The last time I had a 3 day power outage I lost all my frozen food. I'm thinking of getting a small freezer and "stocking" it with jugs of water. When we have an outage I will put all my frozen food in it. How long should the food stay frozen without power? The freezer will be located in the basement which is usually about 60=B0F.
---MIKE---
Depends on how good the freezer insulation is and whether it's ever opened and how much is in it to begin with. If you open it to stock it _after_ the power is out, not nearly as long as if it were stocked originally as it'll warm up quite significantly while doing that.
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Unless your existing freezer (the one in the fridge?) is always full of steaks or shrimp or something, your solution doesn't sound real cost-effective. The upfront costs and monthly power costs would easily exceed a load of food. (assuming the outage isn't due to a major disaster, and food, power, and ice will be in short supply for a long time.) But in NH, aren't your long-term outages usually in winter anyway? A cooler on the back porch wouldn't work?
What I do is keep several of those 'blue ice' reusable packs stuffed in the corners of the existing freezer, and either just don't open the freezer door during a failure, or if I know the power will be out for an extended period, move the ice packs and expensive food to a cooler with less air volume to keep cold.
-- aem sends...
IF (big if) you suspect bad things consider a good cooler and dry ice.
Lou
My solution was to get a portable generator wired in with a transfer box when needed. Losing frozen food was only one problem - there was lack of water due to being on a well and in the winter, a couple of days without heat made house uncomfortable.
Not enough information, but the frozen food will last longer if the food is not moved and the doors kept tightly closed during the entire time of the outtage. When we have a power outtage I put a chair in front of the refigerator as a reminder. For frequent power outtages lasting longer than 12 hours, get a generator.
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