How To Decide Where To Put A Refrigerator In A New Home

Refrigerators aren't exactly picky when it comes to their position in your home, but choosing the right spot for your new refrigerator will help you get the best performance out of your appliance. Knowing which factors to consider when choosing the location for your fridge will help you make a choice that's right for you. 

Heat Sources Create Problems

Refrigerators need to remove heat from the interior of the fridge to the exterior of the fridge in order to maintain a low internal temperature. This is more difficult for the refrigerator when it's located near a heat source. Keep your refrigerator away from:

  • Ovens
  • Windows
  • Heat ducts
  • Wood burning stoves

In a smaller kitchen, keeping the refrigerator away from these heat sources may be difficult or impossible. Do your best to determine which heat sources will be the worst offenders. For example, north facing windows will let in no direct sunlight light and thus will be less of a problem than west or south facing windows. In homes where the oven gets used frequently, this is one of the most important areas of the kitchen avoid. 

Avoid Confined Spaces

Avoid placing your refrigerator in a place with deep overhanging cabinets. If your refrigerator must be in a location flanked on all sides by cabinets, plan to keep the appliance pulled out from the wall by a few extra inches. This will help your refrigerator get adequate air flow and will help keep the space around the coils cool.  

Avoid the Garage

Many homeowners choose to keep their spare refrigerator in the garage. This is often problematic because garages tend to be hot and dusty. If possible, plan to put your spare refrigerator in your basement, man cave, rec room or some other area of the house that is cleaner, better insulated and hopefully climate controlled.

If you must put a refrigerator in your garage, plan to clean the area thoroughly on a regular basis. Keep shelves far enough away from the refrigerator that the unit is easy to scoot out from the wall when the weather is hot. Pulling out the refrigerator from surrounding structures will ensure adequate air flow and make it easier to keep the unit cool.

For more information about the best place to put your refrigerator in your home, speak with a refrigeration contractor, such as at http://www.hallidayrefrigeration.com. He or she may have suggestions and advice regarding the future placement of your refrigerator. 


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