Whether it’s located in your restaurant’s kitchen or front of house in a café or even a leisure centre, your commercial refrigerator will likely have been quite the investment. And you’ll want to look after this investment – ensuring it retains its efficiency and stays looking great for years to come.
A neglected refrigeration unit can cause many unwanted issues for you and your business. For example, if it stops working unexpectedly, you’ll end up with lots of unusable stock which can’t be sold therefore creating a loss for your business. You’ll then need to replace or repair your fridge, which not only costs money, but will also take time.
Also, you can prefer commercial undercounter fridges that look best in your kitchen.
You don’t need to be a refrigeration expert to ensure your commercial fridge is well maintained.
Commercial refrigeration experts, J&M Refrigeration, share their guide to ensuring your refrigerator can perform to the best of its ability.
1. Ensure there’s sufficient ventilation
Every fridge has its own ventilation system built into the design.
This ventilation system enables your fridge to stay cool.
If the ventilation system gets blocked or backed up with dust and debris, it can lead to costly maintenance issues including overheating, condensation and even irreparable damage. In the worst-case scenario, the refrigerator will need to be replaced.
The most obvious sign the ventilation isn’t working properly is there’ll be no cool air coming from the back of the refrigerator.
Likewise, you can usually hear a difference in your refrigerator if there’s a blockage in the ventilation system. If your fridge starts to sound louder than usual, it’s time to investigate.
If caught early, clearing your ventilation should be quite simple. There’s usually a vent at the top or bottom of your fridge (or both) – just use a small brush to remove any debris.
To prevent your commercial refrigeration unit from any ventilation-related issues, place it slightly away from the wall to ensure air can flow. You should also avoid placing anything on top of the unit.
2. Reduce wear and tear with carefully positioned equipment
It’s inevitable your commercial refrigerator will go through a certain amount of wear and tear, especially in a busy kitchen.
But you can reduce this damage by thinking carefully about where the fridge will go.
If it’s going front of house, avoid putting it directly in the way of foot traffic. Your fridge should be placed off to the side, so it’s still noticeable and is easy to get to, but will be avoided by people who don’t want anything in it.
If your commercial refrigerator is going in the kitchen, keep it away from busier areas, for example where deliveries are brought in.
3. Clean your refrigerator frequently
Cleaning your commercial refrigerator regularly is not only essential for hygiene and food safety, it stops debris building up in the ventilation and keeps the fridge working properly.
A daily wipe down outside and inside the fridge (perhaps when rotating stock) should be enough, with a deep clean once or twice a week.
During the deep clean, turn the fridge off to defrost any ice that could have built up, and be sure to remove any shelves and get into the nooks and crannies.
You should also remove any food if you’re going to use chemical cleaning products.
4. Perform regular checks
Many refrigerator issues are easily fixed when spotted early, so regularly checking your unit is extremely important.
Damaged door seals, for example, lead to air escaping.
This means your unit needs to work harder to keep products cold, which negatively affects your refrigerator’s efficiency. Ultimately leading to you needing a replacement.
If you notice your door seals are loose or damaged, getting them fixed is much better for your bank balance than a full fridge replacement.
Liquid accumulation is also a common issue with refrigeration.
It will likely cause your refrigerator to freeze up over time, so making sure to clean up spills as soon as possible could save you from an expensive problem.
5. Look into maintenance packages
Give yourself peace of mind that your commercial refrigeration is up to scratch with the help of a professional.
Your refrigeration unit will likely come with a warranty.
But, you should also check with the company you bought it from whether they have a maintenance package.
This means your refrigerator receives regular servicing, reducing the chances of maintenance issues, or catching problem early so they can be fixed before they become expensive.
Many companies offer reactive maintenance services. So, if anything were to go wrong with your refrigeration unit, or you can’t unblock the ventilation system yourself, for example, you can have it investigated as soon as possible.
Ensuring a worthwhile investment
Having a well-maintained commercial refrigerator is key to running your business – whether that be a restaurant, café, shop or bar. Not only will you prevent the likelihood of costly repairs and replacements, but you can rest assured your stock is contained in the best possible environment.
Properly maintained refrigeration equipment will prove to be a worthwhile investment for your business, enabling it to go from strength to strength.
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