The holidays are less demanding this year, and more people are staying at home, but that doesn’t mean you can neglect regular commercial refrigerator maintenance at your Delaware business. Signs of wear and tear are subtle, and many calls for commercial refrigerator service do not occur until there is a breakdown. You can prevent this level of holiday stress by keeping your systems maintained. Here are five tips to help you care for your refrigerators this winter:
- Keep it clean: Ideally, clean your refrigerators once a day. If that is impossible, at least clean them once a week. Cover the inside and outside using hot water and mild soap. Avoid harsh chemical cleaners. If electrical components need cleaning, do not use water, or you risk injury from electrical shock. Clean them with a microfiber towel. If you cannot remove grease or dirt, request that service with the next maintenance appointment.
- Maintain airflow: If you do not maintain airflow around and within your refrigerator, you risk burning out components. Start by removing clutter and storage items that are piled up around your refrigeration units. Encourage employees to move empty boxes right away after they finish restocking. Keep floors clean by sweeping regularly—this will also discourage clutter. Set aside areas away from refrigerators where employees can leave shipments, flatten boxes or empty garbage. Sometimes, preventing clutter is as easy as giving everything its dedicated place, which will help your employees comply more easily.
- Inspect every week: Inspect refrigerators for common signs of problems. Frozen food and liquids show they aren’t regulating temperature well. Leaks and condensation are also concerns, as they indicate temperature regulation issues but also broken components. You need to listen for any changes, too—noisy compressors and motors often suggest something inside is damaged. Loose hinges and gaskets waste energy, and you want to find those before they become significant issues.
- Create a schedule: The best way to keep on track with cleaning and inspections is by having a written schedule. It should assign tasks to employees for specific days and include a checklist. Employees should complete a form revealing what they finished, and a supervisor should sign off on it. This approach ensures your refrigeration receives the care it needs on a regular basis.
- Know when you need help: There are tasks to leave to your commercial refrigeration specialist. Cleaning grease and debris from coils, ice machines, fan blades, gaskets, door seals and the fan motor are not DIY projects. You risk further damaging your refrigerators or sustaining injuries, so please call a technician for that work. Calibrating thermostats and replacing damaged parts also fall on that list. There are areas in commercial refrigerators that are difficult to access, so checking refrigerant levels and drain pans are also best left to professionals.
Commercial Equipment Service Inc. offers commercial refrigerator service to businesses throughout Delaware. We are here for you whether you face a catastrophic breakdown or need basic commercial refrigerator maintenance. Call us today to schedule an appointment. We offer 24-hour emergency repairs, too!