The Business Owners Guide To Maintaining Commercial Fridges

Commercial refrigeration leads to around 4% of emissions from Australia’s energy sector. While commercial refrigerators use a lot of energy, they’ll use less if they’re maintained well.

A commercial fridge is essential for many types of businesses and can help keep products fresh. However, if they’re not well-maintained, they may fail more quickly and consume more energy. Drink fridges, display fridges, and storage fridges that haven’t been maintained might also fail to keep products fresh and could cause your food to spoil.

If you use commercial fridges, you need to have a maintenance plan. Here’s how you can maintain commercial fridges as a business owner.

Check Door Gaskets

One of the main things that you should do to maintain your commercial fridge is to inspect and clean your door gaskets. You should check the seals for tears and holes and should take note if there are any problems.

If the door gaskets are damaged, then the cool air can escape and warm air can get in. This can lead to food problems and could cause spoilage.

Be sure that you regularly clean the door gaskets and remove any debris or spillage that you’ve noticed. Replace any gaskets that show signs of damage as soon as you can.

Clean Condenser Coils

Another thing that you should do to maintain your commercial fridge is to keep your condenser coils clean. When dirt accumulates on the condenser coils, it can cause problems and can lead to an increase in energy consumption.

To clean your condenser coils, be sure that you clean the coils at least twice a year. Turn the fridge off and unplug it and then clean the condenser coils with a vacuum cleaner and brush attachment. It might be worth using a cloth to wipe the dust off of the condenser coils as well.

Clean Drain Pans

Some of the main spots that you should pay attention to when you clean a commercial refrigerator are the drain pans and tubes.

The drain pan and tubing on a fridge can collect a lot of buildup over time. The sludge and grime that collects can cause your refrigerator to have problems and freeze up. There could also be a lot of odour if your drain pan overflows.

You’ll want to be sure that you check your drain pan at least monthly. Spend some time cleaning it to ensure that your fridge will continue to work well and that that there won’t be any odour issues.

Prevent Moisture

One of the things that you should do to keep your commercial refrigerator functioning well is to make sure that you prevent and eliminate moisture.

If any excess water and moisture are inside your system, it can lead to early breakdown and could cause problems with its function. In addition to checking the condenser coil, be sure to check the shelves of your fridge regularly for extra water and ensure that you clean up any spills that occur immediately.

Moisture could cause your system to freeze eventually and can make it so that you need repairs. Be sure to keep your fridge dry to avoid these problems.

Check the Thermostat

To maintain your commercial fridge, you also need to keep an eye on its thermostat. You should be sure to regularly check your thermostat and ensure that it’s showing the right temperature.

You can do this by buying a thermometer and using it. Compare it against the temperature that your thermostat shows.

If your thermostat is malfunctioning, it can make it much harder to use your fridge. You could experience difficulty keeping your food and products at the right temperature.

Be sure to add regular thermostat checks to your commercial refrigerator maintenance schedule to ensure you can identify thermostat issues in a timely manner.

Clean the Interior and Exterior

One of the key steps to taking care of your fridge is to make sure that you’re cleaning both the commercial refrigerator interior and exterior.

Using dish soap and hot water, you should clean every part of your fridge and should make sure that you’ve swept away all debris and grime that has accumulated. Make sure to remove the shelves from the interior and scrub the fridge or freezer fully.

By keeping your fridge clean, you’ll prevent contamination and bacterial growth and will ensure that all food inside the fridge is safe for those who eat it.

Keep the Refrigerator Doors Closed

Remember that while commercial refrigerators tend to do better than consumer fridges when being opened often, it’s best to avoid this if at all possible. Try to keep the door closed as much as you can and don’t leave it open for extended periods of time.

Keeping the door open can make the compressor in the system work harder. It will use more electricity to keep the inside of the fridge at a cooler temperature.

The compressor is an expensive part of a fridge to repair, so you’ll want to make sure that you don’t wear it out sooner than necessary. Keeping your door closed will help to keep your fridge maintained and allow it to last longer overall.

Maintaining Commercial Fridges With These Tips

If you want to keep your commercial fridges maintained, you should be sure to use the tips and tricks listed above. Cleaning important fridge components, eliminating moisture, and inspecting door gaskets are all essential parts of maintaining a commercial fridge as a business owner.

Interested in buying commercial fridges for your business? Contact us today to learn more about what we have to offer.