We have many appliances around our homes that we use regularly to make our lives easier and our livelihood much more convenient.
The fridge is one such appliance that is present in everyone’s homes nowadays which allows us to store food and other temperature sensitive items in it for a long time. Therefore, it is vital to know how to maintain it – which has been discussed below.
Placing a fridge in a corner:
You can place a fridge in a corner of your kitchen if you allow sufficient space around it. Keeping the fridge in a corner would let your kitchen have more open space and properly utilize the space of your kitchen. But make sure the corner you put your fridge on is ventilated and accessible.
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You can place your fridge in the corner of your kitchen where it is easily accessible and doesn’t get in the way of your other appliances. The corner is a suitable location for your fridge because it can align well with the box shape outline of the fridge.
However, the corners can often be too confining for refrigerators and in case of countertop fridges – it may be a bit awkward to store and unload groceries into the fridge.
In case side-by-side door fridges, the doors might be obstructed by the wall if not spaced properly.
Besides that, heat might get trapped from the compressor if there isn’t sufficient ventilation and thus cause the compressor to make loud noise and consume higher power.
Many fridges have their condenser coil located at the bottom, but even for those fridges – it is important to keep the ventilation factor in mind and ensure enough passage of air.
You should ensure that there are at least 1/8 inches gap from the wall on either side since the compressor might break down from overheating if you do not leave room for the hot air to escape.
But if you have properly spaced the refrigerator and placed it in such a way that no walls obstruct the fridge doors – there would be no issue in placing a fridge in the corner.
Pros and cons of placing a refrigerator in the corner:
There are both pros and cons of placing the fridge in the corner. Let’s get to know them.
Pros:
Opens up your kitchen:
Keeping your fridge in the corner allows your kitchen to have an open central space where you can place other items and furniture.
If you place your fridge at the center or any other places, it may obstruct you from moving freely across your kitchen since it may come in your way and make the overall appearance of the kitchen seem cluttered.
Easier access to power outlet:
All homes have their power outlets located on the walls since the wires from the mains run behind the walls.
If you place your fridge somewhere away from the wall or corners, you would need to extend the power cord of your fridge to the power outlet – which often may fail to reach the power outlet.
However, if you place your fridge in a corner – near the wall outlet, your fridge’s power cord can easily reach the outlet and will not have to rely on the usage of extension cords.
Allows you to place frequently used appliances to the center:
Compared to the fridge, the dishwasher and stove are used frequently and for a longer period of time therefore, they need to be in a location that is most comfortable to you.
Placing the fridge in a corner frees up the central space, which you can use to place your stove, countertop or other appliances that you frequently use.
Cons:
Fridge door and other components might get obstructed:
Placing your fridge in a corner means the fridge is surrounded by two walls and thus there are less area exposed for you to interact with the fridge.
If the spacing between the fridge and the walls are not sufficient, then you might face difficulty opening the doors of side-by-side fridges.
The doors of the fridge may not fully open as the edges would get stuck against the wall and prevent you from fully opening the fridge – thus compromising on the accessibility.
Poor ventilation:
Since the fridge is crammed against the corner, there is poor ventilation between the sides of the refrigerator.
This could be a problem in the long run since fridges generate heat when they’re running and if the heat cannot escape, this would cause the refrigerator to overheat and overwork to keep the temperature low.
This overworking cause the compressor and other sensitive components to have a decline in their lifespan.
Space needed for a corner fridge:
As decades pass by, the technology gets increasingly advanced and require less accommodations – which applies to fridges as well.
In recent times, fridge manufacturers have designed their fridges in such a manner that they can easily circulate for more air and dissipate heat without needing to much space around them – this was possible by moving the condenser coils to the base.
Despite this improvisation, you should not let the fridge be placed too close to the wall because despite the relocation of the coils, the fridge generates heat which needs airflow to cool itself down.
In order to ensure that your fridge in the corner is well ventilated, you need to ensure that there is between ½ to 1 inch of space between the refrigerator and the walls and same amount of space from the top as well.
The fridge’s back should be much further from the wall with a distance ranging between 1 to 2 inches.
Can a fridge be against the wall or in a tight space?
The location where you install your fridge can greatly determine its lifespan. Therefore, you need to ensure that your fridge has enough space around it to allow the heat from the fridge to dissipate.
Having too little space will impact on both the performance and durability of your fridge as the trapped heat will cause the compressor to overwork and overheat.
In order to prevent that, you must ensure that your fridge is not placed against the wall or in a tight space such as a corner.
However, if you do place your fridge in a corner or against the wall – ensure that you have at least ½ to 1 inch of space between the walls and the fridge and at least 1 to 2 inches from the top.
Tips to place your fridge properly:
In order to ensure longevity of your fridge and lower electricity bill, place your fridge properly in your kitchen. Below are the tips to place your fridge properly:
Away from sunlight, in the shade:
You should keep your fridge away from sources of heat since the compressor works to keep the temperature lower – heat sources make it difficult to keep the temperature low.
If your fridge is facing the window, it can be in direct sunlight and thus keep the overall temperature of your fridge high.
Therefore, you need to ensure that your fridge is placed in a shaded place, ideally away from the oven or sunlight.
In a large, open space:
If your kitchen is large enough, you should reserve a space for your fridge. Take measurements of your fridge and find a suitable spot which has sufficient space around it.
Some people also build a custom-made cabinet for their refrigerator with sufficient space around the walls of the fridge.
Keep objects clear off the fridge’s door:
If your kitchen is not spacious, then you might decide to keep your fridge in a corner to save space and make your kitchen look good.
However, it is important that you keep in mind that your fridge needs to have at least ½ to 1 inch gap from the walls and 1 to 2-inch gap from the top.
Moreover, you need to ensure that there are no obstacles in the way of your fridge so that you can freely open the fridge’s doors.
Final thoughts
If you give it enough room, you can put a fridge in the corner of your kitchen. Your kitchen space would be more open and better utilized if the refrigerator was kept in a corner. But be sure that the space in which you put your refrigerator is open to the air and well-ventilated.