Moving frozen food to new freezer

purplesarah

I'm having a new freezer and washing machine delivered next week by Hotpoint (thanks to the discount from the moneysaving email!) since our existing ones are very old.

They have a free service where they collect and recycle your old appliances which I've opted for. Now, there is absolutely zero guidance on their website or the confirmation email on what they expect you to have done when they arrive. Do I need to prepare in any way? They will give me a 3 hour delivery slot, so although I'd like to remove my food from the freezer before they get here, I'm worried it will be left out too long since I could be waiting 3 hours for them to arrive and as I believe you need to leave the new freezer in place for 2 hours before you can switch it on. Does anyone know if I can at least leave the food in the freezer until they get here? They are installing the washing machine so I'll have time to swap the food over before they take the old freezer. Or do they expect the freezer to be fully defrosted? That would be awful as we have nowhere else to store the food to allow for that. What do they expect people to do in these situations?

Also, do we need to turn the water off (for the washing machine) before they get here? Thanks!

POPPYOSCAR

Yes you usually do have to leave it to stand for a few hours, something to do with the gases settling I think.


I also feel it is unreasonable to expect them to take it away without being defrosted.


I would base my next weeks meals around the freezer and/or ask family/neighbours for use of their freezer.

purplesarah

Ahh, I thought that might be the case. But I also thought they would let me know that if it's essential! I don't have anyone I can ask to store my food. Luckily we defrosted our freezer not so long ago so there isn't a lot of ice build up so perhaps it won't take too long to defrost. But with the possible 3 hour waiting time for them to arrive I'm worried about the smaller items.

I suppose worst comes to worst they won't take the freezer away, although that leaves me in a bit of predicament since I have no car to take it away myself...

Le_Kirk

Regarding the washing machine, there should be two, one red and one blue, taps under the sink (or wherever the machine is connected). They are quarter turn valves and just need to turned off before the hoses are disconnected. Worth having a go at these before the day to make sure that they will turn off, they are notorious for getting stuck!

POPPYOSCAR

purplesarah wrote: »

Ahh, I thought that might be the case. But I also thought they would let me know that if it's essential! I don't have anyone I can ask to store my food. Luckily we defrosted our freezer not so long ago so there isn't a lot of ice build up so perhaps it won't take too long to defrost. But with the possible 3 hour waiting time for them to arrive I'm worried about the smaller items.

I suppose worst comes to worst they won't take the freezer away, although that leaves me in a bit of predicament since I have no car to take it away myself...

Obviously the freezer is still working so you may be able to get a charity or dealer to collect it for free.


Our council will collect items like this for a small charge.(£10)

purplesarah

That's a great idea, I might put it on freecycle. It's too old and battered to give to charity or sell on but someone might want it for free. And as a last resort the council. Thank you!

SuzieSue

Next time you order a new freezer, use up as much of your frozen food as you can before it is due to be delivered and ask your neighbours if you can store any food you are unable to use in their freezers for a few hours until your new freezer is ready to use.

When I got a new freezer in the winter, I put any excess food in a cool box with plenty of ice packs and left it outside and it was fine for a few hours.

They will not take your freezer if it is not defrosted as it will defrost in their van.

pendragon_arther

Have a BBQ and invite all your neighbours to use up all the grub.

jamesd

You should be able to protect your cold food for many tens of hours if you place it within a cardboard box with paper filling the gaps around the walls. Or two boxes one inside the other. Think of how long it takes a turkey to defrost when left out - a day or more, not two or three hours. With the added insulation your food will be fine.

Ectophile

Another way to keep food frozen is to wrap it in old blankets.

Pile all the food together in a heap on a blanket, then just keep wrapping.

rich13348

I would say wrap it in a duvet or put it in a cool box and use up as much of the food as possible so that you have less to keep cold. And use the empty space to freeze freezer blocks and bags of ice.