Can I use a freezer as a root cellar?

Can I use a freezer as a root cellar?

We are excited to announce that a re-purposed chest freezer makes a fantastic root cellar! We have used our little root cellar for a few years now and are quite pleased with this inexpensive solution for storing fresh produce throughout the winter.

Can you put a deep freezer in the basement?

A chest freezer offers the best energy savings, but not necessarily the most convenience when it comes to organizing or finding stored frozen foods. Other possible locations for placing a freezer include the kitchen, utility room, basement, garage, and laundry room.

Can I use an old refrigerator as a root cellar?

Dead fridges and freezers can find new lives as backyard root cellars, and are certainly spacious enough to hold a lot, but this method can also be a lot of work: most articles on how to create them include plans for ventilation shafts, etc.

Why would you bury a freezer?

Outside freezers heat up, buried freezers fill with water, and though buried, heat up, and collect moisture even during droughts.

How do you make a cheap root cellar?

13 Root Cellar Alternatives

1. Trash Can Root Cellar. Materials: metal trash can (with a lid), waterproof cover (like a tarp), straw, shovel.
2. Bucket Root Cellar.
3. Bury an Old Freezer (or Refrigerator)
4. Pallet Root Cellar.
5. Make a Cold Storage Room in Your Basement.
6. Make a Zeer Pot.
7. Build a Spring House.
8. Make a Storage Clamp.

Should freezers be in basement or garage?

If it’s too cold and the compressor shuts off, your food could thaw. But not every part of the country experiences such temperature extremes. And if your garage is insulated and climate-controlled, it’s fine to put a freezer there. You just want to make sure the space is dry.

Can a deep freezer be kept outside in the winter?

While some freezers are designed strictly for use indoors, many are engineered to withstand the temperature fluctuations and more extreme conditions found outdoors. Those living near the coast should avoid leaving a chest freezer outside due to the likelihood of corrosion from the salty air.

How do you build a root cellar under ground?

Basement Root Cellar

1. The best method is to use the foundation walls on the northeast corner as two sides of your root cellar.
2. Build the other two walls in the basement with stud and board.
3. Insulate the interior walls, ceiling, and door (and any pipes or ducts) to keep the heat out.

Can you store potatoes in an old freezer?

The potatoes should last for at least 3 months and, depending on their variety (drier potatoes last longer) and your maintenance of the storage conditions, up to 6.

How long do potatoes last in root cellar?

5-8 months
With a good in-ground root cellar, potatoes can be stored for 5-8 months. As a sustainable alternative to refrigerated or electrically cooled storage for crops needing cool damp conditions, traditional root cellars are a good option.