How to Up-Keep Your Own Older Appliances

Three Tips for Maintaining Your Commercial Refrigerator

Your restaurant's walk-in refrigerator may be one of the most important appliances that your establishment owns. However, it is a regrettable fact that there are many individuals that may not be very informed when it comes to the steps that will need to be taken to keep the commercial refrigerator in good condition. To help you avoid some of the more common problems that your restaurant's refrigerator can encounter, you should keep the following three tips in mind.

Keep the Condenser Coil Free of Dust

As the refrigerant is circulated through the refrigerator, it will transform from a liquid into a gas due to its absorbing heat. To transform back into a liquid, the gas will pass through a condenser coil. This coil is usually located on the back of the refrigerator, where it can be exposed to and accumulate dust. When dust is allowed to accumulate on this coil, the dust can inhibit the ability of the refrigerant to release heat. To prevent this from compromising the performance of your refrigerator, you should wipe down the condenser coil on a regular basis to remove any dust accumulation.

Inspect the Fan on a Regular Basis

Your walk-in refrigerator likely has a powerful fan in the ceiling that will help to circulate cold air. However, this fan can become jammed due to hair, dust, and dirt accumulating around the blade. When this fan becomes jammed, you may find that the unit is unable to keep your foods cold. At least once a month, you should closely inspect the fan for any signs of dirt, dust, or hair accumulation. To clean these substances, you will want to turn off the refrigerator so that you can safely remove the vent and wipe around the fan.

Clean Any Exterior Vents

Near the motor that circulates the refrigerant through the system, you will likely find several vents. These vents allow the system to pull in air to cool and circulate through the refrigerator. However, they are also responsible for allowing the heat from the motor to dissipate. Due to these two important functions, issues with this part of the unit can result in extreme performance issues for the system. In particular, it is possible for the unit to fail to be able to keep the interior cold due to a lack of air to circulate, and the motor may also suffer extensive damages as a result of overheating. Avoiding these problems will involve cleaning the exterior of your unit every few weeks. Also, you will want to avoid storing boxes or other items that could impede the airflow around the motor.

For more information about the care of commercial refrigerators, contact a company such as A1 American Commercial Refrigeration, LLC.


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