Can you keep a refrigerator in a Florida garage?
By the technicians at Maximum Appliance Repair. Updated
Plenty of Tampa Bay homes have a second fridge in the garage. It works, but a Florida garage in July can pass 100°F, and most kitchen refrigerators aren't built for that. Here's what to know.
Why heat is hard on a refrigerator
A refrigerator moves heat from inside the cabinet to the room. The hotter the room, the harder and longer the compressor runs. In a very hot garage, a standard fridge can run almost nonstop, warm up inside, and wear out sooner.
Check the climate class or "garage ready" label
Many refrigerators list a climate class: SN and N models are rated for rooms up to about 90°F (32°C), ST up to about 100°F (38°C), and T (tropical) up to about 109°F (43°C). Some U.S. brands label models "garage ready" instead. The installation manual lists the room temperature range your model is designed for.
Give it room to breathe
Keep the clearances the manual asks for, especially at the back and top. Keep the condenser coils clean; garages are dusty, and dirty coils make heat problems worse.
Keep it out of the sun and off a crowded circuit
Put it where afternoon sun through the garage door won't hit it, and plug it straight into a wall outlet, not an extension cord. GFCI outlets in garages can trip; if the fridge suddenly goes warm, check the GFCI first.
Don't overload it, don't leave it empty
A fridge with some contents holds its temperature better when the door opens, but one packed tight can't move air. Keep a thermometer inside and check it during the hottest weeks.
When to call a technician
Call us if a garage fridge runs constantly, feels hot on the sides, or can't hold 40°F. If it's an older kitchen model, we can tell you whether a repair makes sense or whether a garage-rated unit is the better buy.
Questions
What temperature can a garage refrigerator handle?
It depends on the model. Check its climate class or the installation manual. Tropical (T) class refrigerators are rated for rooms up to about 109°F (43°C); many standard models are rated only to about 90°F (32°C).
Why does my garage fridge stop working in winter?
In cold climates, a garage that drops below about 50°F can stop a standard fridge from running, so the freezer thaws. That's rare in Tampa Bay; here, summer heat is the usual problem.