Do-it-yourself commercial refrigeration maintenance inspection

One of the most important things for food service is being able to make sure that food is fresh. And you can only do this properly with good commercial refrigeration. In this article, we will show you how to make sure that your commercial refrigeration equipment is well-maintained so that it can be running smoothly and efficiently.

Here’s the first tip (and it’s VERY important):

Always make sure that you do a routine maintenance on your refrigeration system at least twice per year

Here are some of the things that a service company should be checking during a maintenance appointment:

• Check the pressure cleaning condenser coils, and degrease them if needed.
• Check the pressure clean drain lines.
• Check the monitor temperature and cycling
• Check the refrigerant level
• Check the condenser
• Check the evaporator fan (including the motors and blades)
• Check the wiring and compressor, and any other electrical connections
• Check the unit thermometer, the door gaskets, and the insulation
• Check the door hinges and the closers
• Take apart the ice machines and clean them
• Run an acid descale solution through the water circuit

If you haven’t performed maintenance service on your refrigeration system within the past 6 months, then it is overdue!

Between these service calls, you can keep your refrigerators and freezers running efficiently by cleaning out the dirt and dust. You can do this by removing the cover at the top or the bottom, inspect the condenser coil, and clean around it. This can be done at least once a month.

By performing simple routine checks, this will greatly improve the performance of your refrigeration system in the long-run.

Dirty Condenser Coil

Now if you find your condenser coil to be dirty, then just remove the dirt with a brush. This is a simple solution that will keep your system at least decently maintained between service calls.

However, this doesn’t remove all of the dirt, so a deeper cleaning is still required every 6 months to use a pressure cleaner to blow out the coils.

If your refrigerator is a remote rack, then remove the side cover and inspect the condition of the condenser coil from the bottom. Then you can use the same procedure to clean the coils.

A few more things you can do between maintenance calls include:

• Checking the exterior fan condenser coils on freezers, coolers, and ice machines. If needed, brush off any dirt while making sure to not damage any of the aluminum fins.
• Checking the ice machines by removing the cover and inspecting the interior. If there are any signs of mold or slime build-up, then call the service company immediately.
• Inspecting the door gaskets on the freezers and coolers for any rips and/or tears.
• Checking the automatic door closers and the hinges on the equipment.

Also, just be aware that just because the refrigerators and freezers still maintain their temperatures does not mean that they do not need to be maintained. It is always best to be proactive when it comes to refrigeration system maintenance.