In 2001 I acquired a used upright manual defrost freezer and put it in my garage in Wichita KS, where winter temperatures freeze paint in gallon cans and summer temperatures resemble a warming oven. I filled the freezer with food and operated it until I moved to Portland Oregon this summer. It always worked marvelously, keeping the food well below 0 degrees F.

I was planning to get a smaller chest freezer (also manual defrost) to put in my unheated garage here in Portland, but have learned that operating freezers in such an environment is supposed to burn out the compressor. Was I just very lucky or is this not as big a risk as I hear? Here in Portland I hope my garage will not get cold enough to freeze my cans of paint, but it will certainly get colder than the 50 degrees fahrenheit I've read is safe, and now in July it gets quite hot each afternoon.

There is absolutely no room for a freezer in my house. Does anyone know what can be done to minimize the risks? Would adding a layer of insulation to the top and sides of the freezer help to keep the compressor from overworking in the summer? Isn't there compressor oil available that will resist viscosity changes with lower temperature like for cars?