How Much Space Should There Be Between Fridge and Wall?

With every passing year, the internal capacity of refrigerators is coming with more space than ever before. The standard fridge of 35 inches width used to come with a 23 cubic feet capacity range. Now, it comes with around 27 to 30 cubic feet.

To allow customers to store more items in the fridge, manufacturers are making them taller and deeper. The capacity has also increased by having sufficient insulation enabling the walls to be thinner. Well, this is the positive side of the story.

What’s the problem with the bigger size? They take more space. When you replace your old fridge with a new one, it is difficult to adjust to the same spot. What is the solution? In this article, you will find out what is the best place to install your fridge and how much space there should be between the refrigerator and wall.

What is the Best Place to Install Your Fridge?

The ideal location for a fridge is in the kitchen. It allows you to grab the food and start cooking quickly. How to find the exact spot in the kitchen? This answer to this question is straightforward if you have a large kitchen with a lot of free space. Otherwise, it becomes tricky.

You can place your fridge anywhere in the kitchen as long as you are leaving enough space around the refrigerator. How much space is enough around the fridge? We will cover this point later in the article. For now, let’s take a look at places where you shouldn’t install your freezer.

Where Shouldn’t You Install Your Fridge?

There might be a situation when you can’t place your new fridge in an ideal location because of its size. It’s always the best practice to get the measurements of the available space in your kitchen before you buy a fridge. It gives you an idea regarding how much space you have, and you can buy your fridge accordingly.

However, there are certain places where you can’t install your fridge in any situation.

Direct sunlight

No matter what, you can’t install your fridge in direct sunlight. It will reduce its performance and result in discoloration as well.

Unusual temperature

Never install your fridge at a location where the temperature is either too high or too low.

Uneven floor

It makes the fridge doors open unevenly. The doors will start producing noise after a short period.

No space around the fridge

This is a significant factor, and it affects the performance and life of a refrigerator. There must be enough space around the fridge all the time.

Why Do You Need Proper Space for Your Fridge?

A fridge should always have a proper space where you can easily reach it. At the same time, putting it in the right spot allows it to work properly. Place a fridge in the right place not only gives you ease in daily life but also increases its life span.

If you don’t give enough space in front of the fridge, there is a high chance you will damage the doors. It will cost you a lot of maintenance and reduce performance as well. When you don’t leave space on the sides or back of the fridge, you are not allowing it to 'breathe' correctly. Heat is given off by the compressor, which needs to be dissipated away from the refrigerator. It will reduce the life and performance of your fridge.

How Much Space Should There Be Around the Fridge?

Years ago, the coils were located at the rear of the fridge. It automatically gives enough space to the unit and compressor to breathe correctly. However, the latest models usually have their condenser coils placed at the bottom, and you need to take this into consideration. To allow proper ventilation, you need to leave enough space around the fridge. Here is how much space you should leave:

Top

There must be a minimum of one to two inches space above the top of the fridge

Rear

The free space at the rear side of the refrigerator is most important if the compressor coils are located there. The ideal space you should leave is two to three inches.

Sides

There must be one to two inches free space at each side of your fridge.

When there is not enough free space around the fridge, it displays a few specific symptoms. You will notice a few of these symptoms right away and some over a few years. Here are few of them

• Poor cooling
• Loud compressor noise
• Vibrations
• Increased electricity bills
• Condenser issues
• Component failure

Conclusion

The placement of the fridge plays a vital role in its performance. An ideally placed fridge has a chance to cost less maintenance in the long run and give your fridge a longer lifespan. The space behind and the sides of the refrigerator is significant because it allows the compressor to breathe and stay in optimum condition.

However, if you place the fridge in a very tight spot, there is a chance that heat buildup could cause the the compressor to seize. Now you know how much space should there be between fridge and wall — this should prolong the life of your fridge and ensure that it works efficiently.