Can I put a refrigerator next to the battery?

Choosing the right location for the refrigerator affects the life of an expensive appliance. The main condition for the correct installation of the unit is the absence of heat exposure from the outside.

This is not always possible, so you need to look for alternative methods for the location of the refrigerator, zoning the kitchen.

Can I put a refrigerator next to a heating battery?

Manufacturers of units in the instructions clearly prescribe the permissible operating conditions. The document emphasizes that the installation of equipment near radiators is not allowed.

When installing the device, important points to consider:

High power consumption. The system turns on at short intervals to maintain the required thermal conditions. When the heat source acts on the device, it turns on much more often, ice forms faster. Defrosting the unit is carried out more often, as additional ice becomes the reason that the compressor is operating in heavy duty.
Differences in climate class. Each model of the unit is adapted according to specific climatic conditions. Refrigerators sold in hot countries have better thermal insulation. If the equipment is designed for operation in mid-latitudes and is located near a constant source of heat, the compressor works without interruption.
The power of the device. Often there is a situation when the device does not have such strong power so that the temperature that the camera supports is at an optimal level. This becomes the reason that any product will quickly become unusable.
Non-warranty damage. Even in the event of a failure of new equipment, improper installation of the unit and its placement in unsuitable conditions does not fall under the warranty. Any master can easily determine the cause of the breakdown.

What if there is no other way out?

Often a situation occurs when the kitchen in an apartment is so small that the option of transferring equipment to another room disappears immediately. The only place left is the small area where the battery that emits heat is located.

If there is no other way, then you can put the device next to the radiator.

It is important to observe the following nuances.

The back wall cannot be located very close to the radiator. It is better when the hot air emitted by the heating system will affect the side surface.
In order not to disturb the operation of the device, the distance should be 50 cm.
To prevent hot heating from stopping the operation of the refrigerator, a foil partition is installed between the compressor and the radiator.
If the apartment is with a small kitchen, then not the entire battery can be isolated, but the pipe through which warm water is supplied to the radiator. For this, special materials are used. However, this is not always possible, especially where all the furniture is already in place.
Another good option for insulation of the refrigerator is the use of penofol. This material adheres to that part of the surface of the unit that lends itself to increased heat exposure. The surface must be pre-degreased.

Is it possible to install the equipment with the back to the heating?

Installation with the back to the radiator is the most dangerous and unsuccessful. The grill of the appliance, the main function of which is cooling, will heat up. The compressor will break quickly, and buying a new one will be very expensive.

With this placement of the device, the radiator will completely close. The room will not receive the necessary heat. The air temperature will become much cooler due to the fact that the heat will go to heat the equipment.

The only reasonable way out is to transfer the radiator itself.

Where can I put a refrigerator if there’s absolutely no space?

If it is impossible to install the unit in the kitchen, then you can use another room for these purposes:

Pantry room. Many apartments have a pantry in which a constant cool temperature is maintained and batteries are not installed. This room is used to save canned goods, rarely used items. Such placement may not seem very convenient, but installation in this place will save valuable kitchen space and extend the life of the device.
Hallway For the same reasons, you can place the device in the hallway, where there is a special recess for the cabinet.
Loggia. This room is often located in close proximity to the kitchen. This is quite convenient, since there is no need to go far for groceries. It is important that the loggia or balcony be insulated and glazed.
Hall. The device, located in the living room, does not look quite usual and does not fit into the general interior. However, if you choose between installation near a hot battery and in the hall, you should give preference to the latter option.

Proper location in the kitchen

Proper installation of the refrigerator in the kitchen involves observing several important rules and features of the operation of the device:

Do not install the unit near the stove. This is much more dangerous for the device than a heating radiator. This is due to the fact that the stove works daily, and its side part is very hot. The distance between household appliances should not be less than 5 cm. There must be a heat-insulating partition. The same requirements apply to the oven.
It is not recommended to install the device near a window. Direct sunlight will heat the device. This will cause additional energy consumption to maintain the required temperature in the refrigerator.
The refrigerator should not stand close to other kitchen appliances. When installing, you must rely on the fact that between the devices there must be a gap of at least 5 cm. This will ensure sufficient air circulation.
The appliance should be level. To ensure this position will help adjustable legs. A slight deviation back 2 degrees is allowed. Due to this, the door will not open spontaneously when there are too many products inside.
A good option is to buy free-standing refrigerators and freezers.
The purchase of built-in refrigeration equipment will help to avoid damage.

Conclusion

Installing a refrigerator near the radiator is not recommended by manufacturers of household appliances. However, this is possible while maintaining a safe distance, installing the unit side, and not the back surface to the battery.

Be sure to isolate the refrigerator using heat-insulating materials or structures.

If you can’t install the unit in the kitchen, it is transferred to another room in the apartment. For these purposes, a closet, an entrance hall, a balcony or a loggia, a hall are suitable.

Producers are against it!

First studied theory. It turned out that manufacturers that produce different models of technology agree in a categorical ban on the proximity of a cooling and heating device.

A radiator located near the refrigerator creates conditions not suitable for the normal operation of the equipment.

The wall (rear, side) and the motor of the refrigeration unit are constantly heated.
To maintain the required temperature in the chambers, the device operates without the necessary interruptions.
From continuous operation without stopping, the compressor can fail more quickly.
The service life of the unit will be reduced, and the energy consumption caused by the increased intensity of work, on the contrary, will increase.

Important! For refrigerators, close proximity not only to the battery, but also to other heat sources is undesirable: a stove, heater, fireplace, etc. The distance between them should be at least 35 cm. Optimum - a distance of 50 cm.

Consumers take risks

Manufacturer's recommendations are, of course, important. But we will be honest: often we are more or less retreating from them. And with the search for a place for the refrigerator, many do the same. What happens with this? Discussion on the forum helps to find out about this.

According to the replicas of the participants, they easily put cooling household appliances next to the batteries, pipes with hot water and gas stoves. Moreover, they are installed close to or at a minimum distance (about 5 cm).

Owners of devices claim that such a neighborhood does not affect their condition and work. And for the sake of persuasion, the timing of such a placement is given. And these are considerable figures: 15–20 years.

Is it worth replenishing the number of those who allow such combinations in their kitchen? Everyone makes a decision for himself. And he also takes responsibility for his decision. After all no one will give guarantees that your unit will work without breakdowns. And the forum participants certainly do not make claims.

Well, if such an arrangement is the only convenient option?

If the neighborhood cannot be avoided

When there is no choice, it is important to reduce the negative effects of warm air on the refrigerator.
Service specialists believe that this is quite possible. And they offer several available methods.

Advice! If it is not possible to maintain a safe distance of 35 cm, special protection is required.

Foil - suitable material for creating a partition. As the basis, you can use plywood, drywall and other products. Due to its reflective properties, it will “unfold” warm air, reducing the degree of heating of the surfaces of the device.
Radiator or heating pipes can separate from the refrigerator using modern thermal insulation materials (polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, foamed polyethylene, etc.).
Provide such an arrangement that the battery, which is in the vicinity of the refrigerator, is protected by a partition and located not at the back, but on the side of the unit.

And of course it’s worth consider alternate fridge space options. As they say, not a single kitchen! Storage room, hallway, insulated loggia may well be suitable for this option.

Can I put a refrigerator next to the battery

Can. If there is no other way, then the refrigerator can be installed next to the heating system. Several factors are taken into account: the possibility of contact between the rear wall and the side surface with the radiator, what distance should be left if necessary, and how to protect the appliance. Do not reassure yourself with the thought that the heating season does not last all year round, but takes four months. The refrigerator may not withstand several months of forced proximity. It will be difficult for him to give up the accumulated heat, which will lead to overheating of the compressor.

Refrigerator location

The instruction manual prescribes specific requirements for the location of the refrigeration unit. The unit should not be located close to the kitchen furniture. Side gaps must be at least 5 cm, there must be a distance of at least 10 cm between the back wall and the condenser grill. You can achieve a gap between the floor and the appliance using the adjustable legs. Distance is required for continuous air circulation. All actions should be aimed at preventing the compressor from overheating.

Consequences of overheating of the refrigerator motor

Consider what such an unfriendly neighborhood can turn into when the refrigerator is at the battery? From the course of physics it is known that cold and heat should not interact. With the same success, in winter you can turn on the air conditioning for heating and open the window open. The main drawback of this neighborhood is the compressor overheating. Freon circulates in the contours of the refrigerator under pressure, it is necessary for cooling the air inside the chamber, due to its transition from a liquid to a gaseous state. Freon is supplied to the condenser grid, due to which cooling occurs.

Overheating of the electric motor of the refrigeration appliance, since the condenser grid instead of cooling will overheat, the temperature of the freon will change,
Increased energy consumption as a result of constant operation of the device to maintain a given temperature,
Reducing the life of the refrigeration unit.

Attention: it is not recommended to place the appliance next to any heating element - a gas stove, an electric stove and a microwave.

The important point is that if the device breaks as a result of its proximity to the battery, it cannot be repaired using the warranty card. The device operation rules prescribed in the instructions will be violated and the refrigerator must be repaired at its own expense.

Way out

If in the kitchen the only possible place is next to the heating system, care should be taken to protect the appliance and extend the life of the appliance. There are several points that must be followed so that the device can stand next to the battery:

In no case should the rear wall be placed close to the heat source,
It is desirable that the battery occupies only part of the side wall, for the normal operation of the appliance,
Make a partition or screen, place the foil on top, and put between the battery and the refrigerator. This method will help isolate heat. You can use self-adhesive penofol on the side wall of the appliance. Foil serves to reflect heat fluxes, foam foil serves to absorb heat.

Freezer next to the battery

The consequences of the location of the freezer near the heat source are also adverse. As a result of exposure to warm air, increased ice formation will occur in the chamber. The freezer will need to be defrosted more often, the products will also be covered with a layer of ice, which can tell on their quality.

Heat source

Battery, heating pipe and heating pipe are sources of heat. It’s not advisable to install next to them. On the other hand, in the last two cases, less heat will be generated than from the battery. Which will favorably affect the operation of the refrigerator. In such cases, on single pipes it is enough to put on plastic insulation or a heat-insulating pipe made of polyethylene foam.

Where you can not have a refrigerator in the kitchen

In addition to the location of the refrigeration unit near a heat source, it is not recommended to install it next to a water supply system. Water entering the appliance may cause a short circuit. It should not be located far, the main thing is to observe a distance of 60 cm.

The location of the refrigeration unit near the window is also highly undesirable. Direct sunlight also has a negative effect. The surface of the refrigerator overheats, and with insufficient insulation of the refrigerator, heat from the heated surface is transferred into the chamber, which leads to continuous operation of the compressor.

Do not neglect the rules of operation of the electrical appliance. Sometimes consumers trust the forum posts that the appliance costs 5 years close to the battery and works like a clock without a single breakdown and thermal insulation. All cases are individual. Taking into account such messages, it is necessary to understand that the responsibility lies only with you. And you have to pay for increased electricity costs or unit repair only.

It should be remembered that for some devices the thermal insulation of the cameras is far from ideal, and the warmer the air, the worse it performs its functions. In other words, the closer the refrigerator is to the heat source, the more heat will enter the refrigerator compartment. What will increase its operating time and increase energy consumption.

Can I put a refrigerator next to the battery?

The distance from the refrigerator to the heating battery is only one of the parameters that must be taken into account in determining the correct location for installing the refrigeration unit. Now this problem has become very urgent, because the variety of models produced provides for various precautions.

It is important to consider the following factors:

The correct location of a household appliance is not only taking into account possible damage from heat sources (oven, microwave, gas or electric stove, heating radiator). For different models, it matters how to put the refrigerator in relation to the ceiling, walls and floor, sunlight, air currents circulating in the room for cooking food.
Any household appliance must not be placed close to heat sources. Otherwise, the load on the compressor will increase, designed to provide the opposite phenomenon - the production of cold, and it will work in an enhanced mode. This will result in increased energy consumption. Imbalance is also possible, which is ensured by the efforts of designers who place the cooling system in the right places with the calculation of the most efficient production. Failure of the compressor will provoke the need for repair. And if at the same time incorrect operation is detected, then the service center employees have the right to refuse to conduct free maintenance.
Damaging factors in the kitchen, especially the small one, are present in all their diversity. This grease and spray from a nearby stove, infrared radiation from a microwave, ultraviolet and drafts from a window or balcony. Plus condensation from vapors, the safest of which is steam from simple boiling water. Dimensions are an important aspect not only when studying hypothetically free space. Sometimes the purchased giant does not go into doorways or closes half of the window, making it difficult to put large pots and pans with handles on the stove.

The nuances of remoteness

Without hesitation, is it possible to put a refrigerator next to a heating pipe or heater and devices for heat distribution, a person has a refrigerator next to them. Let them not always warm enough, but they work constantly in the heating season.

A brand-new unit, next to which there is a radiator, may not survive even before the end of the warranty period.

An unobservable minimum distance from the rear or side wall will lead to disruption of air circulation along the location of the cooling system. If you add to this the system of the unit, which in the most advanced design can withstand +43 ° C, hot summer time and cooking, you can already say goodbye to the desired refrigerator, for which money has been collected for a long time.

And the last little secret - if the unit is at the wrong angle, its door is difficult to open and does not spontaneously close at the right time, and an open door interferes with movement in a small room - this means that the choice of place is wrong, even if all the previous conditions are met. Warm air will constantly enter the ajar door of the refrigerator, and this is the right way to disable it, and in a short time.

Before buying the coveted symbol of kitchen luxury, you need to choose a place where you can put it. There are no hopeless situations, and craftsmen or installation masters easily solve the problem with the help of protective devices, sometimes very expensive. Whether the efforts and means are worth the opportunity to squeeze the refrigerator next to a gas stove or battery - you need to think carefully. Sometimes it’s cheaper to just purchase a smaller device.

The distance from the battery to the refrigerator

Where and at what distance you can put the refrigerator in a limited space is a difficult question and requires a thoughtful approach. Sometimes you can’t do without additional safety measures, even if you plan everything carefully.

The task for owners of a kitchen with a small area resembles a puzzle with a labyrinth, where prohibition signs are on each corner. After all, the purchased unit cannot be placed under sunlight and close to heat sources, it cannot be left without the necessary air circulation, but it is also not recommended to put a refrigerator in the draft.

Heating batteries, stoves for cooking, other electrical appliances, ovens and hobs - all this is strictly contraindicated in the refrigerator in the immediate vicinity. If it is not at all possible to arrange the items of kitchen equipment in such a way as to take into account all the features, you need to try to observe the conditions that allow you to install the refrigerator from the battery on a small indent:

a household appliance cannot be placed on the back of the heater, and it’s also not recommended to use a side one,
the side wall or door of the refrigeration unit should be at a minimum distance of half a meter, and preferably not in a straight line, but horizontally (in small kitchens of some projects this is possible in the corner by the window, however, the end face will be near the pipe, so it must be distanced by distance not less than 30 cm),
it is estimated that insufficient distance from the heating radiator, as a result of which the total air temperature rises by approximately 5–6 ° C, increases the energy consumption by almost half, so the distance is mandatory,
It is possible to reduce the distance from the battery only with sufficient air circulation or special protective devices.

Should be considered

Problems with the operation of the refrigerator in the kitchen of a small-sized apartment arise due to the inability to plan the space or soberly evaluate the acquired equipment. Considerations of prestige or reverence for brand names, as well as the desire to choose household appliances by a single color or design, lead to a common mistake.

It can be easily avoided if you carefully measure the intended installation location and purchase a refrigerator of suitable dimensions.

There are also important points - the class to which the acquisition belongs (what temperature it can withstand), the location of the cooling system (it may not be the same for different manufacturers, and therefore the installation requirements will differ). These nuances affect the minimum distance from the refrigerator to the radiator (battery) of heating.

Well-established brands indicate the distance to some household appliances that must be maintained. If you use minimal protective shields, then the device can be located near the hob or electric stove, removing it as far as possible from the battery.

Watch the video below on this topic.

How can I fix the situation?

The ideal arrangement of kitchen equipment is achievable in the presence of a vast space, which not everyone has so far. It is difficult or impossible to achieve compliance with the triangle rule - so that the stove, refrigerator and battery are located in three different angles, and between them there are tables, sofas and cabinets in a tiny kitchen.

Taking the unit into a narrow corridor or placing it in a living room is also not an option. This will cause a lot of inconvenience, and will also interfere with those who have a sensitive dream. The hostess, who will have to run far to get the necessary products, will also not be delighted with this idea.

People get out of the situation by installing an additional hood on top of the refrigerator, making a tap into the air conditioning system, putting a rattan or polymer cover on the battery, which prevents the spread of heat and increased load on the motor.

A protective box or a foil screen, installed between the appliance and the heat source, helps.

In the most critical cases, a mini-stove or a sink for smaller dishes is purchased. But the ban on installation near the radiator has too weighty grounds for it to be ignored. The cost of the new motor and its installation can cost half the price of the refrigerator, and the first thing that suffers in the vicinity of the radiator is its engine.

Refrigerator installation methods

Before you buy a useful kitchen unit, you should find out whether it is possible to put a refrigerator next to the heating battery sideways or the back wall. From the correct location of the device depends on its performance.

In large kitchens, this unit is installed in a system of kitchen cabinets. From the stove or battery, the device is separated several meters. In a small kitchen, a refrigerator is isolated from heating appliances in many ways.

It's important to know! “Wherever you decide to put the refrigerator, it should be installed at a distance of 5 cm from the wall or any other surface. This rule applies to both the rear wall and the side panels. ”

An exception are those devices in which a fan with a compressor is located below. They can be installed close to walls and cabinets.

Distance to system

Any side of the refrigeration equipment should be 50 cm away from the heating systems. This distance is enough to eliminate the damaging effects of heat on the cooling unit.

If there is a heating pipe under the floor in the house, or the Heat-insulated floor system is installed in the house, the place for the refrigerator is chosen on the loggia, or before the repair they determine the place for it, where the heating will not turn on at all.

What could be the effects of overheating?

When installing the refrigerator close to a stove or battery, expect negative consequences. The freezer compartment at such placement will be bad at keeping food. The refrigerator itself may begin to leak. Due to the constant collision of warm and cold air, condensation will form in the corner behind the device, and then mold will form.

It's important to know! “If the refrigerator breaks down, the unit will be repaired under warranty only if the device is correctly positioned. If the master finds that the device was not installed in accordance with the rules, he will remove it from the guarantee. "

While the refrigerator will be near the battery, it will consume a lot of electricity. Such devices are already not economical. Because of this setting, electricity bills will grow several times.

How to protect the refrigerator from the heating battery?

In the case when there is no other way out, and the cooling cabinet has to be placed near the heating appliances, it will be necessary to protect the unit with improvised means.

To protect refrigeration equipment from overheating, the following tools are suitable:

Part of the pipe is insulated with special materials.
The refrigerator is installed obliquely.
From the battery, the device is enclosed with a protective foil wall.
A decorative screen made of durable glass is placed between the battery or stove and the refrigerator.
The influence of the warm floor is offset by raising the refrigerator cabinet on special legs.

Inadequate maintenance of the refrigerator and its incorrect installation lead not only to damage to the equipment. With this arrangement, any refrigerator compartment will unevenly cool food. This will lead to the fact that it will not work for a long time to store food in the refrigerator compartments.

The kitchen is the place where families traditionally gather for food. Of course, for convenience, refrigeration equipment should be located there. But reality makes its own adjustments. Use the tips above to avoid problems and breakdowns of a brand new refrigerator.