There is nothing (that I can think of) to be gained by plugging either appliance in. If the garage is Houston-hot over the summer, the only thing you will do by plugging it in will be to ADD to the heat in the garage. Also, to plug it in you will need to remove packing material, which could come in handy when it is time to move the fridge into place. You will waste power all summer, for what? Unless you actually want to use the appliance to keep food cold, I would save power and protect your investments by leaving them packaged as well as you can. I also agree with weedmeister that you should be sure to keep them in a position such that little ones can't climb inside. If you keep them boxed, that ought to cover that concern. In any case, you have a warranty that doesn't begin until the fridge gets installed. Why unnecessarily advance that date for no benefit to you or your family. Be sure to store the fridge upright. Do not lay it on its side. If you have vermin of the rodent pursuasion, they are really the biggest threat as they can and will chew up wires. So keep them away if they're about. Otherwise, cover them up and let them wait until your kitchen is ready for them.

We did a retrofit in an existing 'wood hood'. I qualify with quotes because the hood doesn't really extend as far out over the counter as it should (it is about 6 inches short of competely covering cooking surface). The hood previously had a Nutone NSPM25WW blower that only seemed to make noise rather than really exhaust. Did a bit of carpentry on the hood to allow installation of a Zephyr Tornado I power pack and a SS liner. Due to the depth of the hood, the liner insert required some onsite trimming, a bit daunting but handled with a circ saw and abrading blade. All DIY, looks great and the 600 cfm is a major improvement. Remain concerned with the hood depth as this is over a Bluestar cook top with front burners putting out 22k btu each...only a matter of time till the hood gets cooked! Some pics linked.... Here is a link that might be useful: Power Pack Install

To the original writer, I am doing the exact same thing! I had a over range microwave with pathetic fan so I removed it and the cabinet as well. I'm gong to build a faux hood, but because I can't find the right fan to install into the hood, I thought maybe I could use a bathroom fan and duct it out side of my house. Any one think that wouldn't work? The hood will be mad if cedar to match the beams I installed and will go up to ceiling, but will vent out wall... Easier. My issue is that I decided, that while it's blank, before I put in back splash, that I've always wanted a pot filler.. My question, how hard is it, and with minimal drywall removal, would it be to run plumbing? I already have water line cause it runs to fridge. Any advise would be great!!! Video even better!

Be very careful about trying to match older cabinetry. Finishes fade and woods darken with time. You might consider doing something that is completely different, something fun. I like the idea of adding storage. I was not able to see your photos, but I can imagine putting a painted shelf above your cabinetry to break up the color, then possibly even another color for the upper cabinetry