Why Isn't My Beer Cold Yet?!
Many guests text or call a few hours after arriving at Tiki House with the same comment or complaint. "The refrigerator isn't working!" In all the years we have rented, this has always been a false alarm! We have 2 refrigerators for guest to use, which is really great, but this means we sometimes get the complaint that BOTH fridges are not working!
The truth is, in your own home your fridge is almost never empty. So the cold things already in there help moderate, or cool down, the warmer things you add to it. But in a rental, the refrigerator starts empty. Or in our case, both fridges start empty. When they are loaded with room temperature drinks and other groceries, it will take HOURS to cool down to the desired temperature. But with a little planning and understanding of thermodynamics, you can get your food and drinks colder, faster! And avoid spoiling the milk!
First, consider that warm drinks or any liquid will take more than 12 hours to reach the set temperature (usually 35 degrees or cooler) of the fridge. And the more the quantity and tightly packed the liquids, the longer it will take. The laws of thermodynamics mean that the warm beer you just added to the refrigerator will cause the air temperature to rise as it makes the beer temperature to fall. The fridge will keep adding cool air, but as they keep working on each other, it is a slow process. Add the fact that your teen keeps checking and staring into the fridge and adding MORE warm air to the mix, it will take that much longer!
So how can you help along the cooling process at work in the second law? Add colder things to the fridge! Buy your beer already cold. Or put the cans in a cooler first with ice and add them after they cool down.
If you brought a cooler with ice packs, don't put them in the freezer yet. If they are still cold, add them to the fridge too! Another idea is to put a bowl of ice in the fridge too! It is adding coolness as it melts, making the second law work for you, not against you.
If you don't mind waiting, you can separate your items. Put the perishables, like milk and meats, in the kitchen refrigerator and the drinks for tomorrow in the garage fridge. Then tell your crew to stop checking on them! Patience!
Here are some cool hacks for chilling your drinks! But keep in mind, anything that explodes in the freezer, you will need to clean up. And that might require thawing it first! So don't forget you put it in there!
If you want to be sure the fridge really is cooling, try checking the freezer! They use the same cooling system. If you put some ice in the freezer, it should stay frozen. If it melts AFTER you put it in the freezer, give us a call! We may have a problem!
Tiki House is a vacation rental home that has everything a large family or group needs for a fun and relaxing vacation on Pensacola Beach. Take a look and book soon!
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