Fridge freezer in the garage problem in the winter..advice please

lovesabargain123

Hiya
I have fridgefreezer in the garage and the last 2 years its just stopped working when the big freeze hits.I don't have any type of heating in there but wondered if I could some how insulate it to stop the problem happening again without it causing a fire risk?
many thanks :money:

securityman

Put a small heater with a frost stat in there when we have a cold snap.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

maybe something like this would do, you could put it on a timer.

Other suppliers will be available, the link is only an example.

mikeandrach_2

in my opinion and experience you are dicing with potential catastrophe. until earlier this month i was a store manager for currys. every cold snap, i dealt with multiple insurance claims where people had done what you have. if you read the manual, it will usually give temps in which it can operate. many insurance companies refused to pay out where people had ignored this, including just last year 2 total house losses that i know of. in a garage a chest freezer is fine, and an american style fridge freezer is fine, anything else, and you are risking your home potentially (if it linked to the garage). is it really worth it?

beko do make a range that they claim can work to -15. i say claim, because i dealt with just as many breakdowns of these due to cold as other machines, personally i wouldnt touch them with a barge pole. using a small heater for me is a nono, it wont havea big enough impact and it will cost you a small fortune to run at the temp that woudl be needed.

moonrakerz

The previous post is somewhat alarmist ...........

Problems with refrigeration equipment in a garage or unheated outbuliding usually affects fridge/freezers.

A freezer is usually fine as is a fridge. Many fridge freezers only have a single thermostat which shuts down the compressor at low ambient temperature so the fridge is fine but the freezer starts to thaw out.

I would have expected a customer to be advised by the management of the store of this fact.................:D.......but they make more by selling the useless insurance, don't they ?

mikeandrach_2

yes, you are right plenty of money is made on the insurance. however, the insurance woudlnt cover the customer in this situation, as the device is being used in a manner that it is not designed for. and no, i would never mis-sell, or allow mis-selling. please also bear in mind, i am ex currys, i am not advocating their warranties in any way shape or form. and as for being alarmist, woudl you like to say that to 2 people i had to sit down with last december who lost their homes?

there is more to the job i used to do than just selling warranties, as a comapny currys deal with lots of major uk insurers, and as a result i used to see/hear of lots of tragedies and fires etc. i find your comments quite childish to be honest, and very ignorant.

moonrakerz

mikeandrach wrote: »

there is more to the job i used to do than just selling warranties, as a comapny currys deal with lots of major uk insurers, and as a result i used to see/hear of lots of tragedies and fires etc. i find your comments quite childish to be honest, and very ignorant.

I note you ignored my comments about the responsibilities of management, and your reply doesn't seem to say a great deal about the quality of the electrical goods sold by your ex employer if they are likely to burst into flames at any moment, one make of which has been responsible for the overwhelming majority of fires.

If pointing out that your previous comments were "alarmist" makes me "childish" and "very ignorant" in your eyes I am am happy to carry those epithets for pointing out the gross inaccuracies of your original statement.

The vast majority of of fridges or freezers are quite safe. The majority of problems are caused by fridge freezers with a single thermostat. Reports by numerous fire authorities bear this out.

sunshinetours

You could insulate you garage if that is what you are asking. Its neither cheaper nor quick though as you will need to insulate the floor, walls and ceiling to make any noticeable difference and obviously the garage door is probably one of the biggest areas of heat loss along with the roof

Might be cheaper overall to find somewhere in the house (under the stairs?) for a small slimline chest freezer maybe?

Heater with frost setting will help but as your garage is probably over a 1000ft3 any heater would need to be suitably specced and would costs a small fortune to run all winter
None of them are designed to work in outdoor temperatures

mikeandrach_2

no offence moonrakerz, but you are a berk arent you? i never said the appliances would just burst into flames, i said they could if used incorrectly, you imply that i said appliances could just spontaneously combust. i hope your family realise how little value you have for their safety, they must feel very cherished and cared for by you. any chest freezer would be fine in the garage sunshinetours, so space in the house wouldnt be needed. and you are right moonrakerz, most fires are cause dby fridge/freezers. also, it is widely believed there are more fridge freezers n gargaes than there are fridges or freezers, so statiistically i would expect that result. you fail to also mention the extra starin out on a fridge or freezer in a garage, and therefore the extra running cost. and with regards to the responsibility of management, yes i made sure all my staff were aware, however i cannot personally speak to every single customer in a 25000 sq ft shop, sorry, but i just wasnt good enough for that, plus being awkward i know, but i quite liked to take days off here and there, so although i can train staff, i cant 100% monitor them or get to every customer. your attitude is amazing though, really very arrogant, i assume you have never had someone collapse in front of you having lost eveyrthing due to a £140 fridge that they ignored the manuals advice about?