We are thinking of buying a new, entry-level 'fridge to put in the garage. We could use the extra freezer space, but don't need a deep freeze, and I would be able to keep more "beverages" chilled and ready for consumption. 
I don't want to mess with getting an old one off craigslist, as I've read plenty about how the older, more inefficient boxes will actually cost more in the long run due to the higher energy costs.
My question is, would any extra insulation on the outside make a difference? ANy other way to make one even more efficient? I ask because in the summer, our garage isn't climate controlled, so it gets up into the upper 80s in the garage.
Do I even need to worry about that?
Upper 80's? No, don't worry. We have a big deep freezer and it gets over 113 degrees here in the summer and we never give it a 2nd thought. It sits in the barn.
upper 80s? I do not use air con in the house.. it gets into the upper 90s inside during the summer.. no issues with my fridge staying cool
I have an apartment size fridge in my garage, less space to chill, hold more than enough beverage.
No freezer though.
I keep my college microfridge out by the pool with chilled beverages all summer. It never has an issue.
I do hope you are looking at the local places to get a scratch and dent model. Brand new, sometimes at half the cost of new. If this is a garage thing, does it matter there's a dent crease down the side?
Craigslist has plenty of not-so-old fridges too. We picked up a model that was barely 4 years old because the couple was selling their new-ish house and didn't want to leave any appliances behind. It's a bottom freezer type and it is fabulous. 
I do think you can find a good deal on a not-so-old fridge on CL. I picked one up for the garage a few Thanksgivings ago, and I cannot imagine life without it today. It stays near full, and the one in the kitchen is slap-slam stuffed all the time. I have two growing boys, you see.
I guess the other part is, would it be worth trying to add some extra insulation to a fridge, even a newer one?
Our electricity bills are low enough that I don't mind, but anything to save some more!
mightymike wrote:
That is a bitchin fridge man!
Ian F
UberDork
4/30/12 12:50 p.m.
I wouldn't worry about it. The g/f's parents keep two freezers in their power house at the farm. It's a tiny little building with minimal ventilation. Doesn't seem to bother them much.
The energy consumption difference between old units and new is truly remarkable.
Every bit as dramatic as the difference between one of the old window ac units and a newish one.
We have an old unit similar to Mike's flamer there. It costs me about $40 to run it. I'd love to unplug it, but the wife adores it.
z31maniac wrote:
I guess the other part is, would it be worth trying to add some extra insulation to a fridge, even a newer one?
Our electricity bills are low enough that I don't mind, but anything to save some more!
can't hurt.. put down a layer of fiberglass insulation topped off with a layer of that styrofoam stuff they use in basement walls, cover it in a layer of plastic and seal the gaps between the panels with some expanding foam.. maybe find a way to relocate the coils on the back to a more wide open space where they get actual airflow over them instead of being jammed up against the wall.. your fridge will now be at least 6" bigger in every direction than it was when you started out, but it will use less energy..
Before you potentially waste time/money insulating a new fridge, could you take some measurements to see if it would help? On a hot day, measure the temperature of the outside of the fridge and then measure the temperature of another piece of sheetmetal that is not part of the fridge. Are they close in temperature? If there's a significant difference then the fridge is working to cool the outside of the fridge and could benefit from insulating it from the hot weather. If there's no significant difference then the insulation inside the fridge is doing a great job separating the heat outside of the fridge from the cold inside it.
Another thing you could try is getting one of those devices that you plug appliances into that measure how much electricity they are using. Measure it on a hot day and on a cool day and see if there's a difference. If there's an increase on hot days it could be that the insulation isn't adequate so the compressor has to work harder to keep the fridge cool. Or the condensor coil on the back of the fridge are warmer and the whole system is operating less efficiently and insulation wouldn't help.
