Hi, my name is Renae, and I'm an appliance repair tech. Today we're talking about garage fridges. If you're thinking of buying a garage fridge, or if you're having an issue with your garage fridge not cooling things properly in the winter or the summer, this video is for you!

The majority of refrigerators are only designed to work in environments that are between 50 degrees Fahrenheit and 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Some manufacturers will offer a garage kit, but that'll still only let your fridge work down to ambient temperatures of 35 degrees Fahrenheit. If the environment goes below that temperature, it basically tricks your fridge into thinking that everything is cold enough so it won't turn your compressor on. Sometimes it'll keep the compressor off for long enough that things in your freezer might start to thaw. This makes a lot of people think their fridge is broken when in fact it's functioning exactly as it's supposed to.

The opposite problem can happen if the fridge is in an environment that's too hot. The compressor will have to run for too long to keep up with the cooling demands, which can overheat the compressor, making it shut down for extended periods of time. If you live in an area where temperatures go above or below those thresholds for more than 24 hours at a time, you'll be better off putting that fridge somewhere inside like your basement rather than your garage, unless your garage is climate-controlled. And if you really want it in your garage anyway, just know that you probably can't trust your perishables in it.