What Is the Range in Degrees Fahrenheit for Refrigerators?

Proper Refrigerator Temperature

• Refrigerator temperature must be kept below 40 degrees Fahrenheit in order to ward off bacterial growth and above 32 degrees Fahrenheit to keep water from freezing. The standard temperature range for most refrigerators is between 35 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit. Refrigerators sometimes have a built-in thermostat that allows the owner to set the temperature somewhere within this range. Only opening the doors when necessary will help keep the temperature in the optimal range. Food stored at above 40 degrees Fahrenheit for more than two hours should not be consumed.

Freezer Temperature

• Frozen food will stay good for a significantly longer period of time than refrigerated food. Freezers must be kept below 5 degrees Fahrenheit in order to completely stall the growth of bacteria. Zero degrees Fahrenheit is the optimal temperature for a freezer. Once frozen food is thawed, bacterial growth will resume. Food should never be refrozen for this reason. It is, however, okay to store food in a refrigerator for a few days after it is thawed.

Air Flow

• The air inside a refrigerator needs to be allowed to circulate to keep the temperature in the correct range. Cool air is released near the top of refrigerators. It then moves to the bottom of the unit, forcing the warm air to rise. If this flow of air is interrupted, the temperature in the refrigerator may become uneven. This is why it is important not to overstuff your refrigerator with food and drink. Always keep enough free space in your refrigerator to allow air to circulate.

Temperature Controllers

• A few instances exist, such a fermenting home-brewed beer, where you may want to change the temperature range in your refrigerator. This can be accomplished using a device known as a temperature controller. Temperature controllers are plugged into an outlet, and then the refrigerator is plugged into the controller. A thermostatic sensor is then placed inside the refrigerator. The temperature inside the refrigerator can then be controlled using the controller unit. These units are also useful if your refrigerator's thermostat is broken.