Having trouble with your commercial refrigeration is a nightmare, especially during holidays. A commercial refrigeration breakdown can result in significant financial loss as food products spoil. It can also send all your customers home dissatisfied. That’s why you must inspect and repair any malfunction in your refrigeration system before and after the holidays. Here are the basic commercial refrigerator maintenance tips for the holidays.
Set a System of Checks and Balances
You’ve established thermometer-checking policies for your side-by-sides and walk-ins. What else should you do to protect your refrigeration systems from potential failure? Set a system of checks and balances. Kitchen staff might get overwhelmed during a busy shift, so appoint a backup checker to help catch small refrigeration failures before they become nightmares. Check the status of back-of-house appliances at least once per shift. Your appliance checker should look for the following:
- Ice buildup
- Leaking food items
- Damaged, broken food packages
- Out-of-range temperatures
- Propped fridge or freezer doors
Keep It Clean
One of the best ways to keep your commercial refrigeration systems running is to keep them clean. If you don’t have a regular appliance checklist, create one now. Wipe the inside of all units daily. Full freezers should also be swept clear of any crumps at the openings. Daily refrigerator cleaning tasks should include the following:
- Wipe up spills
- Sanitize gasket seals
- Check for proper food placement
- Wipe down surfaces and shelves
- Check for and dispose of expired foods
- Sanitize handles
Each shelf in your refrigerator should be sanitized and emptied weekly. Wipe the exterior surface with a damp cloth or mild detergent to remove grime and dirt. Keep debris, dust, and dirt off your refrigerator’s mechanical parts by checking monthly for dust on the back of the condenser coils.
Hiring an expert to inspect and clean the motor and fan inside your refrigerator would be best. They’ll also check honeycombs, air return vents, and other parts for mildew and mold buildup. Make sure they clean the pan and remove clods in the drain holes.
Use only mild cleaners, especially when cleaning fan blades. The smell of strong chemical cleaners might be transferred into the refrigerator and affect the smell of your food or cooking ingredients.
Create an Emergency Plan
Appliances breakdown happens when you fail to maintain your food service equipment. Power outages might happen anyhow and disrupt your kitchen. What are your emergency plans if your refrigeration fails? Develop an emergency plan by installing a backup generator and using dry ice in appliances. You can also post the number of qualified commercial refrigerator repairers in a prominent place in your office or kitchen. Your staff will know whom to contact when refrigeration breaks down.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, you now know the basic commercial refrigerator tips for the holidays. Is your refrigerator broken and you don’t know where to start? Commercial Equipment Service Inc. offers all commercial refrigerator services to businesses in Delaware. We are here for you whether you need basic commercial refrigerator maintenance or when you face a catastrophic breakdown. We also provide 24-hour emergency repairs! Contact us today to schedule an appointment.