4 Benefits of Scheduling Regular Commercial Refrigeration Maintenance

Your commercial refrigeration system offers a wide variety of food and drink options to your customers. When your fridges are not up to snuff, they not only look bad, become noisy and start to leak, but they can also make your customers sick. For many businesses, refrigerator maintenance is not something that is given much thought. In fact, it might not even make it to the checklist of maintenance projects for your store. However, if you have equipment that is not working properly it will cost you money in the long run. A poorly functioning refrigeration system can lead to many issues from gobbling up electricity to costly breakdowns. If you are not sure if it’s time for your company to start scheduling regular commercial refrigeration maintenance, here are four benefits that will help change your mind.

1. Avoid refrigerator breakdownsIf you’ve ever experienced a refrigerator breakdown, chances are you already have made arrangements for regular maintenance. After all, it just takes one bad experience serving luke-warm drinks, melted ice-cream and semi-defrosted dinners to know your customers are not going to be happy. If you haven’t experienced a breakdown, then keep in mind that your business could be faced with serious losses along with a costly repair bill.

   If you are properly following regulations, you know it isn’t long before you have to remove food from your refrigerators due to spoilage. And breakdowns can happen at any time, including when you are at home and your store is closed. That means you won’t know when the breakdown occurred and could be forced to throw away all that product. With a little TLC, you can avoid this worst-case scenario and the costly repairs that go along with it.

2. Save on your energy billsWhen a refrigeration system is not working at peak performance it can greatly affect your energy efficiency. Regular maintenance is designed to identify problems such as drain line clogs and loose seals that cause your equipment to become inefficient. This can drive up your energy costs, and worst of all you won’t even realize it’s happening. Regular maintenance can help you avoid unwanted energy waste and anticipate when a repair or upgrade is required. Properly functioning commercial refrigeration equipment provides the perfect cooling temperature without putting a strain on the system or your bank account!
3. Increase your refrigerator’s lifespanYou invested a lot of money in your refrigeration equipment so it just makes sense that you want to protect your investment and get the longest life out of it as possible. A well-functioning and well-maintained refrigeration system will provide years of service without the need for costly repairs.
4. Maintain higher quality produceYou have a serious responsibility to your customers to ensure you are selling or serving the freshest food and drink possible. By keeping your refrigeration equipment properly maintained you’re reducing your customer’s risk of food poisoning. Depending on the condition and cleanliness of your equipment, bacteria can be transferred even if the products remain well sealed. It just takes someone touching something questionable in your fridge, or a leak from something that’s gone bad to spread dangerous bacteria that can cause salmonella, E. coli, norovirus, and botulism. Mould growth is also problematic and can form if you are not performing regular cleaning of your equipment.

   Added to that, customer service does not just depend on a smiling face at the check-out. You have to show pride in your business with a clean and presentable store and display units that help your customers to trust you. Poorly functioning, leaky and noisy refrigeration units can make customers feel wary of purchasing goods from your store. Poorly maintained Commercial Refrigeration equipment also tends to fog up the windows, which makes it harder for shoppers to tell what’s in there, and even makes you more vulnerable to theft.

Signs Your Refrigerators Need Maintenance

There are some tell-tale signs your Commercial Refrigeration equipment needs maintenance:

• Faulty doors that do not open and close properly
• Signs of mould anywhere, but especially around door seals
• Loose, hanging, or floppy door seals
• Dust build up along the bottom and back of the equipment
• Foggy windows
• Rust
• Noisy operation
• Leaks
• Faulty lights

Commercial Refrigeration Maintenance Tips

You should also take care of your refrigeration equipment in between maintenance appointments to keep it in tip-top condition. Here are a few tips to help keep things working optimally:

• Clean the interior and exterior of your equipment on a regular basis.
• Regularly clean the condenser coil to remove dust and grime to avoid failure.
• Check the area by the evaporator coil and make sure it is kept clear of any debris or covering.
• Check the door gaskets often for signs of cracks and splits which will interfere with proper sealing when the door is closed.
• Check the air filters to remove dust and debris that can damage your air filters.
• Routinely clean drain pans and tubes using a water and vinegar solution or warm soapy water to dissolve sludge and dirt that can cause clogs.
• Keep your refrigeration unit dry to avoid issues such as mould and ice, which can lead to leaks.

For more information about maintaining your commercial refrigeration, call Ancaster Food Equipment at (855) 888-9644 or contact us here.