Leaving Houston Ahead of a Storm: What to Do With Your Viking Refrigerator

Every June through November, Houston families watch the Gulf. If an evacuation is called, the refrigerator is easy to forget, yet it can leave you with a smelly, costly mess when you return. A little planning helps.

Before you leave

1. Use or give away perishables you cannot take with you. Fresh meat, dairy and leftovers spoil quickly if the power goes out.
2. Lower the temperature setting slightly a day or two ahead, so food starts out extra cold.
3. Fill empty space in the freezer with containers of water. Frozen blocks hold the cold longer.
4. Shut off the water supply to the unit if you will be gone more than a few days, to reduce the chance of a leak.
5. Take a photo of the inside and the model label for your records.

Should you unplug it?

If flooding is possible, shutting off power at the breaker is safer than leaving the unit connected. After a power surge or a flood, never turn on a unit that has been touched by water without having it checked first.

When you come back

• Open the doors carefully, since gases from spoiled food can be strong.
• Throw out anything that warmed above safe temperature for a long time. When in doubt, discard it.
• Clean the interior with warm water and baking soda, then leave the doors open for a while to air out.
• Give the unit several hours to reach a stable temperature before restocking.

If the compressor does not start, the unit is warm or the control stays blank, call us before you replace anything. Our refrigerator repair page lets you book a visit, and we offer arrival windows of 9 to 12, 1 to 4 and 4 to 7. Prices are written before work begins, and we back our work for 30 days.