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POWER
OUTAGE - BROKEN REFRIGERATOR - BROKEN FREEZER
Dry
Ice will keep things frozen when the power goes out or the freezer breaks
down.
POWER OUTAGE
If
the electricity is out for a brief period of time keep the refrigerator
and freezer closed and everything will be all right. The time everything
will stay frozen or cool will depend on the type of freezer or refrigerator,
the thermostat setting, and the temperature surrounding the appliance.
Generally speaking on a hot summer day after the first hour, for every
hour off, an equivalent day of storage will be lost for refrigerated items.
Three to six hours could represent two to five days of storage. For the
freezer, depending on how full it is, (the more full the better) things
will stay frozen from three to six hours in a refrigerator freezer and
up to twelve hours for a chest freezer.
ONLY
TAKE ACTION IF THE POWER IS EXPECTED TO
BE
OFF FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME!
FREEZER
NOT WORKING
Do
not touch Dry Ice directly. Use insulated gloves, potholder, towel,
etc.
Use the following
guidelines for each type of freezer. For each 24-hour period
(1)
Freezer on bottom: use 15 to 25 pounds.
(2)
Freezer on top: use 20 to 30 pounds.
(3)
Side by side Freezer: use 30 to 40 pounds. Place each slab, starting
with the top shelf, on top of the food to be kept frozen. Bottom shelves
will be kept frozen by the Dry Ice above it.
(4)
Chest Freezer: use 40 to 50 pounds. When taking out the frozen food,
carefully lift the dry ice slab up with gloves, potholder, towel, etc.,
without touching the dry ice directly.
REFRIGERATOR
NOT WORKING
For
each 12 to 24 hour period, place a ten pound slab of Dry Ice on bottom
shelf of the refrigerator to cool. Do not touch Dry Ice with bare hands.
Do not place it directly on the glass shelf, but use newspaper or other
insulated protection between the Dry Ice and the shelf. When the Dry Ice
is sublimated replace it with a new slab. Keep extra Dry Ice in an ice
chest. Because Dry Ice is frozen CO2,
it will carbonate open containers. Carbonated water is OK but carbonated
milk sure tastes different! Also anything too close to the Dry Ice may
freeze. Watch out for items below the bottom shelf as they may freeze too.
Regular block ice is better for the refrigerator - the old fashion "ice
box" - but then the melted ice water must be removed.
DISPOSAL
When
finished with the Dry Ice, unwrap and leave it at room temperature in a
well-ventilated area. It will sublimate from a solid to a gas. DO NOT leave
Dry Ice unattended around children. If you would like a fantastic simulated
volcano, run hot water and put the remainder Dry Ice in your garbage disposal.
Use safety goggles and stand back. This will make a marvelous eruption.
WALK-IN
FREEZER
A
12x12 walk in freezer will use 150 to 250 pounds per day. If the fans are
running, place half the Dry Ice as high and close to the back of the evaporator
unit where the air is sucked through. Place remainder slabs on top shelves
directly on frozen food. Leave door open when entering the freezer. Carbon
dioxide gas will accumulate in lowest areas and could cause suffocation.
Use the buddy system with one person outside the walk-in at all times to
help remove items from the walk-in. Leave walk-in if you start to pant
and breath quickly or your fingernails or lips start to turn blue. This
is the sign that you have breathed in too much CO2
and not enough oxygen.
WALK-IN
REFRIGERATOR
A
12x12 walk in refrigerator will use 50 to 100 pounds per day. If the fans
are running, place all the Dry Ice as high and close to the back of the
evaporator unit where the air is sucked through. Otherwise, place slabs
on top shelves without touching any food. Too much Dry Ice will lower the
temperature too much and freeze food near the floor. Monitor the temperature
closely after several hours. Add or subtract Dry Ice as needed. Keep extra
Dry Ice in an ice chest. Leave door open when entering walk-in. Carbon
dioxide gas will accumulate in lowest areas and could cause suffocation.
Use the buddy system with one person outside the walk-in at all times to
help remove items from the walk-in. Leave walk-in if you start to pant
and breath quickly or your fingernails or lips start to turn blue. This
is the sign that you have breathed in too much CO2
and not enough oxygen. |