--- title: "Safety and food — Refrigerator Guides" description: "Food-safety thresholds, what a burning smell means, and what to unplug before anything else." url: "https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/safety-and-food/" --- Is this dangerous, and is the food still good # Safety and food guides. Food-safety thresholds, what a burning smell means, and what to unplug before anything else. ## Safety and food, guide by guide. Two questions come up whenever a refrigerator misbehaves badly: is it safe to leave it running, and is the food inside still safe to eat. This section answers both, and it keeps them separate from the repair guides because they cannot wait for a diagnosis. [All 19 guides](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/) 5-minute read ### [What to do with the food when the refrigerator fails](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/food-safety-when-a-refrigerator-fails/) Two hours above 40°F is the FDA's line for perishables; a closed fridge holds about four, and a full, closed freezer about forty-eight. 5-minute read ### [The smells and sounds that mean unplug it now](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/smells-and-sounds-that-mean-unplug-it/) Most refrigerator noises are harmless. A burning or chemical smell is not a cleaning problem and should not wait for Thursday. 5-minute read ### [After a power cut: read the alert before you clear it](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/after-a-power-cut/) Some models record the highest temperature reached while you were not watching, and clearing the alert destroys the only evidence. ## Is this dangerous, and is the food still good. The food guidance uses the figures the FDA publishes for refrigerator and freezer temperatures and for how long food holds without power, with the source linked on each page. The appliance guidance covers the smells and sounds that mean switching it off now, and what to read on the display after the power comes back before anything is cleared. Read this section first if there is a burning smell, a tripped breaker, or a cabinet that has been warm for an unknown length of time. [Not sure where to start?](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/#start-here) ### The short answer What to do with the food when the refrigerator fails For refrigerator food safety, go by temperature and time, not smell: discard perishables like meat, dairy, eggs and leftovers once they have been above 40°F for 2 hours or more. ### The short answer The smells and sounds that mean unplug it now A refrigerator burning smell means cut the power immediately, using the breaker if the plug is hot or hard to reach; smoke, a scorched outlet, a bang followed by silence, or a breaker tripping at every start mean the same. ### The short answer After a power cut: read the alert before you clear it With a refrigerator after a power outage, photograph the display before clearing any alarm, because some models show the warmest temperature the freezer reached, and clearing the alert can take it off the screen. ## When reading is not enough. If the checks in these guides did not settle it, the visit picks up from there, stop by stop. [What repairs cost](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/cost/) 1. 01 Diagnose 2. 02 Quote before any work 3. 03 Parts 4. 04 Repair and check ## The problems these answer. Each has a page of its own, with the causes in the order worth checking. [All 18 problems](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/problems/) Food safety applies ### Refrigerator Not Cooling 7 causes, cheapest first Food safety applies ### Freezer Not Freezing 6 causes, cheapest first Food safety applies ### Refrigerator Not Turning On 5 causes, cheapest first Problem ### Bad Smell in the Refrigerator 5 causes, cheapest first For the heart of your home. ## Questions about safety and food. ### Where do the food-safety numbers on these pages come from? From the FDA's published guidance on food during power outages, which is linked in the sources on each guide. We do not add our own thresholds. ### Should I call a repair service or the fire department for a burning smell? Cut the power first. If there is smoke that keeps building or any flame, leave the house and call 911; if the smell stops once power is off, book a repair visit. ### Can I keep using the freezer if only the refrigerator side has a problem? Usually, as long as it holds 0°F and there is no electrical smell. Check it with a separate thermometer rather than trusting the display alone. ## The other sections. Split by what you are trying to find out rather than by which part of the appliance it concerns. [All guides](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/) Why it is doing that ### [Common problems](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/common-problems/) - [Why refrigerators stop cooling, in order of likelihood](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/why-refrigerators-stop-cooling/) - [Fridge warm, freezer cold — the most diagnostic pattern there is](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/fridge-warm-freezer-cold-what-it-means/) - [A refrigerator that never stops running](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/why-a-refrigerator-never-stops-running/) What you can check yourself ### [Troubleshooting](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/troubleshooting/) - [Five observations that narrow a refrigerator problem down before anyone visits](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/five-observations-before-you-call/) - [The paper test, and four other checks that cost nothing](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/the-paper-test-and-other-checks/) - [Where the model number hides, and why nothing works without it](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/find-your-model-number/) How not to need us ### [Maintenance and prevention](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/maintenance-and-prevention/) - [The condenser, the grille, and the one job that prevents the most calls](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/condenser-cleaning-and-why-it-matters/) - [Door seals, checked twice a year](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/door-seals-checked-twice-a-year/) - [Keeping the defrost drain clear before it floods](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/keeping-the-defrost-drain-clear/) Which kind do you actually need ### [Choosing and comparing](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/choosing-and-comparing/) - [Repair or replace: how the type of refrigerator decides it](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/repair-or-replace-a-refrigerator/) - [Built-in, counter-depth or freestanding — the difference that lasts](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/built-in-counter-depth-freestanding/) - [Column pairs: what two separate appliances actually buy you](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/column-pairs-what-you-gain/) Getting it in, and getting it right ### [Installation and setup](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/installation-and-setup/) - [Clearances: the problem that starts before the appliance is switched on](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/clearances-and-ventilation/) - [Leveling, and why most doors are meant to close by themselves](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/levelling-and-door-alignment/) - [Garages, basements and porches: what a unit has to be rated for](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/garage-and-unconditioned-spaces/) Not sure which section? ### Start from your question The four questions most visits start with, each with the guide that answers it. 19 guides Where to start Where to start --- **[Read on the site: Safety and food — Refrigerator Guides](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/guides/safety-and-food/)** **[Book a visit with RefrigeratorRepair.center](https://refrigeratorrepair.center/schedule/)**