Root cellar refrigerators provide an effective means of storing vegetables, fruits, and other perishable items without using too much energy. Repurposing an old refrigerator as a root cellar could even save money on electricity costs since these energy-saving devices come equipped with insulation designed to operate under optimal conditions.
Farmers across Europe and North America have long relied on root cellars to store their harvests underground, keeping foods warm in winter while remaining cool during the summer. Recently, this practice has seen renewed popularity among homesteaders seeking a more self-sufficient lifestyle.
Repurposing an old refrigerator into a root cellar offers numerous customization possibilities to meet specific food storage requirements. A refrigerator root cellar can be tailored precisely to the dimensions and amount of produce that needs storing, as well as ventilation system and insulation options to create the optimal conditions for perishables preservation.
Building a root cellar from an old fridge requires just a few steps. First, remove the door and other non-essential components before cleaning and sanding down any rough spots or areas which may need attention.
Once your fridge is clean and smoothed down, the next step should be building a frame to hold it. To do so, four cinder blocks must be laid out in a square formation, on which a timber frame will then be placed and attached using metal brackets. Once complete, reinforce any crucial areas using scrap wood in order to ensure stability of your frame.
Your basement or outdoor space can serve as an effective root cellar. To maintain optimal storage conditions for food storage purposes, place the cellar in an area with no direct sunlight that won’t impact its contents.
Some crops do best when kept at temperatures just above freezing with very high humidity levels, while others require slightly warmer temperatures with lower humidity levels. A digital thermometer or hygrometer will enable you to accurately track both of these factors.
Apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, tomatoes, citrus fruit and other crops that produce excess ethylene gas should be stored separately from other vegetables in order to avoid premature ripening and spoilage. You should also ensure your cellar has proper ventilation in order to minimize mold growth.
Real butter keeps quite well in a root cellar refrigerator, as does cheese – hence why some families opt for root cellar storage of these dairy products. Eggs also last well if coated in mineral oil before storage – to check on whether yours are still good, perform the float test by placing them in water; if they float to the top, that means they are likely on their way to becoming bad and should be composted as soon as possible.