How to Install Integrated Fridge Freezer

Integrated fridge-freezers are made for aesthetics. If you want to have a kitchen with a consistent look and feel, then a built-in fridge freezer is the way to go. Not only is this fridge hidden inside a cupboard, thus not ruining the look of your kitchen woodwork, but it also saves space for that same reason. However, if there’s one downside to having a fridge of this sort, it’s the difficult installation and repair. Replacing is just as hard. But fear not, in this post you’ll learn how to install a fridge freezer.

If you:

• Need to replace the integrated fridge you currently have, for whatever reason, and you’ve never done it before.
• Have already started the installation but don’t know how much space to leave behind the appliance.

Then read along.

Safety precautions

Before starting any kind of installation, make yourself familiar with some essential safety tips.

• Get a friend to help – refrigerators, regardless integrated or not, are heavy and can cause serious back injuries if you decide to tackle it all by yourself. Finding a friend to help you with the installation is good, but finding two is even better.
• Use personal PPE (personal protective equipment) – protective clothing will stop the appliance’s sharp metal edges from tearing your skin. Also, gloves will make the moving of the fridge easier, as they will give your hands more traction.
• Use straps – furniture moving straps can also be used when transporting heavy electrical appliances. In case you need to move the fridge from the corridor, or wherever it was delivered, it would be safer for your back to use straps.

Preparation

Never install your integrated refrigerator close to sources of heat such as cookers or heating elements. Damp places are also out of the question.

Prepare the appliance

• When unpacking always remove the carton vertically.
• Protect the floor in front of the enclosure by laying down a piece of cardboard.
• Remove the shipping brackets holding the fridge freezer to its transport pallet. You’d require a screwdriver or a drill.
• Find the install kit below the unit. In it, you will find all the nuts and bolts needed for proper installation.

Prepare the cabinet

• Remove the temporary back panel from the cabinet.
• Attach feet. Make sure they’re all set at the same length.
• Push the cabinet into place.
• Adjust the legs making sure the unit is perfectly levelled.
• Screw the unit to the wall using the appropriate wall fixings. You must have a stud behind the wall, so it would be able to hold the weight.

The most important part of the installation of any integrated fridge freezer is to establish a good airflow. Ventilation channels are essential for the optimum performance of the unit as well as its energy saving.

How to install integrated fridge freezer

Now you can finally get down to some serious business.

1. Manoeuvre the fridge into the cabinet – this is where you helper comes into play. Grab the fridge-freezer by both sides and slowly move it inside the cabinet.
2. Leave gaps of space – on the back of your fridge, there is a cooling system, which must not touch the cabinet’s wall. Leave a gap of air about 33 mm between the two. Also, make sure that there’s enough space above the fridge for air circulation.
3. Fit white spacers – at the base of the fridge freezer, you will see two metal plates. Fit the supplied white spacers to the plates. The lips of the spacers must be level with the lips of the cabinet base.
4. Secure top of the fridge – secure the top of the appliance to the top of the cabinet through metal trim screw holes. If the fridge base is aligned correctly with the edge of the cabinet base, the metal trim should sit flush against the cabinet edge.
5. Make a cutout for a plinth vent – make this cut in the plinth below the fridge. The purpose here, again, is better ventilation.

Mounting of fascia doors

1. Leave a gap – there should be space of 3 to 4 mm between the cabinet wall and the fridge’s non-hinged side.
2. Fix the slider to the fascia door – it should be around 20 to 22mm away from the fascia edge. The slider should be positioned centrally and horizontally within the bracket.
3. Fill the gap – you should have a gasket strip in the tool kit. Use it to the gap on the non-hinged side.
4. Test to see if the appliance door closes and opens appropriately.
5. The electric plug socket must be easily accessible after fitting.

Important: After installing the integrated fridge-freezer, check if the appliance is secured properly inside the cabinet.

Contact professionals

If all this seems overwhelming to you, and frankly it is for most people, you should hire professionals. Fantastic Services can help you out as we work with experienced and fully equipped technicians. They will install your integrated fridge freezer in a stress-free manner. We can also repair your appliance should the need ever arise.

Takeaways

• Never install your fridge freezer close to heat sources.
• Always wear protective gear when moving the appliance.
• Have a helper when moving the fridge-freezer, to minimise the chance of back injury.

Image Source: Shutterstock / flywish

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Did you manage to install your integrated fridge freezer? What challenges did you stumble upon? Let us know by commenting!