How To Safely Store Your Refrigerator in the Garage

For some homeowners, one refrigerator isn’t enough to store all their food. Alternatively, some households have a spare fridge for food storage around the holidays or when hosting large get-togethers. Typically, when someone has two refrigerators, they keep the spare in the garage since it remains close to the kitchen and is easy to access. In the information below, we’ve detailed how to safely store your refrigerator in the garage.

Place It Appropriately

The placement of your garage refrigerator is one of the best ways to ensure it lasts years of use. Don’t install it directly next to a window or the garage door, as cold drafts from outside could impact the coils or other inner workings. Also, avoid placing the fridge in a heated garage area, as it will take more power for the refrigerator to remain cool, especially in warmer months.

Allow for Space Around It

As you determine the ideal spot for your fridge, ensure ample space around it for air to circulate. If you press it up against the wall and don’t leave around an inch of gap, the refrigerator is more likely to overheat.

Understand How Seasons Affect It

Extreme heat and cold could damage the inner workings of the fridge and shorten its life expectancy. However, unlike the refrigerator inside your home, the one in your garage will face these temperature fluctuations since your HVAC system doesn’t cover the garage. Luckily, you don’t have to worry about all four seasons, just summer and winter.

Impacts of Summer’s Humidity

When everything warms up, humidity levels start climbing. Typically, humid weather leaves us feeling overheated, which has similar effects on your fridge. While the increase in moisture won’t directly cause the refrigerator to overheat, it can lead to rusting coils. If the cooling coils rust, they’ll no longer do their job of cooling the fridge.

Moving it inside may not be possible, depending on the fridge’s size. In this instance, place a dehumidifier in the garage and run it on those more humid days.

Impacts of Winter’s Bitter Cold

While you don’t have to worry about humidity in winter, there are those bitter-cold temperatures—especially if you live in a region that receives snow. The cold could damage the compressor; if the compressor breaks, the fridge and freezer won’t remain cool inside. Most appliance experts advise unplugging the fridge in winter if you can get by without it.

Keep It Maintained

As with any appliance, maintenance is the key to ensuring its last years of regular use. This means following a consistent cleaning schedule and calling an expert as soon as you notice any damage. Keeping your fridge clean reduces the risk of consistently needing to call a professional for a repair.

Keep It Clean

You should have a schedule for when you clean the key areas. This should include the following tasks:

  • Clean the coils
  • Clean the gasket
  • Change filters
  • Keep freezer vents clear

Ideally, you should go through this list of tasks at least twice a year to prevent dust or dirt from building up and damaging the inner workings of your refrigerator. Additionally, make sure your fridge is unplugged when you do these tasks to prevent the risk of electrocution.

Make Sure To Clean the Inside

In addition to the outside and key areas of the fridge, you should keep it clean. Throw away old food and wipe up any drips. If you use the refrigerator consistently, you should clean the drawers and shelves once monthly or every other month. Also, placing opened baking soda in the fridge helps eliminate food odors.

Call an Expert if It Breaks

Refrigerators display many signs as they break. This includes the following:

  • Not remaining cold
  • Getting too cold
  • Excessive condensation
  • Sounds loud when running
  • The back feels hot
  • There’s a spike in your electric bill

Call a repair technician for assistance if you notice these signs or if the fridge simply doesn’t seem to work right. They’ll analyze the refrigerator, determine what’s wrong, and fix it.

Contact Us

Appliance Recovery is a professional repair company serving Arlington, TX, and we work on various appliance types and brands. Repairing an appliance is no easy task; if you don’t know how to do it, you could further damage the unit or hurt yourself. Why take the risk when you can have one of our experts get the job done? Get your fridge repaired by an experienced and reliable professional.

Tips for Buying a Fridge

Now that you know how to safely store your refrigerator in the garage, it may be time to start shopping for your fridge. As you browse what’s available, remember that you don’t need the newest model. You should also consider what purpose you need the fridge for.

You Don’t Need the Newest Model

Chances are, you won’t use this fridge as much as the one in your house. You don’t need to buy a top-of-the-line model with water filtration and other expensive features. Most homeowners with a refrigerator in their garage buy a basic one. If you plan to remodel your kitchen, you could also move your current fridge into the garage and upgrade the one in your home.

Consider Functionality

As you shop, you should also think about how you’ll use the fridge and when. A mini fridge may be best if you only need one to hold beverages for parties. However, if you regularly host parties at your house, you may need a full-sized fridge with a freezer.

Read Reviews

Buying a new appliance is a major purchase, and you should research the model and brand you plan to buy. Read through customer reviews on various websites to see what past buyers have to say about that particular model. Additionally, read through professional reviews on websites such as Consumer Reports.

Taking Care of Appliances

No appliance is cheap, and no one wants theirs to die prematurely. Maintenance is the best way to prevent this. If you fear your fridge or other major appliance broke, call a repair company immediately. If you live in or around Arlington, TX, one of our experts at Appliance Recovery would be happy to assist you. Please contact us if you have any questions about our repair services.

How To Safely Store Your Refrigerator in the Garage