Troubleshooting Commercial Refrigeration Issues

For many companies, commercial refrigeration systems are an essential part of doing business. So their failure is simply not an option. To a restaurant, grocery store or any business that deals with food, a lack of or inadequate refrigeration constitutes an emergency and will be cause for an immediate call to a contractor. But can anything be done until help arrives?

Aris Parviz of Able Air-1, Inc. knows a lot about commercial refrigeration systems. His company deals with these systems daily, so he understands how high the stakes are for business owners. Here Parviz talks about a few issues that commonly arise with commercial refrigeration systems and how they can be addressed.

When commercial refrigerators or freezers break down, it’s panic time for many business owners. In some cases, equipment failures create the potential for huge financial losses whether in ruined product or lost business or productivity. Most of the time, commercial refrigeration problems are the result of improper use or inadequate maintenance. Following are a few common problems with commercial refrigeration systems and how you, as a business owner, can either avoid or diagnose them

Door Problems

Often, inadequate refrigeration is simply due to a problem with the refrigeration unit’s door — either the door is not closing properly or has been left cracked open. In a restaurant scenario, it’s not uncommon for workers to be rushed and forget to latch a walk-in door. Or over time, doors require a little extra “nudge” in order to close all the way. So, in order to ensure that door problems don’t result in lost product or equipment failures, it’s important to make sure that the door seals tightly.

If you’re experiencing inadequate refrigeration and aren’t sure whether the door is the source of the problem, check the latch to see whether the unit is closing properly. If so, look at how your employees are using the unit. Are they propping the door open because their hands are always full? Are they walking away from the unit without making sure that the door is closed tightly behind them? In some cases, the door isn’t balanced correctly. Frost around the door or on the inside of the unit is a good indicator a problem with the door. If your employees are using the unit properly and the door still isn’t shutting tightly, it may be possible to simply mount another door on the existing unit.

Improper Use

Beyond the door, sometimes improper use of the refrigeration unit itself can cause inadequate refrigeration. If the unit has interior lights, they should be shut off when the unit isn’t occupied. Too many lights or lights left on all the time can cause temperatures within the unit to rise substantially. Also, opening and shutting the door too often can cause the unit to struggle to maintain an adequate temperature. It’s important to instruct your staff to minimize trips to the walk-in fridge whenever possible and to shut lights off upon leaving.

In order to avoid a costly service call, it’s also important to instruct your staff never to bring hot foods into a walk-in freezer or refrigerator. Doing so will cause the temperature inside the unit to rise, which can cause other items in the unit to become too warm, thereby allowing harmful bacteria to grown on them.

Lack of Maintenance

A lack of regular maintenance can certainly lead to commercial refrigeration equipment failure. One contributor to problems is dirty coils. At minimum, it’s essential to have the Freon levels checked frequently and the coils cleaned. While many restaurant owners with lean budgets are hesitant to spend money on this type of maintenance, doing so regularly will help them prevent breakdowns and replacements.