For anyone who is storing months of canned/packaged goods and expects freezing temperatures, are you concerned about your food stores freezing ? I plan on heating a room but not with a family of 4 amongst 6 months or more of food. Do I need to reconsider this ? Could anyone comment on how they plan to deal with freezing temps and food storage. Thanks for the comments!!

-- m ripa (mripa@worldnet.att.net), August 03, 1999

Answers

We plan to keep the cans in the cellar with a good thermometer at floor level. We'll light a candle in there in very cold weather and check the temp often.

-- Helen (sstaten@fullnet.net), August 03, 1999.

Helen, Thanks. Sounds like a simple solution but will a candle do the trick if the outside temp is freezing ?

-- mitch (mripa@worldnet.att.net), August 03, 1999.

Actually, a candle is a stupid idea. A lantern would be better. Sorry! It was late. Yes, a low source of heat will work. An electric 60-watt lightbulb would do the trick if we have power.

-- Helen (sstaten@fullnet.net), August 04, 1999.

Place the dry, or "solid" items on lower shelves, Semi-liquid and liquid items on higher shelves. Temperature difference will probably be at least ten degrees.

-- A. Hambley (a.hambley@usa.net), August 04, 1999.

From: Y2K, ` la Carte by Dancr near Monterey, California

It's very unlikely to freeze, here, since it has only done that twice in the ten years I've lived here, and only once long enough to be a problem. Any kind of flame would be a problem in my hideyhole, so I'm planning on heating river rocks and leaving them around the perimeter of the food.

-- Dancr (addy.available@my.webpage.neener.autospammers--regrets.greenspun), August 06, 1999.

Don't forget that your canned goods mostly aren't just in water - they're in oil, which won't freeze before you have, or in brine or syrup - freezing point will depend on concentration, but it's lower than 32 Fahrenheit, so you'll have some more latitude than most people assume when they think "freezing point". I don't have to worry about it myself, but can anyone provide sample figures for sample canned goods in Northerm hemisphere?

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), August 09, 1999.

From: Y2K, ` la Carte by Dancr (pic), near Monterey, California

I've since learned that heating river rocks isn't the brightest idea I ever had. Fortunately, it wasn't from experience. It seems they like to explode. Thanks for the info forum readers, and good catch.

-- Dancr (addy.available@my.webpage), October 29, 1999.