Remote fridge help
January 12, 2023 7:30 AM Subscribe
What are some approaches to remotely monitor whether a refrigerator is on?
And aside from vinegar wipedowns, plates of baking soda and charcoal, what other methods to reduce or remove the smell from a fridge gone rotten.
Over Christmas, while we were away from our house for a few weeks, the power went off and we think when it turned back on, our new fridge tripped the breaker. So it was off for about 2 weeks, with all the food rotting until we returned. We've removed all of the food, all the shelves and drawers, done a thorough vinegar wipedown and rinse. We've had plates of baking soda for days. Yet, the smell remains. I understand that sometimes people opt to just get a new fridge, but I would absolutely prefer to avoid this, as it is about 6 months old. Huge bummer.
So two questions. If we're away, how can we know if this has happened again? It feels strange that a fridge would trip a breaker, should we talk to the our electrician who recently rewired our house? Should we talk to the appliance store? I'm not looking for anyone to blame, it's a thing that happened, but this felt unusual to me and I want to avoid a similar scenario in the future since we are away for stretches of time.
And then second question, aside from what we're doing, is there anything else that we can do? I'd really like to avoid replacing this fridge. Thank you.
Over Christmas, while we were away from our house for a few weeks, the power went off and we think when it turned back on, our new fridge tripped the breaker. So it was off for about 2 weeks, with all the food rotting until we returned. We've removed all of the food, all the shelves and drawers, done a thorough vinegar wipedown and rinse. We've had plates of baking soda for days. Yet, the smell remains. I understand that sometimes people opt to just get a new fridge, but I would absolutely prefer to avoid this, as it is about 6 months old. Huge bummer.
So two questions. If we're away, how can we know if this has happened again? It feels strange that a fridge would trip a breaker, should we talk to the our electrician who recently rewired our house? Should we talk to the appliance store? I'm not looking for anyone to blame, it's a thing that happened, but this felt unusual to me and I want to avoid a similar scenario in the future since we are away for stretches of time.
And then second question, aside from what we're doing, is there anything else that we can do? I'd really like to avoid replacing this fridge. Thank you.
I would try an energy usage monitor smart plug for checking to see if the fridge is working. I assume they will report via an app if the outlet isn't on. Something like this?
posted by terrapin at 7:38 AM on January 12, 2023
posted by terrapin at 7:38 AM on January 12, 2023
You could also use a wi-fi enabled thermometer and app to monitor the temperature of the fridge. I have the bluetooth-only version of this, and it has worked great, but I haven't tried the wi-fi one:Wi-Fi Temperature Humidity Sensor.
posted by papayaninja at 7:41 AM on January 12, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by papayaninja at 7:41 AM on January 12, 2023 [4 favorites]
Seconding a wi-fi enabled thermometer, although that won't warn you quite as quickly. I used this when I was going through a phase where I kept leaving our basement freezer open. (The solution turned out to be to move it up to the garage where I walk past it more often.)
posted by madcaptenor at 7:49 AM on January 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by madcaptenor at 7:49 AM on January 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
As part of my job, I sometimes end up cleaning the fridges in abandoned houses. It's often possible to get the smell out, though sometimes not worth it for an older fridge. For a new one, though, I wouldn't give up right away.
I also prefer to clean using vinegar most of the time, but really, for this kind of awfulness I would either use a cleaning product with bleach or mix some bleach with water. You need to sanitize.
And if you haven't already, take out all drawers and shelves - anything you can disassemble. Inspect all the little nodes and holes and whatnot for any gunk that has escaped. It should look like new when you're done - that's the goal here. Sometimes if there's gunk hidden in crevices a hot water + dish soap soak can help.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 7:50 AM on January 12, 2023 [5 favorites]
I also prefer to clean using vinegar most of the time, but really, for this kind of awfulness I would either use a cleaning product with bleach or mix some bleach with water. You need to sanitize.
And if you haven't already, take out all drawers and shelves - anything you can disassemble. Inspect all the little nodes and holes and whatnot for any gunk that has escaped. It should look like new when you're done - that's the goal here. Sometimes if there's gunk hidden in crevices a hot water + dish soap soak can help.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 7:50 AM on January 12, 2023 [5 favorites]
I would try an energy usage monitor smart plug for checking to see if the fridge is working. I assume they will report via an app if the outlet isn't on. Something like this?
I use Kasa smart plugs and they have been pretty reliable. If the power is out the plug would show as "offline" in the app, although this wouldn't distinguish between the power being out and there being an internet/wifi problem that stopped it reporting in.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 8:03 AM on January 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
I use Kasa smart plugs and they have been pretty reliable. If the power is out the plug would show as "offline" in the app, although this wouldn't distinguish between the power being out and there being an internet/wifi problem that stopped it reporting in.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 8:03 AM on January 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
I was leaving for vacation last week and had a similar worry. I took one of the remote sensors from my Ecobee thermostat, renamed it "fridge", deleted it from the house control settings, and put it inside. Worked great, but I also didn't need an alert.
posted by JoeZydeco at 8:20 AM on January 12, 2023
posted by JoeZydeco at 8:20 AM on January 12, 2023
Fridges, since they are in kitchens, are often on GFCI/AFI outlets, which suck because they are prone to flipping due to a large current differential, ie: when the ice maker or internal defroster heater kicks on. Especially newer ones, because their 'normal' draw of electricity is pretty low. So yes, that is normal.
When you are home, this is fine, you can just flip the breaker. But when you are away it leads to issues like this.
IMO: The easiest way to avoid this is use an extension cord to plug in elsewhere while you are away.
Anecdotal, but my family has a fridge that runs constantly in my parents' second home (in an old trailerhouse - we aren't wealthy) and it goes months between uses, and since it stays closed when the power is out, we have never had any issues with it - going on 40 years. Since it was built in the 1960s, no GFCI in the kitchen. My point is that fridges can survive minor power outages without issue, so you don't have to worry too much, as long as you can be relatively assured it will turn back on when the power is back.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:34 AM on January 12, 2023
When you are home, this is fine, you can just flip the breaker. But when you are away it leads to issues like this.
IMO: The easiest way to avoid this is use an extension cord to plug in elsewhere while you are away.
Anecdotal, but my family has a fridge that runs constantly in my parents' second home (in an old trailerhouse - we aren't wealthy) and it goes months between uses, and since it stays closed when the power is out, we have never had any issues with it - going on 40 years. Since it was built in the 1960s, no GFCI in the kitchen. My point is that fridges can survive minor power outages without issue, so you don't have to worry too much, as long as you can be relatively assured it will turn back on when the power is back.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:34 AM on January 12, 2023
for this kind of awfulness I would either use a cleaning product with bleach or mix some bleach with water. You need to sanitize.
Might be worth running an awesome flesh-burning death lamp inside the fridge for quarter of an hour. Just don't go in the kitchen until the awesome flesh-burning death rays and awesome lung-destroying ozone have stopped leaking out through the gap that the lamp cord makes in the door seal.
posted by flabdablet at 8:49 AM on January 12, 2023 [2 favorites]
Might be worth running an awesome flesh-burning death lamp inside the fridge for quarter of an hour. Just don't go in the kitchen until the awesome flesh-burning death rays and awesome lung-destroying ozone have stopped leaking out through the gap that the lamp cord makes in the door seal.
posted by flabdablet at 8:49 AM on January 12, 2023 [2 favorites]
I saw a cleaning tip on the tv show from a professional cleaner (Kim and Aggie, UK readers). They said to rub toothpaste on the rubbery seals around the door which seem hard to clean, I think leave for a while then wipe off. Idea being that it’s gentle enough not to destroy the rubber but kills the germs etc. Not had to try it myself though.
posted by ElasticParrot at 9:03 AM on January 12, 2023
posted by ElasticParrot at 9:03 AM on January 12, 2023
Smells get in to plastic, and putrid smells are not easy to eradicate. I would clean really thoroughly with a sprayer of something disinfectant. Spray liberally. Pinesol at the suggested dilution is my preference. Clean drawers in the shower. Newspaper in the bottom to absorb moisture.
Then, activated charcoal and lots of it. Activated charcoal is charcoal that has been ground to expose as much charcoal surface as possible. It's much better than baking soda. Fill the fridge with pie plates of charcoal.
Then, see if your local coffee roaster has some unwanted, unused, roasted coffee beans. Put them beneath the drawers, replace once in a while. Over time, the coffee smell with dominate as the putrid smell dissipates. When you clean the fridge use lemon juice - it's a stronger scent than vinegar and just as acidic/ effective.
posted by theora55 at 9:04 AM on January 12, 2023 [4 favorites]
Then, activated charcoal and lots of it. Activated charcoal is charcoal that has been ground to expose as much charcoal surface as possible. It's much better than baking soda. Fill the fridge with pie plates of charcoal.
Then, see if your local coffee roaster has some unwanted, unused, roasted coffee beans. Put them beneath the drawers, replace once in a while. Over time, the coffee smell with dominate as the putrid smell dissipates. When you clean the fridge use lemon juice - it's a stronger scent than vinegar and just as acidic/ effective.
posted by theora55 at 9:04 AM on January 12, 2023 [4 favorites]
I would literally pack up all the removable components - shelves, drawers, etc - and take them to a car wash or outside with a pressure washer to clean every single nook and cranny, then leave out in the sun a couple days if you can, or spray-bottle-soak (pump sprayer) all those nooks and crannies with a disinfectant* and let drip dry in a bathtub.
Meanwhile, if you can wheel the fridge onto a back patio or edge of a garage or something, you want to again drench in disinfectant. Everywhere, every angle, let drip just like the former contents did. Let it drip out onto the ground. Let air dry, do it again, let air dry, and then wipe down and let dry. You CAN do this inside if you have no choice, but you're going to be willing to use a much heavier hand if you can do it where it can drain.
*I would use Hypochlorus Acid, as that is what I use for cleaner now. You can get an electrolyzer and measure your own salt and vinegar but I use Force of Nature's kit because I'm living on the road and the little ampules are easy to have on hand.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:20 AM on January 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
Meanwhile, if you can wheel the fridge onto a back patio or edge of a garage or something, you want to again drench in disinfectant. Everywhere, every angle, let drip just like the former contents did. Let it drip out onto the ground. Let air dry, do it again, let air dry, and then wipe down and let dry. You CAN do this inside if you have no choice, but you're going to be willing to use a much heavier hand if you can do it where it can drain.
*I would use Hypochlorus Acid, as that is what I use for cleaner now. You can get an electrolyzer and measure your own salt and vinegar but I use Force of Nature's kit because I'm living on the road and the little ampules are easy to have on hand.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:20 AM on January 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
Pressure washing is the first step. Second is an ozone generator. They are available for rent as small boxes that are a lot safer than flesh burning death lamps. Ozone itself can be unpleasant or dangerous so if you can temporarily move the fridge outside that is what I'd do. Open a window or otherwise well ventilate the space if you can't.
Fridges, since they are in kitchens, are often on GFCI/AFI outlets
Code in both the US and Canada carves out an exception for higher safety circuit protections for fridges so it is rare for them to be arc or ground fault protected except in cheap renovations. Canada requires the fridge be on it's own circuit.
posted by Mitheral at 9:30 AM on January 12, 2023 [2 favorites]
Fridges, since they are in kitchens, are often on GFCI/AFI outlets
Code in both the US and Canada carves out an exception for higher safety circuit protections for fridges so it is rare for them to be arc or ground fault protected except in cheap renovations. Canada requires the fridge be on it's own circuit.
posted by Mitheral at 9:30 AM on January 12, 2023 [2 favorites]
available for rent as small boxes that are a lot safer than flesh burning death lamps
Way less awesome, though.
If you can't lay your hands on any kind of UV-C and/or ozone generator, similar chemistry can be had by spraying down the interior with 3% hydrogen peroxide until none of it fizzes any more. This works very nearly as well as the chlorine-based bleaches but won't impart that public swimming pool taint into everything you put in the fridge for weeks afterwards.
Pressure washing beforehand is definitely a good idea.
posted by flabdablet at 11:05 AM on January 12, 2023 [3 favorites]
Way less awesome, though.
If you can't lay your hands on any kind of UV-C and/or ozone generator, similar chemistry can be had by spraying down the interior with 3% hydrogen peroxide until none of it fizzes any more. This works very nearly as well as the chlorine-based bleaches but won't impart that public swimming pool taint into everything you put in the fridge for weeks afterwards.
Pressure washing beforehand is definitely a good idea.
posted by flabdablet at 11:05 AM on January 12, 2023 [3 favorites]
Code in both the US and Canada carves out an exception for higher safety circuit protections for fridges so it is rare for them to be arc or ground fault protected except in cheap renovations. Canada requires the fridge be on it's own circuit.
Not that I can see it doesn't. Within 6 ft of a sink, or in a garage. Both common locations for refrigerators in the US. And as GFCI/AFI code changes, more locations will require them in the future..
posted by The_Vegetables at 12:01 PM on January 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
Not that I can see it doesn't. Within 6 ft of a sink, or in a garage. Both common locations for refrigerators in the US. And as GFCI/AFI code changes, more locations will require them in the future..
posted by The_Vegetables at 12:01 PM on January 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
I would empty the fridge of its contents, take out anything that can removed, and wash liberally at the very least with hot water and soap or another product, both the shelves and the interior.
Alternatively, if I didn't feel like I was super good at cleaning, I might contact a local reputable house cleaning person and ask them to do it.
For a future trip, if I was feeling stressed about this, I would be asking/paying a trusted friend, neighbor, or housesitter to visit the house every two days, collect the mail, and take a look around, and then text me if they saw something. Because let's say you lost power -- well, you still need someone's help probably, who is there.
(I don't say that to scold you, just pointing out that technology might have its limitations.)
posted by bluedaisy at 1:33 PM on January 12, 2023
Alternatively, if I didn't feel like I was super good at cleaning, I might contact a local reputable house cleaning person and ask them to do it.
For a future trip, if I was feeling stressed about this, I would be asking/paying a trusted friend, neighbor, or housesitter to visit the house every two days, collect the mail, and take a look around, and then text me if they saw something. Because let's say you lost power -- well, you still need someone's help probably, who is there.
(I don't say that to scold you, just pointing out that technology might have its limitations.)
posted by bluedaisy at 1:33 PM on January 12, 2023
What I would do is make a bleach solution, put it in a sprayer, dress in old white clothes, and spray the heck out of every single surface. Then I'd leave the refrigerator OFF and unplugged, close the doors for a while, maybe wipe up some of the pooled bleach solution in the bottom (while wearing gloves), and leave the refrigerator sitting open until it dried.
Can you remove the shelves and drawers? You've probably already done that, but do it again to make sure you get bleach solution in every crevice.
I'd also have the water line (if you have one) replaced and cleaned out by a professional appliance repair tech.
Is there some way air circulates inside? Check that.
Once the bleach solution has dried, wipe everything with a damp cloth, and see how it smells now. If it's still not great, you may be able to trace the source of the bad smell, at least, after leaving it open for a while.
posted by amtho at 1:44 PM on January 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
Can you remove the shelves and drawers? You've probably already done that, but do it again to make sure you get bleach solution in every crevice.
I'd also have the water line (if you have one) replaced and cleaned out by a professional appliance repair tech.
Is there some way air circulates inside? Check that.
Once the bleach solution has dried, wipe everything with a damp cloth, and see how it smells now. If it's still not great, you may be able to trace the source of the bad smell, at least, after leaving it open for a while.
posted by amtho at 1:44 PM on January 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
The fridge and the power, I have never heard of a fridge tripping a breaker, because of heavy power use. Maybe someone turned off the breaker, hoping to shut down your alarm system while you were away, and rob your place. Fridges run off of 110, their efficiency is mandated by environmental law. I am sorry this happened to you.
posted by Oyéah at 7:41 PM on January 12, 2023
posted by Oyéah at 7:41 PM on January 12, 2023
Yea the tripping breaker thing needs attention if that is a recurring issue. A residential fridge made in the last 2 decades should not trip the fault protection on a proper amperage dedicated circuit. I have lots of big draw kit - 2 fridges, saws, compressor, hot tub - and they never trip a decent GFCI for current spike.
GFCI do get old, and who tests them? Not me until they start acting up.
Every time I work in a circuit near a bathroom, kitchen, laundry, basement or outside I am adding decent commercial GFCI (aka GFI) to it. On circuits that are old and outdated I am going with adding the arc fault (AFCI) for added protection. The delta between a good commercial grade GFCI switch from Legrand, Eaton or Leviton and junk is minimal. Seriously, a Legrand switch is 20$.
For arc fault I am going with breakers which is a whole different thing to talk to an electrician about.
posted by zenon at 8:38 AM on January 13, 2023
GFCI do get old, and who tests them? Not me until they start acting up.
Every time I work in a circuit near a bathroom, kitchen, laundry, basement or outside I am adding decent commercial GFCI (aka GFI) to it. On circuits that are old and outdated I am going with adding the arc fault (AFCI) for added protection. The delta between a good commercial grade GFCI switch from Legrand, Eaton or Leviton and junk is minimal. Seriously, a Legrand switch is 20$.
For arc fault I am going with breakers which is a whole different thing to talk to an electrician about.
posted by zenon at 8:38 AM on January 13, 2023
USDA tip on how to deodorize your fridge if food rotted inside.
According to tips I've read, you *can* put a fridge on a UPS (backup power), but your UPS needs to handle up to 10X the stated wattage of your fridge. However, most homes it's easier to replace the food. Pharmacies with refrigerated vaccines and such will need UPS to keep them cold. And that sort of UPS would cost as much as a new fridge, if not more.
posted by kschang at 9:52 AM on January 13, 2023
According to tips I've read, you *can* put a fridge on a UPS (backup power), but your UPS needs to handle up to 10X the stated wattage of your fridge. However, most homes it's easier to replace the food. Pharmacies with refrigerated vaccines and such will need UPS to keep them cold. And that sort of UPS would cost as much as a new fridge, if not more.
posted by kschang at 9:52 AM on January 13, 2023
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 7:33 AM on January 12, 2023 [1 favorite]