say about new ones, but I bet most people would find things starting to get a bit soft when it gets real cold outside of fridge temp. Just how the things work. Good luck.

[backlash 1]

I have a fridge down in the boat shed, but it is an older manual defrost. If you are useing a self defrost model out in the cold I believe you will have problems.

[letsfish]

You will have a reverse affect, meaning the fridge part will freeze and the freezer will go to the fridge temp causing frozen items to thaw. I had this problem before I heated the garage, know I keep it above freezing temp and problems are over.

[Walleye Guy]

I have the same problem as Letsfish. My fridge is in a non-heated garage. When it gets really cold the stuff in the refrigerator freezes and the the stuff in the freezer thaws out. I generally empty out the entire unit once I hit January 1. Cleaning up exploded pop and beer cans can old in a quick hurry.

[Tom7227]

I just heard something on the radio this week about a move to make it illegal to have a fridge in the garage!!! Seems like some study indicated that they use extreme amounts of juice because they're usually so old, and that getting rid of them would help the environtment.

I guess one thing that you could ask - how much is it worth to avoid walking into the house for a cold one? If you found out that the old one in the garage cost $10 a month to run you may change your mind.

As for a second freezer - I guess it makes me wonder whether you really need it. Don't you have to use things up or they get freezer burn? When was the last time you worked your way to the bottom of that second freezer? Again, add the cost to run it along with the cost of the things you have to toss as inedible, and maybe you really don't need it.

[sparcebag]

Tom I have a expensive Seal A Vac they work!!

I grow my own veggies, Shoot my own game,freeze my own fish,buy beef by the quarter,Hogs by 1/2s..

One large freezer is too hard to find things so I have two medium size.The money I save by freezing far out saves my energy bill!! in my freezers its fresh on bottom older on top.

[trackerbrent]

This is a joke, right? I have a frig in my garage, deep freeze in the basement and frig in my kitchen. Who cares how much energy I use. I suppose the 2 extras cost me $20 a month, but it is worth it to me as it is to others.

If this is not a joke let me know. Otherwise lets ban any vehicle that does not get 30 mpg, houses bigger than 2000 sq. ft. , and it could go on and on. I am riled up about the illegal part, it is my house and my money. My power is from the nuclear plant, which is clean, so what is the big deal. Sorry if I am making a bigger deal out of this than it is. Somebody set me straight here.

[BoxMN]

Quote:

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This is a joke, right? I have a frig in my garage, deep freeze in the basement and frig in my kitchen. Who cares how much energy I use. I suppose the 2 extras cost me $20 a month, but it is worth it to me as it is to others.

If this is not a joke let me know. Otherwise lets ban any vehicle that does not get 30 mpg, houses bigger than 2000 sq. ft. , and it could go on and on. I am riled up about the illegal part, it is my house and my money. My power is from the nuclear plant, which is clean, so what is the big deal. Sorry if I am making a bigger deal out of this than it is. Somebody set me straight here.

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I'm with ya TB!! The minute they try to take my fridge out of my man-cave is the minute somebody gets a boot somewhere haha, kidding of course, but not really. This is the last place that men (sorry ladies) have as a sanctuary, and I am not going to walk into the house for a beer, darnit, I earned the ca$h to pay for that energy and to have a couch and a TV and cable and Internet and LazyBoy right out there with me. If more people would get out in their garage do some fixin' and upkeep maybe their cars would be more efficient too, or motorcycles, or even push lawnmowers

Just having fun here, but I am with you TrackerBrent, 100%. My garage is my clubhouse, and no sissies allowed! BTW, my wife hangs out there as well, and its where we watch hockey and football and most anything. And its heated... hmm, maybe they will take my furnace away too?... heh

-sorry for the long tongue in cheek rant...

[Roofer]

haha, look at the posts around the forums. No one can do what they want anymore. Even if it is illegal, they would never enforce it and how would they know.

The fridge in my garage is newer than in my house.

As for the original post. These guys are right. Refrigerators don't work in a cold area. In the owners manuals it tells you that. Deep freeze freezers are different. Just another good reason to heat the garage.

[sparcebag]

They'll take my fridge outta my garage when they pry the cold dead beer outta my hands

[Moonshine]

Bullheaded-

Pull the switch that turns your interior light off when the door closes. It will warm the interior to a point that the fridge (and freezer) has to run. I do that each winter and my venison stays frozen and the Schmidty's in the fridge are ice cold! Might not be the most efficient method, but who cares, its beer and venison.

Jason

[Tom7227]

They're going to use that new Google maps jobberdo where you can look right at your house. Google Street View is what it's called. They'll check every house that has an open garage door and look for the fridge inside. And boy, when they find it, look out.

[sparcebag]

I heard they were doin door to door searches!Thats why I'm buildin a false rear wall in my garage!!

[JollyT]

I think you've got it right. When it's 20 degrees they won't run at all, So, the fridge part cools down to 20, and the freezer part warms up to 20. They sure can't be using much energy then. The light bulb idea is a good trick, just not very "Green".

Pop machines are basicly refridgerators, but have a heater built into them.