Freezer. How long will food stay frozen with no power?

[pacanis]

I've read here several places that food should stay frozen for 24 hours without opening the freezer door if you lose power.
Here it is Tuesday morning. I'll assume the GFI my upright freezer is plugged into tripped either late Saturday night or very early Sunday morning. And my food is still frozen.

I noticed the puddle of water yesterday, but didn't think much of it, as my basement is still drying. Still, it didn't look right. I later assumed that the sump pump hose, which runs up the wall directly behind the freezer, had sprung a tiny leak. Not the case. After some investigating I realized my freezer was not running. The only items that were maybe 20% thawed were a few sausage rolls I had in the bottom. Probably from sitting in the water as the freezer defrosted itself. All other items are fully frozen.

Whew.

 

[CarolPa]

You aren't having a good week, are you Pac? Sorry to hear this.

 

[Rocket_J_Dawg]

We just had an ice storm go through our region this past weekend and there are a couple of hundred thousand people still without power.
According to the radio reports from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), a full freezer will stay frozen for 48 hours, while a half-full freezer will keep its cool for 24. A refrigerator, meanwhile, will stay keep food cold for four hours, as long as it isn't opened.

Check to make sure the motor and wiring isn't still wet before you plug it back in.

 

[CarolPa]

We just had an ice storm go through our region this past weekend and there are a couple of hundred thousand people still without power.
According to the radio reports from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), a full freezer will stay frozen for 48 hours, while a half-full freezer will keep its cool for 24. A refrigerator, meanwhile, will stay keep food cold for four hours, as long as it isn't opened.

Check to make sure the motor and wiring isn't still wet before you plug it back in.

Well, I want to know how you can eat anything if you can't open the refrigerator? LOL

 

[Rocket_J_Dawg]

Well, I want to know how you can eat anything if you can't open the refrigerator? LOL

I think you are supposed to wait the 4 hours then eat everything in the fridge.

 

[Rocklobster]

I would consider leaving it closed until the power comes back on. You can eat from your pantry, or refrigerator freezer, or go out. I think the stuff that is deep in your freezer will stay frozen for a few days and also help to keep the other stuff cold enough. You may suffer some food loss from the top layer of items like food sticking together once it is refrozen, condensation in packages, freezer burn, breading falling off proccessed foods, etc, but I would think that it would probably all still be safe to eat after a couple of days. Surely it would probably maintain refrigerator temps due to the frozen foods still in it....
Did that make sense?

 

[pacanis]

You aren't having a good week, are you Pac? Sorry to hear this.

I consider a very good week I realized it wasn't running!

Rock, that's the good thing about GFI reseptacles, if it's wet or should not be running it will kick right back off without damage to the device or to the user. I plugged it in and it came on and stayed on. The water has been subsided since late Sun morning, so the wiring must have dried out.

Good guidelines. I didn't realize a refrigerator was only four hours.

And I'd say it's a little less than half full.

 

[CarolPa]

I consider a very good week I realized it wasn't running!

Rock, that's the good thing about GFI reseptacles, if it's wet or should not be running it will kick right back off without damage to the device or to the user. I plugged it in and it came on and stayed on. The water has been subsided since late Sun morning, so the wiring must have dried out.

Good guidelines. I didn't realize a refrigerator was only four hours.

And I'd say it's a little less than half full.

Because tomorrow's Christmas, mine is stuffed to capacity, as is my freezer. Not another morsel of food could fit in my house!

 

[Andy M.]

We had an ice storm and power outage a couple of years ago. We were without power from Sunday through Wednesday noon. The freezer in the basement was still frozen solid for meats but any bread in the freezer had thawed.

As long as the temp in the freezer was below 40ºF, the food would be safe. Defrosted but safe.

 

[Roll_Bones]

I consider a very good week I realized it wasn't running!

Rock, that's the good thing about GFI reseptacles, if it's wet or should not be running it will kick right back off without damage to the device or to the user. I plugged it in and it came on and stayed on. The water has been subsided since late Sun morning, so the wiring must have dried out.

Good guidelines. I didn't realize a refrigerator was only four hours.

And I'd say it's a little less than half full.

The subject of GFCI and refrigeration equipment is a subject of discussion.
It is only recently (last few years) that GFCI receptacles were required in basements and garages.
This is strictly an NEC safety rule. Are you in the US?

I personally and purposely never put refrigeration equipment on GFCI circuits or receptacles in my home.
Now, by the NEC, (Electrical building code) I must use GFCI in your house if I do the work for you.

It is for this very reason this subject gets discussed now and again.
If you live in the US and your fridge or freezer is located in dwelling space (heated living space) no GFCI is required. Like in your kitchen.
But, if your equipment is in non living space such as unfinished basements and garages, it is required, unfortunately.

For the record. My freezer is not GFCI protected due to what happened to you.
GFCI was invented and is used for safety and nothing more. It is the byproduct of the GFCI that it will help protect equipment from further damage. But the damage must occur first, for the GFCI to operate/trip.
The purpose is to minimize the possible shock or electrocution that the equipment may pose.

Have you found the reason for the tripped GFCI?

 

[pacanis]

... Are you in the US?

...Have you found the reason for the tripped GFCI?

Yes. NW PA is in the US.

Yes. That would have been the 4" of water I had in my basement Sunday.

 

[Roll_Bones]

Yes. NW PA is in the US.

Yes. That would have been the 4" of water I had in my basement Sunday.

Yep. 4" of water seems to be the "root cause'......LOL

 

[pacanis]

 

[CharlieD]

I've read here several places that food should stay frozen for 24 hours without opening the freezer door if you lose power.

Whew.

Oh, my. I have read the same thing. One time my freezer got completely defrosted. Thank G-d there were not too much much food in there. Though I did spent the whole evening the night cooking, so I would be able to freeze already cooked meals. I think we ate for the next month from the freezer.

 

[pacanis]

That's interesting, Charlie. In your case it didn't make it to 24 hours and in mine well past.

 

[taxlady]

How long it stays frozen will also depend on how well the gaskets seal the freezer door/lid and the air temperature in the room.

 

[CharlieD]

in my case it was pass 24 hours and it was summer. i was lucky nothing spoiled, that is why i had to cook everything, my wife would not let me re-freeze it.

 

[Oldvine]

During a 37 hour power outage we left our freezer closed. When power resumed and we knew the freezer would be able to function, we checked the contents. A few items near the door had slight softening but were still solid to the pinch. I just made a point to use those items within a few days.

 

[CatPat]

Are these freezers chest freezers or upright freezers? We have an upright one.

With love,
~Cat

 

[RPCookin]

Something which is fairly common here is to use a chest type freezer which is not frost free. They intentionally allow some ice to build up and it helps keep the food frozen beyond what you would expect. It's not uncommon for a tropical storm or hurricane to knock out power or 4 or 5 days, yet they can keep the stuff in the bottom frozen for that long, even during a tropical summer.