Root cellar refrigerators provide an eco-friendly and cost-effective solution to storing fruits, vegetables, and other perishable items in a freezer or cooler. By recycling an old refrigerator into one for root storage purposes, you can reduce environmental impact while saving money on energy costs while prolonging fresh produce’s shelf life. By monitoring temperature, insulation, and humidity levels regularly in your root cellar refrigerator root storage, adjustments can be made as needed to ensure optimal conditions are being provided to ensure its optimal storage conditions for food preservation.
Before refrigeration was invented, homesteaders would store their produce underground in root cellars to take advantage of nature’s cooling ability and preserve more of their crops. Now many homesteaders are turning back to this traditional food storage method as part of a plan to minimize costs while increasing crops harvested themselves.
Repurposing an old refrigerator into a root cellar is an easy and cost-effective DIY project. By taking steps to properly insulate and ventilate it, you can create an energy efficient storage space that will extend the lifespan of fruits and vegetables while saving on energy consumption.
Converting an old refrigerator into a root cellar begins with an in-depth cleaning and inspection. Wipe down with damp cloth to remove any buildup of debris on interior surfaces of refrigerators; next remove from mounting frame and lower into ground where a hole large enough to accommodate its size should be dug so as to maintain even temperatures year round.
Once the refrigerator has been placed in its final resting spot, a layer of sand or gravel should be spread on its underbelly to protect it against prolonged moisture exposure and ensure airflow through its coils is unobstructed. Finally, cover it all with a waterproof tarp in order to stop rain or snow seeping into its core and potentially rusting its insides.
Refrigerator root cellars should feature a temperature-sensitive plug that activates a halogen light bulb when temperatures fall, helping prevent any freeze-up and ensure food remains stored at optimal conditions at all times. This system requires minimal supervision to operate and ensure food remains stored optimally.
An old refrigerator can easily be transformed into an economical root cellar that will store an abundance of fruit and vegetable varieties for up to six months, saving time, energy, money and space! Homesteaders who grow their own produce as well as those looking for an emergency or disruption in food supply chains will find this storage solution particularly valuable. Refrigerator root cellars are an investment that will pay dividends over time, by providing food security and lowering grocery costs. To find out more about this innovative DIY food preservation solution, contact Root Cellar Concepts’ experts – their refrigerated pantry can revolutionize how families shop for and organize groceries while increasing kitchen functionality.