How mandatory is recommended space behind fridge freezers and the wall?

[Cej238]

Hello,

I am looking at free standing US style fridge/freezers, some that I am looking extend beyond the counter-top. Several have measurements EXCLUDING the doors of 610mm deep. This seems perfect, in that it will extend 10mm beyond my worktop, and give enough room for the doors to open past 90 degrees.

However, I'd sipped into the manual for a couple of models and they seem to also recommend 50mm of space at the rear or the unit. I'm not sure if this because there needs to be room for pipes, or if it to do with ventilation.

Unfortunately, if I left 50mm space, I would have the unit (minus doors) sticking out 60mm, and then 10-15cm for the doors. That is much too much of a projection away from the counter/other units.

If I can just shove it up against the wall, or maybe 15mm rather than 50mm from the wall, then that will be fine. Otherwise, I'm probably going to have to buy a deeper worktop and offset my standard cabinets 50mm from the wall. Adds more cost, wastes more space etc etc.

Advice appreciated.

In case anyone has the applicances themselves, I'm thinking about the Samsung RF24HSESBSR

Thanks!

 

[stem]

Fridges / freezers have two main parts connected by a compressor. The evaporator is the cold part inside the fridge. Refrigerant enters the evaporator as a liquid under pressure from the compressor. It passes through an expansion valve where it expands, turns to a gas and cools, before returning to the compressor where it is compressed and becomes hot, travels through the condenser where the heat is lost, the refrigerant cools and returns to a high pressure liquid to repeat the process.

The space at the back is to allow the heat created after compression to be dispersed. If it can't get rid of the heat, the refrigeration process will be less efficient and may not be able to keep the temperature inside cold enough.

The Samsung operating instructions refer to this in the troubleshooter for when the fridge does not chill sufficiently.

 

[foxhole]

Many come with spacers to keep required distance from wall , check if they included in dimension .

 

[Cej238]

Thank-you, seems like its worth just moving the units 5cm away from the wall