Typical Problems With Stored Refrigerators

Children and Refrigerators

• Whether the unit is working or not, the heavy refrigerator door with its magnetic closure could be dangerous for children. A child can climb into a refrigerator. If the door closes, and the child cannot get out, she could suffocate. To prevent this problem, remove the door of a refrigerator you will discard or wrap rope around the refrigerator and tightly tie it to keep the door from being opened.

Freon

• The freon in refrigerators poses a problem when you need to throw away the appliance. If you need to discard the refrigerator, check with your local waste disposal company. Some will not take refrigerators unless you can prove that the freon has been removed from the unit. Contact a refrigerator repair company to remove the freon and ask a service technician to provide you with written proof that you can show the disposal company before throwing away the appliance.

Garage Refrigerators

• Storing a spare refrigerator in the garage sounds like a good idea, but doing so could compromise the operating efficiency of the unit. The refrigerator should maintain an interior temperature between 32 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. If you keep the refrigerator in a garage during the summer, the appliance will have to work harder to maintain its internal temperature. During the winter, if the garage temperature falls below 35 degrees Fahrenheit, the refrigerator will shut down, and food inside could spoil.

Energy Use

• Storing a refrigerator plugged in puts it into operation mode, whether you have food in it or not. If you are not storing food in a refrigerator, unplug it to save on energy bills. If you are using your stored refrigerator to keep food bought in bulk fresh, tightly pack the refrigerator and freezer. If you will only need it for keeping extra food for parties, unplug the refrigerator until you need to use it.