Everything You Need to Know About Dry Ice

Dry Ice Basics

What Is Dry Ice?

Dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide (CO₂). It is extremely cold — about -109.3°F (-78.5°C) — and turns directly from a solid into a gas instead of melting into liquid.

Dry Ice Basics

How Is Dry Ice Made?

Dry ice is made by taking pressurized liquid carbon dioxide, releasing it so it expands and freezes into CO₂ "snow", then compressing that snow into pellets, rice or blocks.

Dry Ice Basics

How Cold Is Dry Ice?

Dry ice is about -109.3°F (-78.5°C) at normal atmospheric pressure — far colder than water ice (32°F) or a typical home freezer (around 0°F).

Dry Ice Basics

How Long Does Dry Ice Last?

In a good insulated cooler, dry ice commonly sublimates about 5–10 lbs every 24 hours. How long your supply lasts depends on the amount, container insulation, air temperature, and how often the lid is opened.

Dry Ice Basics

Why Does Dry Ice Disappear?

Dry ice disappears because it sublimates — it changes straight from a solid to carbon dioxide gas as it absorbs heat from its surroundings.

Dry Ice Basics

Dry Ice Pellets vs Blocks vs Rice

Rice (about 1/8") sublimates fastest and is used for blasting and rapid cooling. Pellets (about 5/8") are the all-purpose choice for shipping, food and coolers. Blocks sublimate slowest. PA Dry Ice offers 1/8" rice, 5/8" pellets and a 5 lb block (5" × 10" × 2").

Storage

How to Store Dry Ice Safely

Store dry ice in an insulated container that is not airtight — such as a cooler with the lid resting closed but not locked or sealed — in a well-ventilated area away from people and pets.

Storage

Can You Put Dry Ice in a Freezer?

It's not recommended to store dry ice in a home freezer. The freezer's thermostat may shut the unit off, and a freezer won't meaningfully slow sublimation. An insulated cooler in a ventilated area is better.

Storage

Can You Store Dry Ice Overnight?

Yes. Buy enough to account for overnight loss (often several pounds), keep it in a closed insulated cooler that is not airtight, and leave it in a ventilated area — not a bedroom or small closed room.

Storage

Best Containers for Dry Ice

Thick-walled insulated coolers and foam shippers work best. The container should hold cold in but let gas escape — never use a sealed, airtight container.

Storage

How to Make Dry Ice Last Longer

Use a well-insulated container, fill empty space, keep it out of the sun, and open it as little as possible.

Safety

How to Transport Dry Ice in a Car

Keep dry ice in an insulated, non-airtight container, place it in the most ventilated area possible, keep windows cracked or fresh-air ventilation on, and get it out of the vehicle promptly.

Safety

Can You Drive With Dry Ice?

Yes, customers regularly drive dry ice home. Keep it in a non-airtight insulated container, ventilate the vehicle, and don't leave it in a closed, parked car.

Safety

How to Transport Dry Ice Safely

Use an insulated, non-sealed container, secure it, keep the space ventilated, and label it. Commercial and shipping transport may carry additional carrier and regulatory requirements.

Safety

Ventilation Requirements for Dry Ice Transport

Carbon dioxide gas from dry ice must be able to escape. Packages must not be sealed airtight, and vehicles and rooms should have fresh-air flow.

Food & Beverage

How to Keep Food Frozen With Dry Ice

Pack frozen food tightly in an insulated cooler, place dry ice on top (cold sinks), fill empty space, and keep the lid closed but not sealed.

Coolers / Recreation

Dry Ice for Coolers

Dry ice keeps cooler contents frozen much longer than water ice. A common planning figure is 5–10 lbs per 24 hours, depending on cooler size and quality.

Coolers / Recreation

Dry Ice for Camping

Dry ice can keep a camping cooler frozen for multiple days. Keep the cooler outside the tent, in shade, and never inside a closed tent, camper or vehicle overnight.

Shipping

Dry Ice for Frozen Food Shipping

Frozen food is typically shipped in a foam shipper inside a cardboard box with dry ice on top, sized to the transit time plus a buffer. The package must vent CO₂ and be labeled as required by the carrier.

Food & Beverage

Dry Ice for Catering

Caterers use dry ice to keep frozen desserts and products cold during transport and service, and sometimes for presentation fog.

Medical / Laboratory

Dry Ice for Medical Specimens

Dry ice is widely used to keep frozen specimens frozen in transit. Follow your lab's packaging procedure and your carrier's dry ice requirements.

Medical / Laboratory

Dry Ice for Laboratory Samples

Labs use dry ice for short-term frozen storage, sample transport and rapid cooling. Rice sublimates faster and fits around small tubes; pellets last longer.

Medical / Laboratory

Cold Chain Basics

The cold chain is the unbroken sequence of temperature-controlled storage and transport that keeps a product within its required range from origin to destination.

Medical / Laboratory

Shipping Temperature-Sensitive Materials

Match the refrigerant to the required temperature: dry ice for frozen, gel packs for refrigerated. Size for transit plus delays, and follow carrier requirements.

Emergency / Power Outages

Using Dry Ice During a Power Outage

Dry ice can keep a freezer frozen during an outage. Place it on cardboard on top of the food, keep the door closed, and keep the room ventilated.

Emergency / Power Outages

How Much Dry Ice for a Freezer?

A widely cited USDA figure is that 50 lbs of dry ice can keep a full 18 cubic foot freezer cold for about two days. Scale up or down for size, fullness and outage length.

Emergency / Power Outages

Refrigerator vs Freezer During an Outage

Freezers benefit most from dry ice. Refrigerators can be kept cool with dry ice placed on an upper shelf, but items nearest the ice may freeze.

Industrial / Blasting

What Is Dry Ice Blasting?

Dry ice blasting is a cleaning method that fires small dry ice particles at a surface with compressed air. The particles sublimate on impact, leaving no blast media residue.

Industrial / Blasting

Dry Ice Blasting Media

The most common blasting media is 1/8" dry ice rice, which PA Dry Ice produces. Freshness matters because older ice loses density and performance.

Industrial / Blasting

Dry Ice Blasting vs Sandblasting

Sandblasting is abrasive and leaves spent media to clean up. Dry ice blasting sublimates, leaving only the removed contaminant, and is often gentler on surfaces.

Industrial / Blasting

Dry Ice Blasting vs Pressure Washing

Pressure washing uses water, which can reach electrical parts and leaves wastewater. Dry ice blasting is dry, so it's often chosen for electrical and production equipment.

Industrial / Blasting

Industries That Use Dry Ice Blasting

Dry ice blasting is used in food processing, manufacturing, plastics and molding, printing, automotive, and restoration work.

Local Pickup

Where to Buy Dry Ice in Pennsylvania

PA Dry Ice has three Pennsylvania locations: Dunmore, Bartonsville and Myerstown. Use the pickup finder to see which is closest to you.