Power outages are unpredictable and can happen anytime, especially during extreme weather. In most cases, they are resolved quickly, but sometimes it can take hours and even days for the power suppliers to find out what is causing the outage and how to fix it. In the meantime, your fridge and freezer are warming up, and the food inside is inching closer to being spoiled. Here is what you should do to prevent that.
Don’t Open the Fridge
In case of a power outage, don’t open the fridge to check on your food. Even without a power supply, the fridge will keep the food cool for at least four hours when unopened, according to FDA. On the other hand, the freezer will keep the food safe for 24 hours if half full and up to 48 hours if full if you don’t open it.
Group the Food in the Freezer
Before you shut the freezer for good until the power comes back again, group the food. This will keep it colder for longer.
Have Coolers and Ice Packs on Hand
Coolers are essential household items. They come in handy when you are embarking on a road trip or picnic but can also help you during power outages. If the power outage ends up lasting for several hours, transfer the food prone to spoiling to a cooler and surround it with ice packs you previously stored in your freezer for emergency use.
Buy Dry or Block Ice
In case that power outage persists, you might want to think about buying dry or block ice. According to FDA, fifty pounds of dry ice should keep an “18 cubic foot, fully stocked freezer cold for two days.”
