Summer thunderstorms roll across Northern Virginia most years, and winter storms bring ice and heavy snow. The June 2012 derecho left many households in the dark for days during a heat wave, and the big snowstorms of 2010 and 2016 brought outages of their own. Most outages are shorter than that. Either way, the questions afterward are the same: can we keep the food, and why is the dishwasher dead?
While the power is out
Keep the doors closed
This is the most important thing you can do. According to FoodSafety.gov, a refrigerator keeps food safe for about 4 hours if the door stays closed. A packed freezer stays safe for roughly 48 hours, and one that's half full for about 24. Every time you open the door, you shorten that window.
If the outage looks like it will go long, a cooler with ice can hold milk, meat and leftovers. Block ice or dry ice can extend the time in a freezer. Handle dry ice with gloves and keep the room ventilated.
Protect appliances from the surge
Power often comes back in fits and starts, with surges and brief dips. Ready.gov recommends unplugging appliances and electronics during an outage to protect them. Refrigerators, washers, dishwashers and ranges with electronic controls are the ones most worth protecting. Keep a single lamp turned on as your signal that power is back.
Generators need care
If you use a portable generator, run it outdoors and far from doors, windows and vents. Never run one in a garage, even with the door open. Carbon monoxide is deadly. Connect appliances with heavy-duty extension cords rated for the load, and don't plug a generator into a household outlet.
Gas ranges
Many gas cooktops with electronic ignition will light from a match held to the burner while the power is off. Your manual says whether yours allows it. Gas ovens usually won't work without power, because the igniter or controls need electricity. If you smell gas, get everyone out and call the gas utility once you're outdoors.
When the power comes back
Decide what to keep
Check the temperature inside the fridge and freezer with an appliance thermometer.
- •Refrigerator: USDA guidance says to throw out perishable food, like meat, poultry, seafood, milk and leftovers, that has been above 40°F for more than 2 hours.
- •Freezer: Food with ice crystals, or food that has stayed at 40°F or below, can be refrozen. Its quality may suffer, but it's safe.
- •When in doubt, throw it out. Don't taste food to decide.
Give the refrigerator time
A fridge can take many hours to return to normal. Don't restock it with warm groceries all at once. Let it recover first. If it still isn't cold after a full day, or if the compressor isn't running, there may be a problem.
Clear the ice maker
Discard the first few batches of ice after an outage, along with any partly melted ice in the bin, which may have fused into a block. If the ice maker doesn't restart, check that the freezer is back to temperature. Our ice maker guide covers the rest.
Reset and restart
Many appliances with electronic controls need a reset after an outage.
- Plug appliances back in one at a time, after power has been steady for a few minutes.
- Check the clock and settings on ranges, ovens and microwaves.
- For a washer or dishwasher interrupted mid-cycle, drain it if needed, then start a new cycle.
- Check for tripped breakers and GFCI outlets, especially in basements, garages and kitchens.
- If an appliance still won't respond, unplug it or switch off its breaker for a minute, then restore power. That clears many control glitches.
Signs of damage
A surge can damage control boards, sensors and compressors. Call for a repair if you notice:
- •An appliance that stays dead after the breaker, outlet and reset checks.
- •A burning smell, scorching or a breaker that trips repeatedly.
- •A refrigerator that runs but won't cool after a full day, or a compressor that clicks on and off.
- •A display that shows error codes that weren't there before.
- •A washer or dishwasher that won't drain or won't start.
Some outages also bring water: basements flood when a sump pump loses power. Any appliance that has been under water should be inspected before it's used again. Don't plug it in until it's been checked.
If the freezer has thawed
A freezer that has been off for a long time will need cleaning. Remove everything, throw out anything that thawed above 40°F, and clean the interior with a mild solution of baking soda and water to take out odors. Let it cool to 0°F before you put food back in. If it won't get there, our guide to a freezer not freezing can help. A refrigerator that stays warm after a full day has its own set of checks, which our refrigerator articles cover.
When to have it checked
If something did get damaged, a technician checks it at your home, points out which component failed, and prices the repair, which you can approve or decline. More detail is on our refrigerator repair page. If you're a business with coolers and ice machines, our commercial repair page has information for you.
Common questions
Should I unplug the refrigerator during a storm?
Unplugging during the outage itself protects it from the surge when power returns. Plug it back in once the power is steady.
Does a surge protector help?
Plug-in surge protectors can help small electronics, but large appliances usually plug straight into the wall. A whole-house surge protector is an electrician's job.
How do I know how long the power was out?
A clock on a range or microwave that's blinking or reset can help. Some people freeze a cup of water, set a coin on the ice, and leave it in the freezer. A coin that has sunk to the bottom means everything thawed at some point.