In the event of a breakdown, your fridge will begin to lose its chilling effects. If left for too long, all of the food inside your fridge or freezer will rise in temperature and become unsafe. This can lead to a huge amount of food waste, which could be prevented with timely emergency fridge repair. Read on to find out how quickly you need to respond.
Emergency Fridge Repair Response Times
When you notice that your fridge or freezer has broken down, it’s important to act fast. Not only do you need the repairs to be done quickly, but you also need to account for response times. Although L McGowan Refrigeration Engineers do offer responses within 4 hours where possible, you should always try to give as much notice as possible. This is particularly important when you don’t know for sure how long the fridge has been out of action for.
Watch The Temperature
If you can monitor the temperature, be sure to keep a close eye on it. This only applies if you can see the temperature from the outside. If you need to open the fridge to monitor it, don’t do that! You’ll let all the cool air out and all of the contents will spoil much more quickly. Once the temperature reaches 4 degrees C, you need to make a record of it. Any perishable food left in the fridge will be dangerous to eat if it stays above 4 degrees Celsius for more than two hours.
Thankfully, most fridges will maintain a temperature below 4 degrees for around 4 hours, even when broken. Just make sure that the door is shut and that you seek emergency fridge repairs quickly. If you’re unsure what temperature the fridge was at and are uncertain whether any food is safe, don’t risk eating it.
What About Broken Freezers?
When a freezer breaks, the food inside can be safer for longer. Most freezers can keep cold enough for around 48 hours, if they’re full. Half-full freezers may only stay cold for 24 hours, so it’s a good idea to keep some ice blocks in there if you’re expecting a powercut.
The same rule applies to freezer food as it does food which is refrigerated. Anything that gets to 4 degrees or above for more than 2 hours will no longer be safe to eat and needs to be disposed of. Any items which thaw need to be assessed on a case by case basis. Some will be safe to refreeze, whereas others must be kept chilled once thawed.
Call L McGowan For Emergency Fridge Repairs
If you need emergency fridge repairs, give us a call today. In most cases, we offer a quick response in no longer than 4 hours, so you hopefully shouldn’t need to lose any food.
