1. Ultra-low freezers can store a variety of products and samples.

As the COVID vaccine is being distributed across the country, ULT freezers are becoming increasingly popular. In addition to vaccine storage, Ultra-low freezers are designed to preserve and store things such as tissue samples, chemicals, bacteria, biological samples, enzymes, and more.

2. Different vaccines, samples, and products require different storage temperatures in your ULT. Know ahead of time what product you are working with so you can ensure you are adjusting the temperature within your freezer accordingly.  For example, when talking about the COVID-19 vaccines, the Moderna vaccine has a temperature storage requirement between -25°C and -15°C (-13°F and -5°F), while Pfizer’s storage initially required a temperature of -70°C (-94°F), before scientists adapted it to the more common -25°C temperature.

3. Make sure your freezer’s temperature monitoring system and alarm is functioning correctly. Since you cannot refreeze vaccines and other products, ensure your freezer has a proper alarm and temperature monitoring system. Invest in the right UTLs so you can avoid any issues or complications that come up.

4. Save cost and energy by setting your ULT to -80°C

Stanford University predicts that ultra-low freezers use almost as much energy per year as a single-family home. It’s important to remember that some samples may require a specific temperature, so you should only set your freezer to -80°C when you’re sure the samples are safe under that condition.

5. Secure your freezer with a key lock.

Since vaccine and specimen protection is very important in a freezer, look for models with key locked door for extra security.

Proper storage is essential for vaccines, tissue samples, chemicals, bacteria, biological samples, enzymes, etc. Make sure you follow the tips above for optimal use of your ultra-low freezers.