Common maintenance and care not only ensure the longevity of your walk-in coolers and freezers, but they reduce the odds of accidents while also increasing productivity. Being that this is the case, why isn’t everyone practicing proper care and maintenance? Some don’t take the time to think about it, some simply aren’t aware, some don’t know where to begin, and many assume they don’t have the time.
A1 Houston Commercial Refrigeration Repair
Life can be hectic, and a thriving business can be demanding, but it’ll only play in your favor to set aside the time to properly care for your appliances. If you’ve ever experienced an unexpected breakdown in the middle of a busy season, you already know the havoc such scenarios can create. Unfortunately, you will never be able to do enough to avoid all the undesirable situations but training yourself to catch the early warning signs of a breakdown could save you customers, your reputation, time, hassle, and money.
Building Up Of Ice And Frost
Frost and ice are not two uncommon sights in any arctic environment. As a matter of fact, the absence of the two would indicate problems in and of itself. That said, these appliances only create a normal and acceptable build-up of ice and frost. Try to pay close attention and take note of what the inside of your cooler or freezer looks like when it is operating normally. The next time there is an excessive build-up or a lack thereof, you’ll know you’ve got a potential problem on your hands.
Frost and ice build-up are usually present when and where there are dramatic changes in temperature. In any environment where lots of cold air is mixing with warm or hot air, it will create ice, frost, and humidity. Think of it like condensation on a soda can or bottle. The one great thing about problems like these is that the location of the build-up could very well help you pinpoint and uncover the problem.
If there is an excessive amount of frost, ice, or sweating by the main door, it could mean that’s where your warm and cold temperatures are mixing. Such scenarios could indicate anything from leaky seals and gaskets to a malfunctioning door, or employees leaving the appliance exposed to the outside environment too long.
Fluctuating Temperatures
The goal of any cooler, freezer, air conditioner, or heater is to reach the desired set temperature and maintain it. Set your thermostat to your desired temperature and your appliance when operating normally should reach that temperature and hold it. With coolers and freezers, temperatures are extremely important because they are more than just comfort settings. Your inventory likely depends on specific temperatures to thrive.
Not only are not reaching desired temperatures bad for your inventory, but fluctuations are also bad. Think of a soda can or bottle that is frozen, unfrozen, warmed, and then cooled to drinking temperature. Exposure to varying temperatures like these changes the taste. It virtually ruins it, and the same will happen to your inventory.
You don’t want to risk your business’s reputation by less than par inventory. Unfortunately, fluctuating temperatures can be a much harder problem to pinpoint, as it could indicate a variety of things. It could indicate malfunctioning sensors, dirty coils, dirty filters, leaking gaskets and seals, low refrigerant, or prolonged exposure to ambient temperatures.
What’s That Smell?
Coolers and
freezers are going to develop smells. Such smells may vary depending on your inventory. Just imagine what a daily fish vendor goes through. The smell of raw fish can be overwhelmingly undesirable for some. Mold and mildew produce smells as well. Simply put, various smells can tell you a lot about your appliance.
Burnt motors, electrical fires, leaking coolant, mold, and mildew, will all create unfamiliar odors. While you might not be able to learn to identify every smell, you can train yourself to detect when your appliance is producing unnatural odors. This will likely indicate that something is wrong. If you are lucky, it might just be a busted box and leaking liquid. Unfortunately, that is not the only possible scenario odd odors create.
Unnatural smells could possibly indicate anything from mold and mildew growth to leaking
Freon, burnt electrical wires and components, or fried motors.
What’s That Noise?
Just like odd smells, strange noises are going to likely indicate potential problems. As with most motor vehicles, you’ll want to try to train yourself to learn what your appliance sounds like when it is operating naturally. The second you notice something that sounds unnatural or out of the ordinary, you’ll know you have a problem.
The only good thing about strange noises is that you can usually follow them right to the culprit.
Leaking Water
You don’t need to be an appliance repairman to understand what a threat leaking water can be in arctic environments. It’ll only be a matter of time before puddles form, freeze, and create extremely dangerous environments. Not only that, but stagnant water will lead to mold, mildew, and bacteria growth when not cleared in an acceptable time.
Standing water could also indicate one of many undesirable scenarios. It could indicate low
Freon, as the coils or copper lines are freezing and thawing. Water puddles could indicate a mixture of hot and cold air via leaky seals and gaskets. It could even indicate clogged or plugged drain lines or leaky drain pans. Either way, none of these scenarios are good and will need to be corrected immediately.
