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Keeping an upright freezer in a garage - is it really as bad as the makers say it is?
Doc_N
Posts: 8,513 Forumite
Pretty much all freezer manufacturers, apart from Beko, stipulate that the minimum external operating temperature for their freezers has to be at least 10° C. And their warranties exclude any liability if that's ignored.
Debate continues to rage on this, and any number of people say they've kept their freezers in garages without problem. So have I, but it's a chest freezer, and it's at least 20 years old. The problem doesn't exist with older models because they used a different refrigerant.
I'm considering a Bosch (not keen on Beko) upright freezer for the garage. I'd very much appreciate knowing what people's experiences have been with modern (say under 5 years old) upright freezers in garages. Have they worked OK? Have there been any problems? Or warranty issues?
If you wouldn't mind, could you add the make of freezer, how old (roughly) it is, and whether it's an integral garage (these will be a bit warmer than detached garages). I'd like to make this thread as useful as possible to intending freezer purchasers who don't necessarily want to be locked into buying a Beko.
Which? magazine says:
Should you keep your freezer in your garage?
In practice, lots of people keep freezers in their garages for years without experiencing any problems.
However, because most of these appliances aren’t designed to work properly in cold temperatures we can’t recommend putting them in unheated rooms.
If you do decide to keep your freezer in your garage, it’s worth bearing in mind that this might invalidate its warranty - so check the small print first.
And the Telegraph:
In general there seem to be three principles that would prevent a freezer operating efficiently at low ambient temperatures.
One is that a low temperature in the compressor and the condensor coil (the “warm” coil on the outside of the freezer) means a lower pressure is generated, resulting in less of a cooling effect.
Another is that the compressor lubrication oil can thicken, or turn to sludge.
The third, and probably most significant, problem is that modern freezers are designed to be more energy-efficient than their predecessors, and this is achieved largely by sophisticated electronics, incorporating sensors and relays, and controlled by software. At low room temperatures, water droplets condensing on the cold electronic circuitry might result in incorrect switching of the compressor.
Debate continues to rage on this, and any number of people say they've kept their freezers in garages without problem. So have I, but it's a chest freezer, and it's at least 20 years old. The problem doesn't exist with older models because they used a different refrigerant.
I'm considering a Bosch (not keen on Beko) upright freezer for the garage. I'd very much appreciate knowing what people's experiences have been with modern (say under 5 years old) upright freezers in garages. Have they worked OK? Have there been any problems? Or warranty issues?
If you wouldn't mind, could you add the make of freezer, how old (roughly) it is, and whether it's an integral garage (these will be a bit warmer than detached garages). I'd like to make this thread as useful as possible to intending freezer purchasers who don't necessarily want to be locked into buying a Beko.
Which? magazine says:
Should you keep your freezer in your garage?
In practice, lots of people keep freezers in their garages for years without experiencing any problems.
However, because most of these appliances aren’t designed to work properly in cold temperatures we can’t recommend putting them in unheated rooms.
If you do decide to keep your freezer in your garage, it’s worth bearing in mind that this might invalidate its warranty - so check the small print first.
And the Telegraph:
In general there seem to be three principles that would prevent a freezer operating efficiently at low ambient temperatures.
One is that a low temperature in the compressor and the condensor coil (the “warm” coil on the outside of the freezer) means a lower pressure is generated, resulting in less of a cooling effect.
Another is that the compressor lubrication oil can thicken, or turn to sludge.
The third, and probably most significant, problem is that modern freezers are designed to be more energy-efficient than their predecessors, and this is achieved largely by sophisticated electronics, incorporating sensors and relays, and controlled by software. At low room temperatures, water droplets condensing on the cold electronic circuitry might result in incorrect switching of the compressor.
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Comments
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Crikey that discounts our house then. We have no heating apart from a wood burner in the lounge. Our freezer is in the pantry which is unheated for a reason. Luckily we bought the freezer with the property 15 years ago.
I know my friend had this problem recently as she has a burger van and had to purchase the right one.0 -
Generally speaking, freezers are ok in low temperatures, it's fridge freezers that struggle. Once the room temperature gets down to the fridge temperature, the compressor doesn't cut in so the freezer section thaws. Twin thermostat models are usually better, one in the fridge and one in the freezer.
That Telegraph artcle appears to be a load of rubbish.0 -
I've had a Smeg upright in the garage OK0
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We had a Beko fridge freezer in our utility room (essentially an unheated, single-skin lean-to) but had to move it because it cut out entirely in cold weather.0
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Our Beko has worked satisfactorily in the garage for coming up to two years now. I accept that the build quality isn't wonderful, but it was quite inexpensive to buy.0
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We had a Bosch upright freezer in our unheated garage for over nine years in our last property without any problems.0
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We had a Bosch upright freezer in our unheated garage for over nine years in our last property without any problems.
The older ones weren't a problem, and they were often kept in garages.
It's only in recent years that the refrigerant has changed and manufacturers have started warning people not to use them in garages and outbuildings.
I'd be interested to hear of any experiences from people with upright freezers bought over the last 5 years or so.0 -
The older ones weren't a problem, and they were often kept in garages.
It's only in recent years that the refrigerant has changed and manufacturers have started warning people not to use them in garages and outbuildings.
I'd be interested to hear of any experiences from people with upright freezers bought over the last 5 years or so.
You know there's a risk and only you can decide if it's one worth taking.0 -
Absolutely right. But an informed decision is so much better than an uninformed one, and the experiences of fellow members of MSE are so very useful in becoming informed.FiremanDave wrote: »You know there's a risk and only you can decide if it's one worth taking.
It can also help others to make that same decision. 0 -
Absolutely right. But an informed decision is so much better than an uninformed one, and the experiences of fellow members of MSE are so very useful in becoming informed.
It can also help others to make that same decision.
Well mine failed in the garage, the next user will say theirs is ok. It's a gamble as you could buy one that's ok yet again it could fail this winter. I've gone back to having one in the utility.0
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