Is it possible to put a refrigerator near a gas pipe: the subtleties of safe placement of equipment

Consequences of overheating

Constant operation at elevated temperatures leads to serious technical problems. Overheating causes:

• increasing the operating time and reducing the rest period - there is an overexpenditure of electricity;
• engine failure - the cost of a new motor and its replacement will cost half the price of a refrigerator;
• uneven freezing - affects the quality of products;
• unit leaks - the temperature inside the refrigerator rises;
• reducing the shelf life of food;
• thermostat failure;
• ignition.

Due to the constant interaction of cold and hot air, condensate accumulates behind the unit, and then mold appears. The walls are crumbling.

Is it possible to put a refrigerator next to a gas pipe, what will a specialist say

It is well known that the refrigerator is not recommended to be placed next to objects that emit heat: radiators, ovens and hobs. It is clear that if there is a gas stove in the kitchen, the refrigerator should be located at a remote distance from it, but is it possible to put the refrigerator next to the gas pipe?

To answer this question, one should consider the risk factors that arise during the operation of the refrigerator and correlate their danger when exposed to the gas pipeline.

The principle of operation of the refrigerator and risk factors

The refrigerator works due to the selection of heat from the refrigeration chamber by the cold liquid refrigerant (freon) passing through it, which evaporates when thermal energy is taken. Following then through the condenser system of the refrigerator in the form of a thin serpentine tube on the back wall, the gaseous freon is cooled, giving off heat to the environment.

The refrigerant enters the compressor in the form of condensate, after which it is compressed (at the same time its temperature drops below zero) and is fed into the refrigeration chamber in a liquid state.

The compressor itself is powered by an alternating current and is an electric motor, on the shaft of which there is a special type of nozzle that compresses the freon condensate entering the working chamber.

Thus, there are two factors that pose some risk during operation of the refrigerator: the warm surface of the condenser coil on the back wall and the electrical supply of the compressor.

Rice. 1 Refrigerator in the kitchen - location examples

Is it possible to put a refrigerator next to a gas pipe - the answer of a specialist

The temperature at the back of the refrigerator, if it is impossible to measure, can be calculated in a simple way: it consists of the sum of the room temperature and the difference between the ambient temperature and the air in the refrigerator compartment. Thus, with the warmest air in the kitchen at 25 degrees, this value will not exceed 55 - 58 degrees (in practice, taking into account losses, 50 degrees is the maximum value).

Given that the back wall of the refrigerator is usually located at a minimum distance of 20 - 30 mm. from the pipe, this factor will not affect the gas pipeline system in any way, even if it is tightly connected to the pipe and the temperature is several times higher.

The second risk factor is the presence in the area of ​​the gas pipe of the electric power cable of the compressor with an alternating voltage of 220 volts. Here, it may seem to an ignorant person that if a cable breaks or other malfunctions, a current will enter the pipe, a spark will flare up and an explosion will occur. This assumption is unfounded for the following reasons:

1. The pipes of the gas pipeline are made of metal and go into the ground, therefore, when in contact with the electric drive, the phase will be grounded, and if the machine does not turn off the electricity in the apartment, the gas pipe will in any case be de-energized due to grounding.
2. If the underwater hose is made of rubber and cannot be grounded, and the contact of the bare electrical wire from the refrigerator occurred in the area of ​​​​the stove, then in this case the current will go to the ground bus. The fact is that modern gas stoves are connected to a power source through sockets with three connectors with a protective neutral wire.
3. If the gas stove is in good working order, and the connections in the underwater hoses are securely insulated and do not allow gas to pass through, there is no danger even if there is a break in the refrigerator’s electrical wire, except for electric shock to the owners themselves.

The answer to the question of whether it is possible to put a refrigerator next to a gas pipe will be the following statement: the refrigerator can be located without any fear next to the gas pipe at the very minimum distance (20 - 30 mm is enough), the main condition for this is ease of access to the valve valve gas shutoff.

How to protect your refrigerator

If the necessary distance between the refrigerator and the stove cannot be established, then care must be taken to create insulation that will help minimize harm.

A large number of materials are suitable for the manufacture of insulation. They can be divided into two large groups. All of them have both advantages and disadvantages. Unfortunately, there is no ideal material for insulation yet. But the installation of protective sheets does not require a significant investment of time and money (although expensive materials are also found), so replacing them as needed will not be a problem.

Means for isolation are divided into two groups:

• organic;
• inorganic.

Organic include:

• Styrofoam;
• Chipboard;
• reeds;
• textolite;
• cork sheet.

Advantages of this type of insulation:

non-toxicity (which is important, because high temperatures will constantly affect the sheet);
moisture resistance.

Minuses:

• the likelihood of deformation due to heat, which makes these materials unsuitable for a refrigerator that is located near a gas stove;
• high price.

The list of inorganic materials is somewhat shorter:

• fiberglass;
• drywall;
• mineral fibre.

Positive aspects of inorganic materials:

• Low price;
• Temperature resistance.

Negative:

With high humidity, such insulation becomes useless.

Installing protection is easy. And, as mentioned above, there is a possibility that the insulation will have to be changed periodically. Therefore, it is best to use double-sided tape for fastening. It will hold the sheet firmly, but it will not be difficult to remove it. If you are using organic materials, it is worth covering them with a film to improve the appearance.

Rules for the location of the refrigerator and stove

It is recommended to place household appliances in the kitchen according to the “triangle rule”. That is, the refrigerator sink and stove be located as if at the corners of an isosceles triangle. The optimal distance between the zones is from 1.2-2.7 m. Then the devices will not interfere with each other and it is convenient for the hostess to get food and cook.

Unfortunately, often the kitchen is small and the appliances have to be placed almost back to back. Next, let's take a closer look at whether it is possible to put a refrigerator near the gas stove and whether there are generally accepted requirements for placement.

In the layout of many apartments, no more than 5-6 square meters are allocated for the arrangement of the kitchen. m. In such conditions, it is not always possible to place a refrigerator and a stove according to the recommended rules.

Norms of distance between household appliances

All refrigerators differ in capacity, type of freezing and degree of thermal insulation. Manufacturers must indicate in the instructions the recommended installation distance of equipment from the gas stove. For example, a Zanussi brand refrigerator is mounted from a gas stove at a distance of 50 cm.

If the instruction is lost, then, according to the regulations, the minimum distance from any refrigerator to a household gas stove should be 25 cm or more. Ideally, a table should be placed between the appliances.

Bosch refrigerators have multi-layer thermal insulation. They can be installed at a distance of 30 cm from a stove with gas burners and 3 cm from an electric hob.

A small cabinet can be installed between the refrigerator and the gas stove. Pots will not fit in it, but it is convenient to store small things in the form of sponges, various brushes and household chemicals

Due to the fact that many furniture companies produce cabinet furniture to order, you can easily “mask” the recommended gap of 25 cm. So, they make storage sections or the same cabinets according to individual sizes.

We also recommend that you familiarize yourself with the rules for placing a refrigerator near a gas pipe.

Consequences of close proximity

The gas stove does not have insulation, therefore, during its operation, adjacent surfaces are heated.

If the wall of the refrigerator heats up, it will not defrost, it will not work worse, and food will not spoil in it. However, the compressor of the unit will turn on more often and wear out. Such a load will negatively affect the life of the device.

Disadvantages of the proximity of the stove and refrigerator:

• rapid formation of ice inside the refrigerator - due to heating, the compressor begins to cool more intensively, as a result, the ice freezes faster;
• frequent washing of the walls of the refrigeration appliance - during cooking, splashes of fat can scatter, which are subsequently difficult to remove from the metal surface;
• the appearance of the refrigerator deteriorates from heating - the paint swells and turns yellow, plastic handles crack or melt, as well as door trim;
• end of warranty - many manufacturers write in the instructions that you can not install a refrigerator near a stove, oven and heating appliances; even the minimum allowable distance between household appliances is indicated;
• increased power consumption - the compressor often turns on and the device operates at full capacity.

In addition, if the refrigerator is back to back, then the gas stove is not very comfortable to use, since you can only approach the hob from one side.

With the close proximity of the stove and refrigerator, there is almost no free space left. This is not practical, since the handles from pans and other utensils will rest against the wall of the refrigeration unit.

If household kitchen appliances still have to be placed nearby, then you need to take care of additional thermal insulation of the refrigerator wall.

How to put the refrigerator to the battery, if there is no other way out

In very small apartments, sometimes there is not much choice for the location of large household appliances: there are simply no places in the corridor or in other rooms. And the only unoccupied space where the equipment can fit is a square meter next to the heater.In absolutely hopeless cases, it is still possible to put a refrigerator next to the battery, but you must follow a strict set of rules in order to keep the device alive.

Basic rules for location

Be sure to allow extra distance: the back wall of the device should not fit snugly against the battery, as the motor will not be able to work for a long time next to a hot radiator and will break. If possible, put the equipment sideways to the heating device. With this arrangement, the likelihood of breakage is less.

Consider how to isolate the refrigerator from the battery. Usually in such cases it is advised to put a foil screen between the heater and the back wall of the refrigerator, which is responsible for the cooling process. Its job is to reflect heat.

If the radiator is far away, but the hot water riser, on the contrary, is nearby, the pipe must be insulated with the materials intended for this, which can be found in hardware stores. For example, one of the options is to make a drywall box around the riser with holes at the top (you cannot completely close the heating, otherwise it will be cold in the kitchen). Then fill the voids inside the box with cotton wool. Additionally, before this, you can wrap the pipe with foil insulation. Usually the riser is located in the corner of the room, so when placing appliances in the kitchen, you will have to think about how to protect the refrigerator from this type of heating battery. However, this must be done at the repair stage, if you already have furniture arranged, getting close to the riser and carefully closing it is much more difficult.

Can't move, hide

One of the often suggested ways to solve the problem of a small kitchen and accommodate all the necessary furniture and equipment in it is a dramatic change - combining the kitchen and living room. But if you are a law-abiding citizen, then it is impossible to do redevelopment with the unification of the kitchen and living room. More precisely, it is possible, but only if the stove in the kitchen is electric and the water heater too. Gas equipment - a stove or a gas burner, according to the norms, must be installed in a room separated from the living rooms by a wall with a door.

As in a fairy tale, the place of the comma in this phrase is of great importance. If you decide that the amount of work, approvals and financial costs are not worth the modern kitchen interior design, then we will try to solve the problem using decorative methods.

Geyser as part of a kitchen set. This is the simplest and most surface way: to enclose the geyser in a furniture cabinet, then it will not be noticeable from the outside where the appliance is located - the cabinet door will hide it. When ordering furniture, you should only take into account the requirements for installing gas appliances.

• Geyser in a decorative case. From the advice given above, another solution follows: modern models of gas instantaneous water heaters can have not only a functional, but beautiful body that you do not want to hide. There are very decorative solutions: with a glass panel decorated with painting or photo printing.
• Gas column and refrigerator. It is worth talking about a refrigerator in a small kitchen, but now we will mention the option of a tandem refrigerator and a geyser. If the location of the column allows, you can put a refrigerator of low height under the column.This option also requires the use of modern models of gas water heaters. Their device is such that the burner is located in the upper part and the bottom of the device does not heat up. In addition, they have automatic ignition: the burner flame lights up when the water is turned on, so there is no need to provide convenient access to turn on the burner. When placing appliances in this way, consider where the stove is located so as not to damage the refrigerator.
• If you can not hide, you need to show beautifully. In an industrial or loft style interior, a gas water heater, pipes and a chimney can become part of the design. Another option is suitable for country-style interiors. Hang retro-style wooden shelves on the sides of the gas column, place beautiful dishes or kitchen utensils on them, and draw a shelf with objects on the column body.

Refrigerator protection

If it is impossible to place the equipment at the correct distance, then they think about insulation, which will protect the refrigerator from the harmful effects of the heating plate. The protective materials from which the partition is made are divided into 2 groups:

1. Organic. These are: foam, chipboard, cork, textolite. These materials have low hygroscopicity and are non-toxic. But not everyone will like their cost, and they also lose their shape due to thermal influence.
2. Inorganic. Among such materials, drywall, fiberglass, asbestos cardboard, mineral fiber are distinguished. They are resistant to high temperatures, non-flammable and have an attractive price. But effective protection of the refrigerator by them is possible only if the humidity in the room does not exceed 50%.

A sheet of insulation should be laid between the walls of adjacent appliances. It will be able to protect the refrigerator from overheating and extend the life of key parts, but will not save you from greasy drops. Every time after cooking, you need to clean the walls of the cooling device. And some use a foil screen located in a metal frame for protection. It is fixed on magnets or hooks.

If you have to isolate the equipment, then it is more expedient to close the wall of the refrigerator with a sheet of material that will fence off objects. And if you install it on the wall of a gas or electric stove, then it will not be able to fix on the heating surface and will soon fall off.

When it comes to insulation, it is important to consider aesthetic aspects as well. This is especially necessary when using organic materials such as chipboard.

Without cladding, they look unattractive. The design is spoiled by large inclusions of chips and a rough structure. The end of such a sheet is recommended to be covered with a decorative film, laminated or hidden with a suitable profile.

Do not fix the insulating material with liquid nails or glue. We need to think about the future. If you have to rearrange the equipment, then the walls of the unit will become clearly visible. It is practical to use double-sided tape attached to the side of the refrigerator. Its adhesive layer will securely fix the insulating sheet and can be easily removed if necessary.

How dangerous is the neighborhood

All modern stoves, with the correct method of operation, can heat adjacent surfaces to no more than 90-95 degrees.But if you decide to use gas burners to heat the room or dry clothes in the kitchen, then in this case the nearest surfaces will heat up to 150-200 degrees. Thus, the outer surface of the washing machine or refrigerator can be damaged and turn yellow in no time.

According to modern safety requirements, the minimum distance between the stove and nearby appliances or furniture should be at least two centimeters, and if we are talking specifically about the washing machine, then the distance from it should also be within these limits, since it will vibrate during operation .

In general, there is rarely a need to put such household appliances close to each other. However, if this is your case, then it’s worth thinking 100 times whether there will be more benefit or harm in such a neighborhood: installing additional heat-resistant material, gaps, a high probability of damaging the surface of the washing machine, etc.

When placing a refrigerator next to the stove, damage is done to the first appliance. Consequences for the cooling unit:

1. When the surface of the refrigerator becomes very hot, the device works in an enhanced mode to compensate for this and maintain the required temperature. As a result, electricity consumption increases. More frequent inclusions wear out the piston system of the unit faster.
2. The close proximity of the refrigeration and heating devices will provoke uneven cooling of the first. The compressor starts to work harder to compensate for the heating from the stove. And on the other part of the chamber, which does not require strong cooling, frost is intensively formed.
3. With an ill-conceived arrangement, greasy splashes rush to the refrigerator, which constantly scatter in all directions during cooking. Housewives have to wipe the surface of its sidewall daily.

If you put the cooling chamber close to the oven, then the latter can only be used on one side. With a convenient location of the hob during cooking, you can move pots and pans in different directions. And the adjacent refrigerator will interfere with this in every possible way. It is inconvenient to place kitchen utensils on such a hob, since its handles constantly rest against the wall of the cooling device.

To believe that the proximity only to a gas stove is dangerous is not entirely correct. Electric stoves heat adjacent objects weaker, but their close proximity to any household appliances is inappropriate. The safest neighbor of the refrigerator is the induction hob. Also, it is allowed to place a built-in oven with increased thermal insulation characteristics near the refrigerator compartment.

How to protect your refrigerator

If it is not possible to avoid the close location of the refrigerator near the stove, then measures should be taken to protect the equipment. To do this, consider the following options:

• Stick the thermal insulation on the side wall of the refrigerator. It is best to use a material with a foil layer. Such thermal insulation is thinner, has a more attractive appearance and reflects heat from the surface. For fastening it is worth using double-sided tape or self-adhesive material.
• Install a partition between the refrigerator and the stove. With the right approach, you can create an attractive room design that matches the overall interior.Plywood, chipboard, drywall, OSB boards, etc. can be used as a partition. The screen can be decorated: tiled, painted, etc. Materials such as mirror, foil or glass will help reflect heat. Additionally, it is recommended to lay heat-insulating material. The screen will not only protect against elevated temperatures, but also from splashes of grease and oil, shocks.
• Installation of a powerful hood over the stove. The device will effectively capture warm flows from thermal equipment, thereby reducing the load on the refrigerator. However, the oven walls will continue to heat up. Therefore, the method is ineffective.

Stove next to fridge

The stove is the most dangerous neighbor for the refrigerator, especially if it is gas. Ideally, these two antipodes should be placed as far apart as possible. For this, in addition to the main reason (the harm of heat), there are a couple more arguments "against":

• The refrigerator is intensively dirty with splashes of fat during cooking;
• If the stove is next to the refrigerator, then pans with handles and large pots do not fit on the burners closest to it.

What distance should be between the stove and the refrigerator? It is best to learn these standards from the instructions for a particular refrigerator model, since the recommendations of different manufacturers are slightly different. For example:

• Bosch allows you to put the refrigerator next to a gas stove at a distance of 30 cm, and next to an electric stove or hob - at a distance of at least 3 cm.
• Zanussi recommends placing the refrigerator next to the gas stove at a distance of at least 50 cm. Electric stoves and hobs can be placed at a distance of 5 cm.

The recommended option for the coexistence of a refrigerator and stove is shown in the photo below.

Built-in refrigerator next to the gas stove at a distance of 40 cm

But, as practice shows, in very small kitchens, for example, in "Khrushchev", it is difficult or even impossible to maintain the correct gaps. Therefore, many landlords place the stove and refrigerator close to each other. Here are a few photo examples of such kitchens.

Refrigerator next to gas stove and oven

Refrigerator next to a gas stove in the interior of a small kitchen in Khrushchev

Built-in refrigerator next to a gas mini-stove in the interior of a redesigned kitchen-living room in Khrushchev

Refrigerator next to the hob

So, what if the kitchen is very small and creating even a 3 cm gap seems impossible? We offer the following 6 solutions that will help solve the problem in a complex or by themselves:

1. Stick a heat-insulating material on the refrigerator wall, for example, Fomisol or Isolon PPE. This method is the simplest, budgetary and at the same time effective - the refrigerator can even coexist with a gas stove. All you need to do is: cut the material and glue it carefully (it is desirable that the material is self-adhesive). An important nuance: the upper part of the refrigerator wall will continue to heat up a little, as heat tends to rise up. But this problem is also easily solved if you always use the hood (read about it below).

An example of the thermal insulation of a refrigerator next to the stove

1. Use a powerful extractor. It captures most of the convective flows from the stove and thereby significantly reduces the heating of the refrigerator.
2. Install the refrigerator in the box.So the frame of the box will play the role of a barrier and take over the "heat stroke". In addition, it will protect the refrigerator body from splashes of grease and dirt. For the best result, it is still worth gluing a layer of thermal insulation on the refrigerator.

1. Put a partition or screen between the refrigerator and the stove. The benefits of this method are still the same - protection from dirt and the creation of a barrier against heat. What can a screen or partition be made of? MDF panels, plywood, drywall, tempered glass (in combination with thermal insulation) are suitable. Here are a couple of photo examples.

1. Replace full-sized appliances and sinks with smaller versions. This will allow you to win precious centimeters and put the refrigerator and stove not back to back. Here's what you can do:

Replace the standard stove with a mini-stove with two burners. So you can increase the distance between the refrigerator and the stove to 15-25 centimeters. As practice shows, two burners for an average family of 4 people are enough for 100%.

• Place a narrow refrigerator (up to 55 cm wide). Even a couple of freed centimeters will improve the situation.
• Choose a small sink. Yes, it is not very convenient, but it is quite viable, especially if you have a dishwasher. By the way, sometimes you can carve out a small distance between the stove and the refrigerator by moving the sink.

1. In the end, the refrigerator can be taken out into the hallway or adjacent living room.

Refrigerator next to the oven

The oven does much less harm to the refrigerator than a gas stove or hob. Firstly, because we do not use it often, and secondly, most often it is built-in, which means there is a partition between it and the refrigerator.

You can reduce the harm of heat from the oven to zero if:

• Buy an oven with forced cooling (such models have a cooling fan) and triple glass in the door. Fortunately, many modern ovens meet these requirements.
• Stick heat-insulating material on the refrigerator.
• Put any partition or screen between the devices.

If you take these measures in combination, then the oven can also be installed on the refrigerator as shown in the photo below.

Flaws

This arrangement of equipment has a number of disadvantages that will affect not only the operation of the unit, but also its appearance. These include the rapid formation of frost inside the refrigerator, and increased power consumption, and much more.

In addition, a violation of the rules for the operation of a household appliance may mean a denial of warranty service, since repairs are made if the unit is used correctly, which is described in the instructions for it. Let us consider in more detail the negative aspects of such placement.

Placing these household appliances in the neighborhood can be hazardous from a safety standpoint as well. In some cases, excessive overheating of the device may adversely affect its operation, and a non-standard climate will cause the unit to ignite in a residential area.

Large electricity bills

The constant heating of the refrigerator wall causes the compressor to turn on frequently, as a result of which the appliance starts to operate at full capacity, consuming a large amount of electricity. Thus, not only does the motor of the unit wear out, the owner of the house also overpays for the consumed electricity.Indeed, to cool the chamber, the refrigerator must work several times more intensively than in normal mode.

Dirt on the walls

The side surface of the refrigerator next to the stove is also often exposed to food being cooked. But unlike the surface of the stove, it is not intended for frequent washing, which means that it will quickly lose its original appearance and presentability, especially if the household appliance is white.

The enameled wall of the refrigerator will not withstand rubbing with hard brushes or sponges. To avoid such troubles, it is recommended to place a separating object between the devices or isolate them with special materials.

Problems while cooking

One of the significant drawbacks of the proximity of the refrigerator to the stove can be the inconvenience of placing pots and pans with large handles on it at the same time. In addition, with such an arrangement, it will be possible to approach the hob only from one side, the hostess will always knock on the refrigerator with her elbows, which will create additional discomfort when using appliances.

Food spoilage

If the refrigerator is located in close proximity to the stove, then only one of its walls will heat up, that is, it will cool unevenly. The other side does not require enhanced cooling, this can lead to the formation of frost on it. In turn, this harms the products stored inside - they begin to freeze and deteriorate.

This is especially noticeable when storing fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs. After the formation of an ice crust on them, fresh products become unusable or lose their taste.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

When deciding how to properly place the refrigerator, you need to build on the principle of operation of the equipment, as this can directly affect the durability and functionality of the latter:

As you can see, there are no legislative norms and rules for the placement of refrigeration equipment near the gas pipe. According to experts and manufacturers of refrigerators, to prevent breakdowns and fires, as well as other problems, equipment must be placed at a sufficient distance.

If it is not possible to leave the gas pipe completely open, a gap of 50-60 mm is allowed. At the same time, we recommend that you take care of free access to the meter and valve in order to avoid unnecessary disputes with the regulatory authorities.

Do you have your own opinion on this matter? Please share it with our readers in the block below. Tell us if you had to defend such a placement with the regulatory authorities.

conclusions

Manufacturers of household appliances do not recommend installing refrigerator and domestic gas stove nearby, the ideal option is different corners of the room.

Therefore, in the article we examined the existing options for thermal insulation of refrigerators, which can protect against the negative effects of overheating.

And how did you solve the problem of placing these two extremely important types of household appliances in your kitchen? Share interesting ideas with other users, add a photo of your kitchen, participate in discussions, ask questions - the contact form is located below the article.

If the size of the kitchen allows, it is not recommended to put the stove, refrigeration unit and sink in one row. It is better to place them in different corners of the room, adhering to the triangle rule.

But if quadrature requires a combination of such household appliances in a limited space, then it is important to maintain permissible distances and separate the devices with insulating materials.