Preparing for a Storm with Dry Ice 

When a powerful weather pattern is heading your way, one of the biggest worries homeowners have besides sustaining damage to their property is losing power. Aside from the awkward attempts at conversation that ensue soon after the WiFi goes out, there are some even more uncomfortable effects a power outage can have on your household—like spoiling a refrigerator full of food. 

While we can’t help with the WiFi, with a little bit of foresight, some help from the meteorologist, and Penguin Brand Dry Ice^®, you can always be prepared for incoming storms–without the need for an expensive generator and the mess of gasoline. 

Penguin Brand Dry Ice can be a big help during an extended power outage to preserve perishable foods and certain medications by providing freezer-like temperatures for several hours after the power goes out. 

If your power goes out, slip a block of dry ice into your freezer. As a rule of thumb, we recommend 1.5 pounds of dry ice for every cubic foot of freezer space. Make sure to wear gloves whenever you handle dry ice, as it can be a skin irritant.

Once unpacked, dry ice sublimates at a rate of approximately 10 pounds every 24 hours, so it might be a good idea to buy multiple bags before an upcoming storm. We recommend storing your dry ice in a disposable cooler until needed.

If you’re having difficulty finding dry ice, use our store locator to find the closest grocery store where you can purchase dry ice.

Once your power comes back on, you should remove the dry ice and place it back in the cooler.

For more tips including safety and handling instructions, use our guide.