Can you put a refrigerator in your garage?

[dbrociner]

I need a second refrigerator and the garage is the most convenient place and also the place that has the most available space. I have a coworker who warns against this, he says that the temperature fluctuation in a garage causes problems for a refrigerator and that he had to move his to the basement. Is he right?

Anyone want to add their recommendation for a good second refrigerator? I need something basic, Costco sells a Whirlpool under the Kirkland brand for under $325 so thats the price range I'm looking for.

Thanks.

Edited January 24, 2006 by dbrociner (log)

[Bombdog]

I don't know about his problems, but I have one in my garage and probably couldn't live without it now. I'm in the south and the temperature fluctuations are pretty extreme at times. I have yet to see any problems with it. I also keep my upright freezer in the garage.

[Rebecca263]

Um, my sister has TWO refrigerators in her garage. A New Jersey garage, and they do fine. I had ONE in my Florida garage, and it did fine until one fine storm flooded all of South Beach, including MY garage (wah!). The food was untouched, but the refrigerator's coils were damaged. I think you'll be fine.

[scubadoo97]

The only problem I have with a fridge and frezzer in my garage is the increase in electric cost. They have to work harder in our tropic heat.

[rooftop1000]

My husband the refridgeration mechanic said its just fine.

tracey

[srhcb]

My garage itself is a refrigerator nearly half the year. In fact, the end nearest the door is a freezer!

SB (in Northern MN)

[jsolomon]

The only cautionary statement I have is in some places, it gets cold... cold enough to turn your second fridge into a freezer. If your garage is attached, or your weather doesn't get horribly severe for long periods of time, it's perfectly fine.

[gini]

We moved our second fridge from Northern NJ to Western Maine and it's doing fine. We've had it for 30 years now and it's actually doing better than the "new" model we bought in 1996. We keep it in the garage (in Maine, our garage is heated), and it doesn't turn into a freezer ever. In NJ, the garage was not heated. Hope that helps!

[FabulousFoodBabe]

There was a little neighborhood in Cincinnati, where folks kept televisions and refrigerators on their front porch. From all the hanging-out on said porches, it seemed to work fine!

I always kept my chest freezers in the garage, because it was easier to get to than the basement. Did it in Ohio, California, and Jersey. I think I have a chest freezer in the basement somewhere, in this house. I think.

[dls]

I have 2 side by side refrigerators-freezers for backup storage in attached garages. One in the Chicago area (7 years) and one in the Sarasota FL area (5 years). Never had a problem.

BTW - In both cases, I purchased them used from guys who get them from appliance dealers when they are swapping out older operating units for people who are remodeling their kitchens. They are checked out and reconditioned as necessary. They each came with a 1 year warranty. Don't recall the specifics but I know that I paid less than $100 for each unit. Both are still working fine.

[Curlz]

I had a 30 year-old fridge (turquoise, no less) that we kept in our NJ garage for years--never a problem. A friend gave it me when she finally had her kitchen updated (the oven was done in turquoise as well) and whenever I have a big party, I still wish I had that extra room.

So go for it!!

[Toliver]

I say go for it.

The one big drawback with second refrigerators is (this doesn't apply in your case) that they're usually older models that used to be in the kitchen but were relegated to the garage when new refrigerators were purchased. The older models tend to consume electricity at a much higher rate than the new "energy-saver" models.

My mom had a freezer for many years that she kept in her garage. When it died she had to buy a new one and the difference in her monthly utility bill was quite noticeable.

[dbrociner]

Thanks for all the advice.

[joiei]

I also have backup fridge and freezer in the garage and love having the extra space during the holidays. I still have the honeybells that we received in the garage fridge.

[jgarner53]

My garage fridge has a keg tap in the door! Now that's useful!

[Susan in FL]

My garage fridge has a keg tap in the door! Now that's useful! 

←

My ex- father-in-law had that for his garage fridge.

We have an "energy saver" upright freezer in our garage here in FL. My husband and I argued about whether it would raise our electric bill significantly. He said no, and he won. This was one instance when I was glad he won an argument.

[MelissaH]

My garage fridge has a keg tap in the door! Now that's useful! 

←

Hey, a keggerator! I keep waiting for my husband the homebrewer to decide he's ready for one. Then all we'd need to do is find room in amongst the bicycles, the table saw, and---oh yeah---the car!

MelissaH

[Toasted]

Is the garage isulated and heated? If not, don't put the refrigerater in there. Our, new (this year) refrigerator, kept shutting off because of the temp. control. New refrigerators have some type of temperature control that shuts it down if the outside temp is too cold. We lost about $300.00 worth of food and ended up moving it to the downstairs guest room. I guess it's handy if the guest wants to drink lots of beer.

[jgarner53]

Hey, a keggerator! I keep waiting for my husband the homebrewer to decide he's ready for one.  Then all we'd need to do is find room in amongst the bicycles, the table saw, and---oh yeah---the car!

My homebrewer husband put in the tap after he'd been kegging a little while and was tired of opening the door to access the picnic tap. All it took was the right sized drill bit, really. As I recall, it was fairly simple to install the tap.

[R.E. Turner]

For what it's worth, I have a refrigerator and a chest-type freezer on my covered, unenclosed back porch. No problems with either after three years. Of course, I live in a far more temperate climate that NJ, but even in the deadliest SE Georgia summer heat, neither has caused more problems than they've solved -- very handy for taking advantage of sales, freezing large harvests, chilling beverages for parties, etc. The only problem I've noted is that the chest freezer requires defrosting about 1-2 times per year, but that's sort of a built-in advantage to me, since it requires that I empty the freezer more often and take note of what's stored. Usually, I note something on the verge of spoilage while defrosting, so I lose less to freezer burn this way.

[Doc-G]

Saw this topic and thought it looked interesting.

I cant think of a single self respecting Australian house that does not have a fridge full of beer and soft drink sitting in the garage!!!

I say go for it....

Regards,

Doc-G