How to prepare the cellar for the winter?

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Each conscious hostess tries to procure for the future as many products of the garden and vegetable garden in the form of canned goods. But where and how to keep them for a long time? Besides preservation and pickles, the same problem arises with the storage of vegetables and fruits. Almost every family has a cellar in the garage, in the house, in the country - you can store it everywhere. The problem is that such cellars are sometimes not suitable for storing food.

What is going on in the cellar?

Often, housewives complain that preservation is not preserved even before the start of winter (it breaks the lids), in the winter banks burst from frost, and vegetables rot. That's because the cellar is not properly equipped. It’s too hot in summer and cold in winter. In addition, the cellar may not be equipped with a ventilation system.

How to improve your cellar?

You can’t name one solution for all problems, therefore, we will consider the set of measures necessary for the modernization of the food storage location.

Cellar insulation. This process will be beneficial in two cases: it will be cool in summer and warm in winter. For the insulation of walls and ceilings, mineral wool (preferably with foil), styrene foam insulating film, and foam can be useful to us. Choose a heater, based on the required intensity of insulation, as well as the material from which the walls are made. For example, it is problematic to attach a film or mineral wool without lighthouses to a brick wall, but fixing the polystyrene will not be difficult.

Room ventilation. A very important point that many ignore. In the absence of proper ventilation, humidity increases in the cellar, a variety of fungi, bacteria and insects develop. The metal lids of the cans under these conditions rust very quickly, and the process of decay is accelerated several times. To organize the natural ventilation of the cellar, it is necessary to install two ducts: one for supply and one for exhaust. The material for the manufacture of ducts can serve as a plastic, asbestos or metal pipe of suitable diameter. The diameter of the pipes is calculated based on the ratio: 1 m² the cellar must be 25 cm² duct area.

Exhaust pipe. Provides removal of stagnant air from the cellar. It is installed along one corner of the room, while its lower end is located under the ceiling. The duct runs vertically through all rooms, the roof and rises above the ridge.

Supply pipe. Provides fresh air to the cellar. A pipe is placed in the corner opposite the exhaust duct. The lower end of the pipe is located at a height of 20-50 cm from the cellar floor and ends at 50-80 cm above the ground.

Note! To protect the cellar from the penetration of insects and rodents, the upper opening of the supply pipe must be covered with a fine mesh.

In severe frosts, it is better to close the ventilation pipes with cotton or foam rubber.

Antiseptic techniques. For long-term storage of food products, it is important to keep the room clean, and this is not only an aesthetic appearance. To prevent the development of fungi and bacteria, you can treat all surfaces with a special antiseptic. Who is not a supporter of chemicals, it is enough to paint the walls and ceiling with slaked lime. For advanced users, you can use bactericidal lamps.

Having done a number of simple works that will not incur significant financial costs, you get a modern universal cellar in which you can store food for a long time. At the same time, they will retain not only their taste, but also the benefits for your health.