Refrigerator root cellar?

**freyadog** · 04-25-2007, 02:44 PM

Hey girls and guys,
Have a serious problem and don't know what to do. As summer approaches I am bewildered by what to do with all the canning that I did over the winter. The lean-to attached to the house will now heat up facing west as summer approaches. My question is: I have an old refrigerator that quit working. Could I possibly have dh dig a hole in the ground and lay the refrigerator on its back inside the hole and use it for a root cellar? We were going to build a root cellar this year but other things have to be done before we get to that project. Any help here would be greatly appreciated.

**brenda67** · 04-25-2007, 02:48 PM

I would google.com for the info..I have been wanting to do this myself for awhile..Someone did have some good input here on FV..Good Luck..and please keep us up to date on your progress in the future would love to hear how it works out..

**Mamaw** · 04-25-2007, 07:31 PM

I would be worried that someone or something might somehow open it and become trapped. Perhaps a child... I could be totally off base but just my opinion.

**Neeley** · 04-25-2007, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by Mamaw

I would be worried that someone or something might somehow open it and become trapped. Perhaps a child... I could be totally off base but just my opinion.

Where I live it is illegal to have a fridge outside unless the door is removed or chained and locked. It does not matter if it is in your backyard or sitting by the curb for trash pick up. If someone gets hurt or dies because the door is not secured or removed, the owner can be charged with a crime. Even if noone gets hurt or killed and you are found with one you can still be charged with a misdemeanor and fined.

**Neeley** · 04-25-2007, 10:20 PM

Forgot to add (and the edit button went MIA on me), if there was a way to secure the door it sounds like it would work. I hope it all works out for you....let us know how it goes, I am anxious to hear about it.

**Luv2BeFrugal1** · 04-26-2007, 01:30 AM

I'd like to know what you come up with...we're hoping to start canning in a few years...

Please keep us posted!

**Sari** · 04-26-2007, 09:15 AM

Wouldn't it get gross and mildew-y from no air circulating?

**freyadog** · 04-26-2007, 02:10 PM

Dry inside it would not case any mold or mildew. This is just an idea to keeping the canned food cool for the summer. We dont have any children and as rural as we are I doubt there would be any problems and we have no neighbors. It would be in the ground with some kind of cover over it like plywood and blankets(just ideas). We would probably take the handles off and the only way to lift the door would be to grab hold of the edges. We are just tossing this idea around due to the fact that we have got to frame in our front porch this summer for another room and will not have the time nor money available to put in a root cellar in the hill behind our house also.This would be a temporary fix to a problem that can be resolved either this coming winter or next spring not long term.

**Sari** · 04-26-2007, 06:51 PM

Maybe it's different in your area (not sure where you live) but we're in FL and we had an unused deep freezer sitting in our un-airconditioned laundry room for several months, and the humidity got inside apparently and water pooled at the bottom. It was full of water and mildew when we opened it up. That's the only reason I bring that up.

**Dancing Lotus** · 04-26-2007, 07:07 PM

IM in florida too and it woud most cetainly mold here. Im not sure why it wouldnt just be cool enough inside your house. I can and I dont do anything but put in all way in my cabenits or a closet.

**freyadog** · 04-26-2007, 07:43 PM

I'm in Virginia where it does get humid however we use damp-rid in our closets so was thinking that if this should happen to work and I did see moisture I would put a container of damp-rid in there to draw out the moisture. This is just an idea guys. I dont use air conditioning anywhere but in my bedroom so my kitchen is pretty warm and one walk in closet in my bedroom is already full to capacity with 5 gal. buckets of dry food. So we were just trying to figure out what to do with the stuff already canned before the heat got here and we started this years crops.