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Frequently Asked Questions About Domestic Refrigerator Repair:

Questions about clearance around the cabinet

I just installed a new Kenmore refrigerator. I didn't realize, until I got it home, that the manual calls for leaving 1/2 inch space between the side walls and the refrigerator sides. It's a pretty tight fit, although the top has close to the needed 1/2 inch clearance. I don't know if this is a problem or not. Swapping the refrigerator for a smaller one is probably not an option. Widening the space probably isn't, either.

If I need to, I thought I might install a vent behind the refrigerator. The wall behind it opens partly to hall and partly to the utility room, so it wouldn't be a big problem.

If that would help, how big a vent should I look at? I'm thinking 8X12 or so. Someone else suggested I go much larger. What do you think? Thanks for your help.

You only need to vent it if your new unit doesn’t have a fan to cool the system. This will be a fan that runs at the bottom inside the compressor enclosure whenever the compressor is running. Most new refrigerators are fan-cooled now though so check this out first. If it isn’t fan cooled it will have a condenser mounted on the back. (the grill like thing painted black I’m sure you’ve seen many times before).

So if yours isn’t fan-cooled, a vent would do nicely. The more air the better. Place it near the top of the back of the refrigerator. The air rises up the back so it should draw from the floor in your kitchen through the kick plate at front and exhaust through your vent. If you make it flow into the utility room make sure the air has somewhere to go after it gets into the room, especially in hot weather otherwise the vent will be in vain as there won’t be air movement, in this case you may need a return duct.

As far as the size of the vent, 8X12 is more then adequate.

If this unit is fan cooled why does the manufacturer require the clearance? I’m not sure of this, perhaps fire regulations. This is a detail you may want to check out with your insurance agent before you keep this one.