When the temperature of our garage becomes lower than 35 degrees in the winter and we use the water dispenser or icemaker, or if there is food inside the refrigerator, I recommend unplugging the garage fridge. Everything inside the refrigerator will be frozen, and the water pipes will break if there are water pipes or food inside.
Based on the temperature and how effectively the garage is built, most freezers will quit functioning in the months of winter in an unheated garage. Readings below 50 degrees Fahrenheit are not recommended for refrigerators by most manufacturers.
What Is A Garage Refrigerator?
Well, we all are aware of regular refrigerators, but when someone says ‘garage refrigerator’, most people become bumfuzzled. There’s no space for confusion as this is nothing complex.
A ‘garage refrigerator’, also called ‘garage ready refrigerator’, is just a simple fridge that is specially produced to be stored in garages. The next obvious question that we might be asking is ‘why is a special fridge required for my garage?’. And the answer is also as simple as that.
The temperature of a garage might go down significantly as garages are not always properly insulated. So if we place a normal refrigerator in our garage, it might stop working whenever the temperature decreases a lot, especially in winter.
For these reasons, technologists came up with the concept of garage ready refrigerators with several temperature sensors, a larger range of allowable working temperatures, or another innovation that will appeal to garage lovers.
In What Purposes Garage Refrigerators Are Used?
Garage refrigerators are a terrific way to save space while still providing convenience. They can also be useful when our kitchen fridge is overflowing with drinks and food, especially in the summer.
We may run out of space in our indoor refrigerator if we buy a lot of fruits and vegetables. In that case, we can store these bulk things in our garage fridge and use our inside refrigerator exclusively for the stuff we’ll need the next day. This is also true for perishable commodities like milk and juice.
When our family entertains frequently or when our home is overrun with children, party platters can give an appealing and delectable snack for everyone to enjoy. Large plates can be stored in our garage refrigerator and taken out as needed, such as for lunch.
Thus, garage refrigerators can be used in our daily life as an optional or special way to preserve regular household stuff.
Can We Leave An Unplugged Fridge Outside In The Winter?
No, not at all! Cold weather may cause our refrigerator to stop working entirely, allowing our freezer to thaw. It is not a good idea to keep our refrigerator unplugged outside in the cold.
The compressor, among other internal components, may be harmed as a result of this. If we’re going to store a fridge outside, we need to make sure it’s adequately wrapped and secured from the elements.
Once hooked in, a refrigerator relies largely on the compressor to remain functional. This is when the damage begins to accumulate if the compressor is left outside in the cold. By putting the fridge outside for an extended period of time, we may take a huge risk. One of these dangers is that the compressor will run poorly or not at all!
We won’t attain the desired result if the components aren’t in proper working order. This has the potential to hold us back in the long run.
Internal components will stop optimising for power, resulting in a 50% or greater reduction in overall power output. If the components aren’t in use all of the time, the spike of power will be too much for them to handle.
Therefore, to say it within a few words, we should not keep our unplugged refrigerator outside in the winter.
What Do We Do With A Garage Fridge In The Winter?
In an unheated garage, most refrigerators stop working at some point during the winter months, depending on the climate and how well the garage is insulated.
The refrigerator section of most refrigerators is cooled by air from the freezer compartment. Now that the refrigerator area is cold enough, the refrigerator and freezer have been turned off and are no longer cooling.
Because the temperature outside is still above freezing, the temperature inside the freezer will also be above freezing, causing everything to spoil. If the freezer air warms over its setting, a refrigerator with two thermostats will manage colder outside temperatures better by keeping the freezer running.
When the room temperature climbs above a specified point – usually around 36 degrees – refrigerators begin to chill and continue until the temperature returns to normal. This means that our refrigerator will cease working if the temperature in our garage falls below the stated temperature.
When our refrigerator turns off, it also turns off the freezer. This may result in thawed food in the freezer and frozen food in the refrigerator. While not all refrigerators are immune to this problem, those with two thermometers are less likely to be affected.
It might be time to look into getting a heating element for our fridge if it doesn’t already have one. This feature is available on some refrigerators, allowing us to use our fridge in unheated areas.
Many other companies have created heater-coil kits that may be installed in an existing refrigerator. When the outside temperature falls below freezing, the inside heating element is required to keep the fridge working properly.
How Do We Winterize A Refrigerator?
If we intend to leave our home unoccupied over the winter, we should winterize our refrigerator. This procedure necessitates the removal of all water from the water system. If we don’t get all of the water out of the system, our refrigerator will be severely damaged.
Here are 8 simple steps that we should follow to winterize our refrigerators:
- To winterize the icemaker, close the vehicle water supply valve.
- Then, with the icemaker arm up, lock it into the ‘off’ position.
- Remove the water solenoid valve’s garden hose adapter.
- The ice maker line should then be disconnected from the water solenoid valve.
- The water line heater wires should not be unwrapped from the water solenoid valve.
- Then drain the icemaker as well as the water supply line completely.
- Clean plastic bags should be placed around the water supply line, icemaker water line, and water solenoid valve.
- Close each bag around the water pipes and the solenoid valve with tape.
Whether we own vacation property or merely have an outdoor refrigerator on our patio or deck, it’s critical to winterize this device to avoid catastrophic mould and mildew growth enveloping the fridge’s inside.
It’s also a waste of electricity to leave an unplugged device plugged in, which results in a larger electric bill. Hence, follow the easy steps outlined above to winterize a refrigerator so that it remains in good working order when exposed to the outdoors.
Finally
Since garages generally have low temperature than a house or a room, there are chances that our fridge gets damaged. By disconnecting the refrigerator for the winter, you’ll not only lessen the risk of a garage fire, but you’ll also likely save a few dollars.
At the same time, leaving an unplugged fridge outside in the winter can be hazardous as well. So, we should avoid these mistakes.
Besides, we also need to take care of a few other things like winterizing our refrigerator. Through some simple implementation, we can do this, and these precautions save us from any future accidents or losses.
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