Ooooo that smell....

[WestEndAngler]

I arrived back from Colorado yesterday to a nicely cleaned house.

However, an odor immediately hit me and I knew something was not right... I looked on the first floor for the source but couldn't find it. As I went up the stairs it got worse.

Then, I recognized the odor, dead waterfowl. I ran to the fridge and it was warm... Opened the freezer and almost passed out!

Heard the trash guys in the neighborhood and commenced the immediate clean out of close to 100 lbs of meat including:

Yellow Fin Tuna (10 lbs)
Tile Fish (20 lbs)
Yellow Edge Grouper (10 lbs)
Scamp Grouper (5 lbs)
10 Teal - Whole
10 Pintail - Whole
5 Gadwalls - Whole
Crappie - (30 lbs)
Speckled Trout - (10 lbs)

My neighbor said he didn't smell anything which means it probably started defrosting Saturday and was warm Sunday and Monday until I got home.

I wish the fridge / freezer would have just shut off instead of blowing warm air throughout the unit. The compressor or circuit board went out.

My fridge / freezer is now totaled. Vinegar, Baking Soda, Automotive Degreaser/Cleaner and Febreeze can't remove the smell. I've decided it's a lost cause and just pulled the trigger on a replacement.

I had incense and candles burning all night.

If anyone wants a free fridge/ freezer that needs a repair have at it... Otherwise Lowes is removing it tomorrow for me.

[Robalo]

Yep, that stench will never come out. I helped several folkls clean out fridges and freezers after Ike-it was fugly.

[JT]

Bad deal. I've had that happen about 3 times at the ranch. It'll make you literally gag and puke.

Worst time I was in high school and my grandfather had the freezer full of squirrel, deer, fish, beef and about a gallon of Catawba worms. It had been out at least 2 weeks.

[H.Maier]

That sucks. A man can't even take a little vacation anymore without being greeted with a dilemma coming home. I just pulled my s-i-l and daughter in from April fool's point to the moses lake launch. The daughter called me freaking out. Said they were right outside the floodgate and I found them half mile from the top water grill. When I ask why didn't they ease the anchor over, they replied we couldn't get it to catch the bottom. I guess not fishing in 25 mph white caps with a five foot anchor rope. A long slow cruise back into the wind. 15 foot whaler with a 50 evinrude pulling a 20 footer with a 100 horse Yamaha.

[mgstei1]

that smell is some kind of bad!!
Guy I went to school with when Katrina was over he contracted out a lobor force to clean all the frozen food warehouses in New Orleans.
He knew some guy that rented generators.
They both went over and 1st thing they did was get the freezers going and freeze all the rotting meat and veggies and maggots and slurry. Went in with Bobcats and scoped that frozen mess out and barged it to the Gulf.
He made a fortune.

Your case that would be hard to do!
All that game ruined is a heartbreaker. Another reason to catch and release but sometimes that's hard to do.

[mgstei1]

That sucks. A man can't even take a little vacation anymore without being greeted with a dilemma coming home. I just pulled my s-i-l and daughter in from April fool's point to the moses lake launch. The daughter called me freaking out. Said they were right outside the floodgate and I found them half mile from the top water grill. When I ask why didn't they ease the anchor over, they replied we couldn't get it to catch the bottom. I guess not fishing in 25 mph white caps with a five foot anchor rope. A long slow cruise back into the wind. 15 foot whaler with a 50 evinrude pulling a 20 footer with a 100 horse Yamaha.

That definitely was along pull back!!! You a great dad for doing that deed!!

[SCHU]

Ah man! What a sinking/revolting feeling that must have been! Now you get to fill it up again. Good thing the garbage men werein the area. I had a freezer go out on its own a while back. threw out 3 contractor bags full of game, steaks, fish, etc...did you have a waranty on it, if so, might collect on that. I got $500 out of mine, but no way would it but what I lost. i have had a chest freezer since 1980ish that is still working. i would have two pick up loads if that one was to go. might atsrt looking for another one just in case it does.
Good thing for them that you were close by, HM. 25 mph winds on a windward shore is not a pretty sight when trying to keep a 20' boat off of the bank. Glad they made it back safely in all the weather.

[Old Salt]

Had the same thing happen to me before. It sucks Buddy.


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[dbarham]

Bring me all the deep sea filets and I will keep them safe from now on!

[kenny]

If it happens again, just get a steel banding machine, throw some bands on it and haul it to the dump!

[Silver Wolf]

Been there, done that with IKE. Didn't even bother, just got a new one. It was worth it. Lord Bless.
robert

[Milkjug]

Dang Coe, that sucks.

Even more heartbreaking for a sportsman since we know the amount of time, money, and effort that went into the final product that was in there waiting to be cooked.

I am bad about keeping too much fish and game. This happening is a big fear of mine. Need to clear the stocks some!

[Oleander Kayaker]

What a major bummer.
Just a suggestion, but I remotely monitor the fridge (among other stuff) at the beach house with a wireless sensor.
It'll send an alarm as a text or email if the temp falls out of range.

The graph below shows temp and the defrost cycles...

[rtoler]

I'm with Milk Jug..... Lot of time, effort and memories tarnished....