[Factors affecting the temperature of domestic refrigerators]

A survey was carried out in France in 1999 in order to know the air temperature in domestic refrigerators and the factors which may effect this temperature. Temperatures were recorded at three levels (top, middle and bottom of the refrigerator compartment). A questionnaire was filled to acquire the following information: characteristic of family (number of family members, age, profession, income...), characteristic of refrigerator (trade, type, age, temperature setting, refrigerating type...) and the use condition (room temperature, near by heat source, built in, door opening frequency...). The average temperature of the 119 surveyed refrigerators was 6.6 degrees C. Descriptive analysis and multi dimensional analysis of factors effecting refrigerator temperature were carried out. The classification tree and the segmentation confirm the influence of the use condition (frequency of door opening, temperature setting, near by heat source and built in). There is no direct effect of one factor but the combination of all of them.