Repair guide
Can a refrigerator go in an Arizona garage?
By Deven Alcantara, EPA 608 certified technician ·
Only with care. Most standard refrigerators are rated for rooms up to about 110°F, and Whirlpool doesn't recommend them in a garage that isn't insulated and climate-controlled. Phoenix normally hits 110°F about 21 days a year. Garage-ready models are built for a wider range, but they top out at 110°F too, so shade and airflow matter.
Safety first
Plug a garage refrigerator straight into a grounded wall outlet. Whirlpool says not to use an extension cord, and LG says a household power strip may not have the capacity a refrigerator needs. Unplug it before you clean the condenser coils or move it, and get a helper for the move. Condenser fins are sharp, so wear gloves.
How to set up a garage refrigerator for the heat
- Check your model's temperature rating. Every refrigerator has a room temperature range it’s built for, and it’s in the owner’s manual. Whirlpool rates its standard models for rooms from 55°F to 110°F. Frigidaire says most of its refrigerators are designed for 45°F to 110°F, and LG says above 5°C and below 43°C, about 41°F to 109°F. Samsung says that above 110°F a refrigerator will not cool properly.
- Know what garage-ready means. A garage-ready refrigerator is designed and tested for a space that isn’t climate-controlled. GE, Frigidaire and Samsung rate theirs from 38°F to 110°F. LG’s garage-ready top-freezer says 38° to 100°, a lower top end. Whirlpool says ranges vary by product, so check the documentation for the model you’re buying.
- Keep it out of the sun and away from heat. Samsung says to keep a refrigerator out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources, and Whirlpool says not to install one near an oven or any other heat source. GE gives the same advice for freezers: not in a warm, unventilated garage, and away from a heating vent or sunshine.
- Give it room to breathe. A refrigerator pushes its heat out into the room, and it can’t do that boxed in. Whirlpool says to leave 1/4 inch on each side and the top and to keep the base grille clear. Samsung’s troubleshooting advice is 2 inches at the back, top and sides. The numbers differ by brand and model, so follow your owner’s manual and don’t crowd the unit with boxes.
- Clean the condenser coils more often. GE says coils need cleaning more often in a dusty spot like a garage, and Whirlpool’s advice for garage-ready models is to vacuum or brush them. Dust on the coils makes it harder for the refrigerator to get rid of heat.
- Open the doors less and keep it full. Samsung says that every time the doors open, cold air rushes out and warm air comes in, and in a hot garage that air is very warm. GE says to open a freezer as little as possible in hot weather. APS says a full refrigerator or freezer runs more efficiently than an empty one, so fill empty space with jugs of water.
- Level it and give it its own outlet. Whirlpool says to check that a garage refrigerator is level so the doors close and it drains properly. It also recommends a separate grounded circuit that serves only the refrigerator, on an outlet that isn’t controlled by a switch.
Why heat is hard on a refrigerator
GE recommends against installing any refrigerator where it will be hotter than 110°F, because the compressor oil could overheat and break down, damaging the compressor or the sealed system. Whirlpool says a refrigerator that isn’t garage-ready may run excessively in a hot garage, which raises energy use, puts stress on its parts and can fail to keep food at safe temperatures.
Look for the climate class on the rating label too. Liebherr explains the codes: SN and N are for rooms up to 32°C (about 90°F), ST up to 38°C (about 100°F) and T up to 43°C (about 109°F).
Garage mode is for cold, not heat
Some Whirlpool refrigerators have a garage setting, but it’s for cold rooms between 38°F and 55°F. Above 55°F, Whirlpool says the control should go back on the recommended setting, so it won’t help in an Arizona summer. GE’s Garage Ready top-freezers have a Dual Temp Control on the freezer air tower, and GE says adjusting it during big temperature swings keeps the compressor running often enough.
Freezer or refrigerator?
Freezers are often rated for a wider range than refrigerators. GE says its 2018 and newer upright and chest freezers are garage ready from 0°F to 110°F, and Frigidaire says most of its freezers are designed for 0°F to 110°F. Neither says a chest freezer handles heat better than an upright. GE does say a chest freezer needs less room at the sides: 2 inches, against 3 inches on each side and on top for an upright.
Is a second refrigerator worth keeping?
ENERGY STAR says a refrigerator more than 15 years old could cost about $95 a year to run, and an old model uses about 20% more energy than a new ENERGY STAR one. Its advice is to recycle an old second refrigerator, or replace it with an ENERGY STAR model if you need it all year. If you’re weighing a repair against a new one, my repair or replace guide walks through it.
If you get rid of one, its refrigerant has to be recovered before it’s recycled. ENERGY STAR lists store haul-away, city pickup and scrap recyclers as options. APS and SRP both suspended their refrigerator recycling programs in 2015 when their contractor shut down, so ask about haul-away when you buy.
Phoenix heat by the numbers
The National Weather Service puts Phoenix’s normal July high at 106.5°F. In a normal year Phoenix has 111 days at 100°F or hotter and 21 days at 110°F or hotter. 2024 set the record with 70 days at 110°F or more, and 2023 had a 31-day stretch of them. Those are outdoor air temperatures. A thermometer in your garage on a July afternoon tells you how your space compares to your refrigerator’s rating.
When to call a technician
Call me if a garage refrigerator runs all the time but stays warm, if the freezer goes soft on hot afternoons, or if it trips the breaker. I’ll check whether it’s the location or a failed part, such as a condenser fan or a defrost problem, before you spend money on either. If the refrigerator also struggles indoors, see my refrigerator not cooling guide.
Upfront pricing
$65
Service call, waived when you approve the repair. You get an exact price before any work starts.
Stacked washer and dryer units have a $125 service call, also waived with the repair.
Refrigerator Error Codes
Sources for This Guide
The checks and numbers in this guide come from the manufacturers’ own support pages and manuals, plus the public sources listed. Your owner’s manual has the final word for your model.
Sources
- What Is the Proper Location and Environment for a Refrigerator (Whirlpool)
- How Garage-Ready Refrigerators Work (Whirlpool)
- Too Warm in Freezer Compartment, Top Freezer Refrigerator (Whirlpool)
- Tripping Breaker, Refrigerator (Whirlpool)
- Refrigerator in a Garage (GE Appliances)
- Garage Ready Top-Freezer Refrigerators (GE Appliances)
- Garage Ready Freezers (GE Appliances)
- Freezer Installation Clearances (GE Appliances)
- Freezer Energy Tips (GE Appliances)
- Cleaning Condenser Coils (GE Appliances)
- Can my Frigidaire refrigerator be located in my garage? (Frigidaire)
- Garage-ready top freezer refrigerator FRTE1835AV (Frigidaire)
- Can my Frigidaire freezer be located in my garage? (Frigidaire)
- Refrigerator not cooling (Samsung)
- All refrigerators (Samsung)
- Refrigerator installation location (LG)
- Garage-ready top freezer refrigerator LT18S2100S (LG)
- If your LG refrigerator has no power or the breaker trips (LG)
- Climate classes (Liebherr)
- Phoenix extreme temperatures (National Weather Service Phoenix)
- July 2026 climate summary (National Weather Service Phoenix)
- Energy saving tips (APS)
- Refrigerators (ENERGY STAR (U.S. EPA))
- Find a fridge and freezer recycling program (ENERGY STAR (U.S. EPA))
- APS, SRP forced to halt appliance recycling programs (KJZZ)
Ready when you are
Garage fridge struggling in the heat? Book your refrigerator repair.
Call or text (480) 292-4746, Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm. Same-day and next-day appointments are often available.