Tips To Keep Your Restaurant Refrigeration Equipment In A Good Shape

The most valuable assets to an owner in a restaurant business are the restaurant refrigeration equipment. Refrigerators in the restaurant business can either be the chef’s best friend or their worst nightmare. Without a proper functioning equipment, a restaurant would literally go into a standstill which is bad for business.

If you are a restaurant owner who had experienced a refrigerator malfunction before, you can corroborate that this mishap might have probably cost you losses within a short period of time. Such equipment failures will not only lead to a loss of revenue but forces the owner to fork out payments to ensure the equipment are repaired in a timely manner.

To avoid the hassle and extra expenses from occurring, it is important to ensure that your equipment gets regular maintenance. Regular maintenance does not just prevent equipment failure but can potentially help you reduce your overall energy consumption as well. As refrigeration equipment utilizes almost half of your total restaurant power usage, you can save up to 10% on energy costs when you service your equipment regularly

 In this post, we will list the number of things that need to be taken care of to keep your chillers, commercial coolers and freezers operating reliably. Some of these things can be taken care of by the restaurant staff, but others require professional expertise. How often some of these tasks need to be done varies depending on the demand of your business and your system load. For more information, consult with a qualified refrigeration service company.

Every Day and Weekly Tasks

• A refrigerator should be kept clean at all times. Every now and then, the inside of the equipment needs to be thoroughly cleaned. To avoid damaging the finish, follow the manufacturer’s instructions on which materials to use.
• Do not store debris or stuff near your refrigerator. Ensure the area around the appliance is clear at all times.  Congestion can put strain on the unit and cause it to use more power than necessary.
• Keep checking the defrost and temperature settings frequently. If the temperatures are too low, the unit is forced to work too hard which can shorten the life of the equipment. If it is too high, stored food will spoil.

Monthly Tasks

• Check if the refrigerator doors are still airtight. You can check seals, gaskets, strikes, latches and hinges if they are in good condition. If any of these parts are in poor condition, they can cause cold air leaks. A simple way to test if refrigerator doors are properly sealed is by placing a dollar bill and close the door. When you open the door you should feel some resistance. If not, that means the door is not sealed properly. If any of these parts need to be replaced, you will need to call in a professional to handle the replacements.
• Ensure that you inspect and clean the unit’s evaporator and condensing coils at least once a month. Also, clean out the fan blades to prevent grease and dirt build up.

Twice Per Year Tasks

• Do a general inspection for wear and tear in all your units.
• Calibrate thermometers
• Clear drain lines
• Check refrigerant levels
• Check suction line insulation
• Check compressor operation
• Check electrical connections
• Check motor operations
• Clean ice makers thoroughly

Most of these tasks should be done by a specialized technician who can easily spot if there’s something wrong and immediately offer advice on what needs to be done to rectify it. Set aside some cash for a preventative and maintenance program for your refrigeration equipment to benefit your business in the long run.