Quick and easy homestead uses for Plastic Bottles (PET)

Step 10: Ice Pack or Feezer Thermal Mass

Fill bottles with water and put them in the freezer. You can use them in an ice chest to keep things cold on the go. You can also put them in your fridge to improve its efficiency. If the power goes off, the ice packs will keep things colder for longer.

Comments

[saskouatch]

A little warning to anyone who might want to drink water that has been frozen in a plastic bottle... When the water thaws, pieces of plastic break down in the water and you are therefore swallowing pieces of plastic wich is not very healty. Aside from that, the home made ice-packs do work very well

[Bighead]

Hardly efficient as you are using power to produce ice for the fridge.?

[krosstitcher]

Not really when your deep freeze is full you use less electric. When my electric was out last winter doing the ice storm, all my food stayed frozen. It was 1/2 full of food & 1/2 full of frozen bottles.

[Bighead]

Was refering to the fridge use, not freezer, if it was cold enough for an ice storm you would'nt even need a freezer.

[krosstitcher]

That's funny. What I meant was that my freezer didn't thaw out. I did put frozen bottles in my refrigerator in the house to help save my food in the kitchen. Which it worked great. Didn't loose anything. No electric for 5 days

[krosstitcher]

I freeze my bottles about 3/4 full, laying it on its side. Then when I need ice to fill my ice chest, I just slice the bottle or even paper milk cartons down the side with a razor blade knife. Be careful the plastic can cut. Remove from plastic. Make sure you still take to the recycling bin. It is so great doing it this way I don't have to buy much ice. Even doing the hot summer months.

[velacreations]

We just leave the ice in the plastic bottle and then refreeze it again after it thaws. Less waste that way.

[krosstitcher]

I was doing that too. But over time my deep freeze was getting full of plastic bottles. That is when I staring cutting the bottles & milk cartons open. I still do it both ways, it is nice in the summer when you are at the lake & have nice cold ice water. Plus I don't have to keep buying ice.