Will appliances last in the cold?
Q: I am looking to buy new appliances for our uninsulated cottage. Is there an issue with the temperature? Some people are saying they would not last a year in these conditions.—TERRY SKINDILIAS, BIG RIDEAU, ONT.
A: “Well, that’s one opinion,” says Russ Row, the general manager at Ben’s Appliances in Surrey, B.C. “And opinions are like belly buttons. Everyone has one.”
In this case, though, Row and every other expert we talked to, including those in Red Deer, Alta., and Ontario’s Kawartha Lakes, had the same opinion: assuming you thoroughly winterize anything that contains water—drain every drop; add non-toxic (a.k.a. RV) antifreeze where appropriate—your appliances will most likely survive.
“I have a hard time believing the temperature alone would cause problems,” says Brad Pembleton of Al’s Appliance Repair in Guelph, Ont. “Appliances are stored in cold warehouses all the time.”
Of course, you wouldn’t want to an appliance
