Fridge & Freezer power off time

iviv

iviv

iviv

Soldato
Joined
2 Jun 2007
Posts
6,839
Location
Mornington Crescent
I was emailed this earlier in the week:
Dear Tenant,

This is to let you know the landlord informed us about electrical works being carried out in the building this weekend.

He informed us you may experience loss of power this Saturday morning (potentially 20 minutes power loss on each floor). Unfortunately, he was unable to give precised time.
Click to expand...

Fair enough, 20 minutes without power, not a problem. Except the power was out for 10 hours. I opened the fridge and freezer doors once each around 5 hours in to grab food, but other than that they were kept closed. When the power came back on the freezer 'high temp' light was on.

Firstly, how safe is it to eat any food from these? I'm a little apprehensive after it being off for that long.
Secondly, can I claim the cost off the letting agent for the spoiled food? Since they said 20 minutes I'd been food shopping since naturally there wouldn't have been a problem for just that short period of time.
 
if the freezer door was kept closed, or opened 'just once' you can re-freeze it, it will be fine, it would not have de-frosted in that time,

all the stuff in the fridge has to be eaten within 24 hours, and waste anything else after that period, even if still in date.

high protein foods like meats and chicken etc, I would eat with caution, smell it etc

call your landlord tell him/her what happened, he may knock a few quid of next months rent for you
 
Fridge should probably be fine, but I'd not be liking things in the freezer. I've had food poisoning from the whole ice cream thawing and re-freezing thing.

I'd definitely respond to the email ASAP with a "WTF you said 20mins it was 10hours gives me compo" email (but worded proper like).
 
A lot of freezers are rated in days for how long they can keep things frozen so ten hours should be fine.
 
tom_e said:
A lot of freezers are rated in days for how long they can keep things frozen so ten hours should be fine.
Click to expand...

no one cares about driving home from the supermarket on a boiling summers day with bags of food food defrosting in the sweltering boot.

omg fridge is off for a few hours! we're all gonna die!
 
We had a power cut for about 10 hours a few months ago. Fridge temps obviously went up a fair bit . Freezer temps got pretty high ( think they still kept below or around freezing).

Didnt really think anything of it and i havent died or got food poisoning yet :p

The milk lost a few days of life though i think.

I wouldnt worry about it . As has been said your forzen stuff will probably deforst a bit on the way home from the supermarket anyway. Probably more so than your 10 hour power cut.
 
A freezer with the door closed "should" stay safe for a good 24hrs, again with the fridge 12hrs, some items will have lost a few days life but unless the freezer had been left open for the entire 10hrs then it will be fine!
 
soundood said:
if the freezer door was kept closed, or opened 'just once' you can re-freeze it, it will be fine
all the stuff in the fridge has to be eaten within 24 hours, and waste anything else after that period, even if still in date.
Click to expand...

Westyfield2 said:
Fridge should probably be fine, but I'd not be liking things in the freezer..
Click to expand...

Why you don't seek advice from the internet. :D
 
Get something out of the freezer and if it is still hard and not going soft then it is still frozen and perfectly fine.
 
In a previous life as a daft 20 something i used to buy food, even frozen stuff in the morning before work and leave it in the car all day, sat 8AM-5PM even in summer, never had food poisoning from that. I always chuck em in a fridge or freezer now though and can't believe i used to do that.

arknor said:
no one cares about driving home from the supermarket on a boiling summers day with bags of food food defrosting in the sweltering boot.

omg fridge is off for a few hours! we're all gonna die!
Click to expand...

Haha! I put it in the back seat and blast the back aircon vents on cold no matter the front vents setting, so in summer all cold, in winter front hot and back cold.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom