Before refrigeration, an underground root cellar was an essential way to store carrots, turnips, beets, parsnips, potatoes, and other root vegetables. Today, root cellars have made a comeback to keep food from freezing during the winter and keep food cool during the summer to prevent spoilage.

What are the benefits of a root cellar?

A root cellar preserves food because it is both cool and humid – the soil underground keeps the space above freezing temperature and the moisture in the air prevents vegetables from losing water and becoming rubbery. The key is cool, with an ideal cellar temperature range somewhere between 32 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

Does a root cellar add value to home?

Traditionally, improvements to kitchens and bathrooms reap the most benefit when looking at resale values, and root cellars are a definite improvement on any basic kitchen storage system. It's like having a restaurant-sized walk-in refrigerator attached to the back of your house.