Can You Keep a Fridge or Freezer in the Garage?

If you’re looking for more food storage space in your home, purchasing an extra refrigerator or freezer may seem like the perfect solution. However, fridges, deep freezers, and fridge/freezer combos can take up a lot of square footage in your home, making the garage prime real estate.

But can you keep a fridge in the garage without issue? And what about keeping a fridge in the garage during summer or winter? Keep reading to find out!

Can You Put a Fridge in the Garage?

Yes. You can put a fridge in the garage, and it likely won’t cause any problems. In fact, keeping an additional fridge can free up space in your main refrigerator, keep cold drinks and snacks readily available when you work in the garage, and offer a quick option for refreshments if you have kiddos running in and out of the house all summer.

Can You Put a Freezer in a Garage?

Yes, you can put a freezer in your garage. Like refrigerators, this is perfectly okay to do. Garage freezers can serve as an excellent backup storage option if you buy food in bulk or meal prep. Chest freezers are particularly popular amongst families that hunt and store large quantities of meat or avid gardeners who freeze their harvest over winter.

But just because you can put your fridge or freezer in the garage, doesn’t mean you should. There are some factors you should consider before purchasing a freezer or buying a fridge for the garage – we’ll get into that next!

How To Maintain a Fridge or Freezer in the Garage

Not all fridges, freezers, and fridge/freezer combos are made for your garage. In fact, many are designed specifically for a climate-controlled, insulated space like your kitchen. If your garage doesn’t have heat or air conditioning and is uninsulated, you should consider a “garage-ready” fridge or freezer.

Garage-ready options are specifically designed to handle a broader range of temperatures, making them more suitable for placement in unconditioned spaces like garages. However, if you do decide to put a regular fridge or freezer in the garage, here are a few ways to help maintain it.

1. Regularly check the temperature within your fridge. Keep an eye on the temperature inside your appliance to ensure it’s keeping your food at safe temperatures.
2. Maintain the seals and gaskets. Garage-ready options likely already have heavy-duty gaskets to ensure the interior temperature isn’t affected by the exterior. Regular fridges may not have this feature, so regularly check the gaskets and seals to ensure they’re clean, undamaged, and continuing to do their job well.
3. Keep them closed as much as possible. This is especially important in the summer months – only open your fridge and freezer when necessary.
4. Service or replace your appliances when they break down. Maintaining the correct temperature is critical to food safety. If your fridge or freezer isn’t working correctly and doesn’t maintain a proper temperature, your food can spoil.

If you suspect your appliance is malfunctioning, have it serviced as soon as possible and replace it if necessary. Rent-A-Center has a great selection of appliances, including garage-ready refrigerators such as the LG Top-Mount Refrigerator/Freezer.

What’s The Difference Between a Garage-Ready and Regular Refrigerator?

Most modern fridges and freezers are built to sense the room’s ambient temperature and adjust the refrigerator’s interior temperature accordingly. That means if the garage temperature is too hot or too cold, the fridge can malfunction. This could look like shutting off if the temperature outside is too cold or failing to insulate properly if it’s too hot.

Luckily, placing a freezer or refrigerator in the garage occurs often enough that appliance manufacturers like LG, make “garage-ready” refrigerators and chest freezers. So, what makes a garage-ready refrigerator or freezer different? Here are just a few of their differences:

• Insulation: Garage-ready appliances typically have better insulation so extreme temperature shifts in the environment don’t affect food.
• Specialized compressors: When it’s extremely hot, a freezer compressor has to work overtime and can overheat or break. Garage-ready freezers often have compressors meant to handle this extra load.
• Sensors: A regular freezer or fridge may sense the outside temperature during the winter and “think” it doesn’t need to run as much due to cold air. A garage-ready appliance will run anyway.
• Seals and gaskets: Garage-ready appliances often have additional seals and gaskets to maintain internal temperatures.
• Simple design and finish: Garage-ready fridges and freezers are often more practical than standard kitchen appliances. They may have fewer features like ice makers and water dispensers in favor of large, uninterrupted storage space. They frequently come in sturdier finishes and are less susceptible to dings and scratches.

Rent-A-Center Has the Appliances You Need

Whether you’re looking for a new fridge, freezer, stove, or dishwasher, Rent-A-Center has you covered with quality products, flexible payment options, and free delivery. Visit us today to find the perfect solution for your family’s kitchen.