A:Answer Hi Kathy,
Yes, there would need to be some space around the refrigerator in order for it to have proper air circulation. 1/8" up to 1" inch of clearance on each side. 1" on the top (this is above the case, not the hinge). 1" to 2" in the back. We would recommend reaching out to your contractor if you find that your refrigerator does not have enough clearance. We hope that this helped! Thank you very much for your question. -MS