The presence of a refrigerator in a kitchen is nothing extraordinary. And yet, its installation in this room that occupies the position of the most important in a house is not easy. Indeed, to successfully install a refrigerator in a kitchen, several elements must be taken into account. APlus Repair presents some tips to properly install a fridge in a kitchen.
Check the climate class of the fridge
The climate class refers to the external temperature range that promotes the normal operation of the fridge. This indication should not be confused with the energy class. A class N refrigerator works as it should if the external temperature is between 16 and 32 ° C. This is actually the average temperature in housing.
If your home has an above-average internal temperature (+10 to +32°C), it is best to choose an SN class (extended temperate) refrigerator. Subtropical (ST) class models of this household appliance are suitable for houses that are built in a singularly warm region (+18 to + 38 °C). If you live in such a region, you can install in your kitchen, a tropical-class fridge (T). It is suitable for homes with internal temperatures that are +18 to +43°C above average. There are also models that work well in room temperature of 10 to 43 ° C.
Choosing the right location of the fridge in the kitchen
Specialist in the repair of household appliances, APlus Repair always advises its customers to install their refrigerators near the worktop in the kitchen. Our technicians also insist on the fact that this equipment must be installed as far as possible (at least 40 cm) from heat sources (ovens, hobs, fireplaces, etc.).
Indeed, if the fridge is too close to one of these heat sources, there will be a heat transfer between it and the refrigerator. The latter will consume electricity to turn, but will not be efficient. However, sometimes one of these heat sources is integrated against the fridge. In this case, consider installing a thermal insulation panel between them.
Finally, for safety reasons, it is not recommended to install the refrigerator close to the sink.
Choosing the right type of installation
When installing refrigerators, you have the choice between free installation and integrated installation.
Free pose
To install a freestanding fridge in your kitchen, the professional leaves at least 5 cm on each side of the appliance. It also leaves space (more than 5 cm) between the wall and the refrigerator at its back. Thus, the heat that the device releases can easily circulate.
In addition, between the upper face of the fridge and the ceiling, a distance of 10 cm is left. It is the same if instead of the ceiling, there is a piece of furniture. To be sure to have respected these distances, you can opt for a refrigerator equipped with spacers. These are installed on the back of the device so that the one who installs the device is sure to have the ideal spacing between the capacitor and the wall.
Integrated installation
It only concerns integrable refrigerators. Indeed, the latter are designed in such a way that they can be embedded in a special box. This offers an additional 5 cm of space on each side of the device and also on its back. At the bottom of the box and more precisely at its front, there is ventilation. There are also some at the top and more precisely at the back of the box. This aeration allows the heat extracted from the refrigerator to be evacuated.
The cabinet in which the fridge is to be integrated must be 60 cm wide. However, some furniture may have different widths than this one. So to properly install the refrigerator, it is recommended to calculate the internal volume (depth × height × width) of the box to know if it will be able to properly accommodate the fridge. The device is accompanied by instructions for mounting the door. The latter can be of a zippered or hinged model.
Finally, regardless of the model, it is necessary that when installing refrigerator, it must be arranged between two pieces of furniture or installed in a corner against the wall. Its door must be able to open enough so that anyone can easily remove the freezer drawers and crispers.