Keeping your commercial refrigerator well maintained will help it to stay in good working order for many years into the future. This is extremely important for any location that makes use of these refrigerators, including restaurants, bars, schools, cafeterias and more. Because they are among the most expensive pieces of equipment you are likely to have in your kitchen, it is important to make sure you’re extending their lives as long as possible.
With this in mind, here are a few maintenance tips from a commercial refrigeration contractor in Delaware to help you keep your equipment in great shape.
Clean everything
Cleaning might be the single most important element of commercial refrigerator maintenance, and yet there are so many people who put it off as much as they can. Here are a few specific cleaning tasks you should perform at least once a month:
- Clean the interior: Wash out the interior with warm water and a mild detergent. This includes shelves, drawers, removable parts, door gaskets and any other interior surface.
- Clean the exterior: Wipe down the entire surface of the exterior using a soap or detergent that will not harm the finish of the refrigerator. Many commercial refrigerators, for example, are stainless steel, so you would want to use a polish that’s safe for that material.
- Clean the parts: Clean off the compressor, the condenser coils and the fan and motor. For these types of components, you will always want to be sure the refrigerator is unplugged before beginning cleaning to avoid hurting yourself or the equipment. When cleaning the fan and motor, use a soft cloth to extract any blockages that have built up in the system. Condenser coils are also relatively easy to wipe off, and doing so can make a huge difference in performance, as coils that are overloaded with dust or grime can cause the refrigerator to work far harder than it needs to.
Keep replacement parts on hand
This is true for just about any piece of equipment—assume it’s going to fail at some point, and that, when it does, you’re going to want to have replacement parts immediately available. As soon as you notice the basic components of your refrigerator starting to degrade, you will want to make the switch to the new parts as soon as you can. The most commonly replaced components in refrigerators are door gaskets, as the seals wear thin over time, leading to air leaks. However, you can replace just about any part of a refrigerator whenever doing so becomes necessary.
Perform regular inspections
Every so often, conduct a visual analysis of the equipment to ensure everything is running as efficiently and smoothly as possible. You should also ensure all employees and people using the refrigerator are doing so properly, especially when it comes to opening and closing the doors.
For more information about our refrigeration repair services, contact Commercial Equipment Service, a commercial refrigeration contractor in Delaware. We are happy to answer any questions you have for us.