Back-up -80°C Freezer Available for WCM Labs

Need to Defrost your Freezer? New Back-up -80°C Freezer Available for WCM Labs

A new -80°C freezer is available for short-term storage in the 1300 York Avenue building to encourage WCM labs to conduct annual maintenance on their own units.

Why is this important?
Ultra-Low Temperature Freezers (ULTs), commonly referred to as -80 freezers, are some of the most energy-intensive plug-load equipment utilized in WCM labs. These units should be defrosted annually to maintain efficiency and reduce the chance of failure, though many labs need an alternative -80 freezer to store samples during the defrosting process.

How can I book this -80°C freezer?
Complete the Backup Ultra-Low Temperature Freezer Booking Form on the Energy & Sustainability website. The unit can be reserved for a maximum of one week. Labs should plan to use the freezer for 2-4 days, depending on the amount of ice build-up.

For more information about ULT maintenance best practices, please review our Ultra-Low Temperature Freezer Maintenance Guide.

A freezer defrosting kit, which includes an ice scraper, brush, cloth wipes, and portable wheeled cooler for sample transportation, can be provided upon request.

The unit is located in the mechanical room on the 8th floor of 1300 York Avenue and is connected to the Minus 80 Monitoring Program maintained by EHS to monitor the temperature at all times. This gives an extra layer of safety.

Testimonial: Karina Rios, Research Technician II in Yue Yang Lab
"The back-up freezer was very helpful! We liked that although you needed key card access, it wasn't difficult to get into. It is also a huge plus that the freezer is a modern model. Communication has been great throughout this and has made things significantly easier."