For many homeowners, one of the biggest concerns during a power outage is the hundreds of dollars worth of food & drinks in their refrigerators and freezers that could spoil when their house loses power. According to the CDC’s food safety guidelines, if the appliance’s doors stay closed during a power outage, food can last up to 4 hours in a refrigerator and up to 48 hours in a full freezer. They also specify that if your freezer is only half full, the food inside will only stay good for 24 hours.

How To Prepare Your Refrigerator & Freezer For A Power Outage

There are a few things you can do to increase the lifespan of the perishable food in your refrigerators & freezers during a power outage, but only if you’re adequately prepared ahead of time! The first way you can extend the lifespan of your perishable food during a power outage is by freezing containers of water and gel packs before the power goes out. When the power goes out unexpectedly, these frozen containers and gel packs will help keep your freezer below 0 degrees for longer, extending the time it takes for your frozen food to spoil. These frozen containers can also be transferred to your refrigerator, where they’ll help keep the fridge below 40 degrees and make your refrigerated foods last longer.

Once your power has come back on, it is safe to open your refrigerator and freezer to determine if the food inside is still safe to eat. If your power has been out for over 4 hours and you didn’t supplement your refrigerator with ice packs, you should throw out all perishable foods like meat, vegetables, fruits, and dairy products. If you’re unsure about whether a food is still okay to eat or not, you can test the food by taking its temperature or by looking at your refrigerator’s internal temperature gauge. If the food or the temperature gauge is above 40 degrees, your best bet is to throw it out. Never taste food to determine if it is still safe to eat after a power outage! If you have any doubts, the smart move is to throw it out!

Invest In An Automatic Standby Generator

The best way to prevent your food from spoiling during a power outage, along with countless other benefits, is to invest in an automatic standby generator for your home. An automatic standby generator is an alternate power source for your home that will automatically start up 30-60 seconds of a power outage. Once the power comes back on, the standby generator will automatically shut down after a cool down cycle. Standby generators can run continuously in a situation where the utility power is out for days or weeks on end, ensuring food safety and a number of other benefits that come with having emergency power when you need it the most!

Contact RCA Electric & Generators

If you have any additional questions about power outages or automatic standby generators, please don’t hesitate to contact us! Our team at RCA Electric & Generators provides sales, installation, and maintenance services for Generac generators throughout the Southeastern Massachusetts region! Contact us today by giving us a call at (508) 428-0449 or by filling out the contact form on our website!