Have you ever known that fridges and freezers can explode? Surprisingly, most of explosions involving fridges and freezers are not because of their quality or a short circuit but items that are not supposed to be put inside a fridge or a freezer!
What could be dangerous if we only put food inside them? Well, there are at least three things known that are not safe to be put inside a freezer and two of them are drinks!
Below are the list of items that are dangerous to be put inside a freezer.
#1 Carbonated drinks
Carbonated drinks especially in the ones in can like Coke, Sprite and Pepsi are really dangerous if you store them in your freezer.
They can be an instant bomb when frozen
Generally, carbonated drinks have carbon dioxide in them which cause them to be fizzy unlike non-carbonated drinks. However, once frozen, the water in the drinks crystallises because of the cold temperature and leaves only a small space for the particles of carbon dioxide in the soft drinks. At a very cold temperature, carbon dioxide expands and since there is not enough space in the can, it exerts a high pressure to the can. The can then explodes once it can no longer hold the pressure.
#2 Dry Ice
Like carbonated drinks, dry ice is basically a solid form of carbon dioxide. Normally, dry ice is used to create fog effects and you can easily find dry ice being used in theatres, haunted house attractions, and concerts. In order to create fog from dry ice, it will be soaked in water which causes the carbon dioxide solids to transform into gas through a process called sublimation.
However, in a freezer which temperature goes lower than -18 degree Celsius, the sublimation of dry ice is accelerated at a very fast pace as the carbon dioxide expands 600 to 800 times from its solid form
However, if the dry ice did not explode in a freezer, your fridge and freezer will still shut down because its temperature is far lower than your freezer and fridge.
It is also important not to handle dry ice with your bare hands as you will risk getting serious frostbite. So, make sure that you have heavy gloves or tongs when handling dry ice and remember to store it in a styrofoam container or an insulated cooler.
#3 Alcohol and flammable liquids
Alcoholic beverages may be stored in a freezer for a quick chill but beware of freezing unopened bottles of wine and beer because the combination of pressure and liquid expansion may cause a serious explosion.
In other words, never try to freeze beers and wine
Other than putting these drinks inside your freezer, it also crucial to not put any electronic devices on top of your refrigerator. The different temperatures and electromagnetic wave will ruin your electronic devices.
Furthermore, never try to scratch frost from your freezer by using a sharp object.
As coolant in freezer and fridge use isobutane gas, a highly flammable gas, if you accidentally leak the coolant with a sharp object while cleaning out the frost in your freezer, it can cause an explosion
Since it is one of electrical appliances that are frequently used in our home, it is important for us to handle our fridge and freezer in the right way.
Misusing them can cause unexpected and serious accident
So, remember to not put the items listed above in your freezer to avoid any mishaps and damages to your family members and your house. If you are unsure if some food or drinks can be stored in your refrigerator and freezer, check the label on the packaging thoroughly.
If you like this article, why not click ‘Like’ and ‘Share’ it with your friends and family and remind each other about these dangerous items if being frozen inside a freezer.
