How long does a fridge/freezer stay cold?

BennyC

BennyC

BennyC

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Joined
25 Sep 2006
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Right, bit of a wierd one this.

I'm the first one up in the morning and usually the first to bed in a house of 4 people. This morning I made my sandwiches for the workshops and ate breakfast as normal. I used milk and mayonaisse from the fridge which was still on and everything was chilled at 8AM this morning.

I have a George Foreman Grill plugged in on a dual socket next to an extension lead which has the fridge/freezer on it.

I came back from the workshops at about half past 3 this afternoon to find the fridge and freezer switched off. I only realised this because my milk wasn't particulary cold. So it can't have been off long. The switch with the extension lead was 'off'.

I checked the freezer and there was still big chunks of ice on the roof and it wasn't melting. I've come back to it before and it has been!

My other housemates didn't get up till god knows when and claim not to have been in there all day. I used my grill last night at about 8PM, had some milk around 10PM and then Milk again at 8AM this morning.

My house mates are screwing and beating around the bush that I turned it off this morning. By opening and closing it twice I fail to see how I did this.

They're worried the food they have in there has begun to defrost and want to throw it away. I've said I'm not throwing mine away, I just ate two chicken breasts some tomato's lettuce and mixed veg and doubt I'll get a case of D&V.

How long does it take for a fridge/freezer to loose it's chill if it's not opened?

They say the 'fridge' stinks, I put my head in there and couldn't smell a thing. Probaly just all the half opened packets and food they have in there from god knows how long ago.

And also if something (meat) begins to slightly defrost and is then refrozen is it really a risk? I've partially warmed fish when drunk (wrapped in foil which actually sheilded it from heat:p), changed my mind, refrozen it (it was still solid as) and eaten it a few days later and I'm not dead, nor did I spend the day on the bog.

Anybody got a rough idea?

Thanks

Benny C
 
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They will stay cold for hours if not opened, I cant see there being any issues with any of the stuff in there if none of the ice had started melting.
Tell your housemates to stop being big girls
 
Manufacturers typically quote 16-24 hours for the freezer, provided the door isn't opened and it's in good condition. Fridge is less, obviously, so use up what's in there.
 
Exactly.

It's been switched off before. I've even come down in the morning and found the fridge door ajar!

I'm not ridiculously strict when it comes to food hygene. I follow the basic principles and I'm fine. The fact they reheat 4 day old pasta that hasn't been chilled and re-heat pizza is probaly more damaging to them. As long as they don't touch my food I don't give a toss. Stupid women.:mad: (just the ones I live with and a large majority, but not all, of the female population)
 
It'll depend on the contents of the fridge and it's specific heat capacity. If you have a fridge full of bottles of water they will take longer to return to room temperature than if the fridge was just full or air and will keep the fridge cooler for longer.
 
I'd guess that you'll be fine, milk is usually one of the first things to go off so if that is still ok the rest shouldn't be a problem.

As a suggestion in future though, why not stick a piece of tape (electricians tape or something brightly coloured) over the plug switch so that people don't try to turn it off? It should save these issues.
 
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