DIY & Home Improvement

I'm unaware of anyone whose freezer died because it was kept in an unheated garage or building.

Here is one person's opinion:

"In general however, there seem to be three principles that would prevent a freezer operating efficiently at low ambient temperatures. One is that a low temperature in the compressor and the condensor coil (the “warm” coil on the outside of the freezer) means a lower pressure is generated, resulting in less of a cooling effect. Another is that the compressor lubrication oil can thicken, or turn to sludge. The third, and probably most significant, problem is that modern freezers are designed to be more energy-efficient than their predecessors, and this is achieved largely by sophisticated electronics, incorporating sensors and relays, and controlled by software. At low room temperatures, water droplets condensing on the cold electronic circuitry might result in incorrect switching of the compressor. "

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/propertyadvice/10568496/Jeff-Howell-do-freezers-need-to-be-kept-inside.html

When I used to work in the hvac field, for those people who wanted to run their air heat pumps when the temps dropped below freezing, it was recommend that a heating coil be wrapped around the compressor so that the oil in the compressor did not thicken. Keeping a freezer out in a space where the temps drop below freezing might reduce the life of the compressor.