Keeping a freezer in an unheated garage might seem like a great idea, especially if you like to spend a great deal of your time outside the house. Many people like to stock up on groceries and the in-house freezer might not be enough to store everything that you want.
For instance, if you bought a bunch of groceries to get you through the pandemic, there is a strong chance that a majority of them might have ended up in the freezer in your garage.
Many people prefer keeping their freezers in the garage, mainly because they don’t want to bring in certain things that aren’t going to be used almost immediately.
However, you need to understand that the changes in the temperature inside an unheated garage could be a problem. You have to make sure that your freezer is not exposed to temperatures that are below the 110°F mark.
Or, if the temperature falls below the 0° degrees F mark, there is a strong chance that the freezer is going to sustain damage. You need to understand that during the hot weather, the freezer must work extra hard to maintain the temperature inside.
Conversely, during the very cold temperatures, the freezer often fails to identify the difference between the temperature indoor and outdoor. As a result, it just turns off, thus losing its freezing capabilities.
However, the machinery inside makes the freezer think that it is still maintaining the 0°F mark.
Working Overtime
The compressor in your freezer is designed to work quite hard, but if it is constantly working overtime in the garage to maintain the temperature of items inside, there is a chance that it may break down.
More importantly, you should understand that the constant operation of the compressor is going to drive up your utility bills by a significant margin. You will notice the difference in your electrical bills during a very hot summer too.
On the other hand, if the temperature falls sharply, the freezer might just turn off. Eventually, this could cause your food to thaw as well, thus spoiling everything within it. Deep freezers, also known as chest freezers, are generally not convenient for keeping in the house.
For starters, they take up a great deal of space. Instead of putting them in the kitchen or anywhere in the house, a suitable place for these freezers is in the garage.
The chest freezer is ideal for storing different kinds of meats and vegetables. Most people also like to keep a variety of different kinds of perishables in them.
They can be stored inside for as long as you want. But, when you are keeping the freezer in the garage, there are several other factors that you need to take into account.
Appropriate Freezing
Most people generally think that 32°F is the average freezing point. While it is true that water is going to freeze when it reaches 32°F, you should know that this is not the same for everything else in the freezer. In fact, many other foods are simply not going to freeze at this temperature.
For instance, ice cream isn’t going to freeze at 32°F, and various kinds of meats are also not going to be protected from bacterial growth at this freezing point. In fact, the ideal temperature at which your food should be stored is 0°F.
This is critical for your understanding before you decide to place your freezer in your unheated garage.
Thawing the Foods
The ambient temperature in your garage is likely to drop in an unheated setting as the temperature turns cold outside.
Most people think that this is going to reduce the working of the freezer in their garage, but that’s not the fact. Instead, the ambient temperature has a major impact on the workings of the freezer.
To maintain the appropriate amount of cool, the compressor has to turn on. However, if the outside temperature falls to a threshold below 50 degrees, the compressor will only turn on every now and then. In some cases, the compressor might not even turn on at all.
Eventually, the freezer is going to turn the same temperature as the ambient temperature. Now, unless you live in an area where the temperature outside falls to below 0°F, there is a strong chance that the food items that you have kept in your freezer are going to thaw.
Affects the Insulation
Another thing that you should know is that the insulation in your freezer can also be affected as a result.
The cold air from the outside can cause frost to build up on the external parts of the freezer. The frost is going to build up all over the freezer as well as the insulation layer inside.
The constant thawing and freezing could cause irreversible damage to the insulation, and it might not become apparent at the time. For instance, you might not notice any problems during the winter months, but by the time the summer arrives, you will notice that the freezer will not be able to maintain the temperature properly.
Ultimately, this is going to increase your utility bill by a considerable margin because the compressor will have to turn on for longer periods of time to maintain the cool.
What’s the Best Option?
If you have a heated garage, you don’t have much to worry about. You can easily keep the freezer in the garage and not worry about anything.
On the other hand, if your garage is not heated, you might want to avoid keeping your freezer in there, especially if the temperature tends to fluctuate between the extremes.
Another important thing that you need to consider is the quality of the freezer. There are quite a few different freezers available in the market, and it’s important for you to make sure that you buy one that best suits your needs.
There are cheaper models that hardly last for a few years, and there are more expensive ones that come with industrial-grade insulation and will last you a long while.
While it is definitely not recommended that you keep a freezer in your garage, you could make an industrial-grade one last a bit longer.
However, freezers are generally expensive, and it’s important for you to make sure that you buy the right one. Most companies do not even offer warranty in case your freezer stops working due to external conditions.
An excellent option available to you is to make sure that you insulate the garage and then add heating to it as well. Garage heating is commonly available nowadays, and you will just want to invest in a high-quality garage door that offers adequate insulation.
A heated garage that is kept at nominal temperatures will greatly increase the lifespan of your freezer and also avoid major problems that usually arise.
But, if you live in an area where the temperature is quite reasonable and remains moderate throughout the year, keeping the freezer in your garage is not going to be a problem.
These are just a few things that you should know about putting your freezer in the garage.
I have a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When I’m not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies…I’m at home with my wife, two daughters and a dog. Outside of family, I love grilling and barbequing on my Big Green Egg and working on projects around the house.