Preventative Maintenance for Refrigeration Systems

Suggested Refrigeration Systems Preventative Maintenance

Refrigeration systems are critical in the foodservice industry. It is very important to provide maintenance on your cooling systems to help prevent them from clogging or breaking down, which could lead to spoiled food, rotten food, etc. The following guidelines are provided from Heatcraft’s Operation & Instruction Manual.   By following these preventive maintenance steps, it does not guarantee your unit will not break down. However, by taking care and maintaining your refrigeration systems your unit is less likely to have problems.

Preventive Maintenance

Unit Coolers

At every six month interval, or sooner if local conditions cause clogging or fouling of air passages through the finned surface, the following items should be checked.

Read the rest of this entry »

Hard to Open Doors and Pressure Differences in Your Walk-in Box

Improper fixes to hard-to-open doors can cause ice and frost build-up, water dripping on
floors, freezing around door seals and unusual icing patterns in and around the refrigeration equipment.

Nature’s Basics

The physical nature of air causes a cooler or freezer to have a negative pressure compared to the
outside air. This is due to the contraction of the air as the temperature drops. The pressure of the air in a
sealed box will decrease by 0.3 psi for every drop in temperature of 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
Note: This negative pressure is not caused by the refrigeration equipment removing air. The evaporator fans just cool the air and push it around the box. They don’t have any exhaust venting or “makeup air” being brought in from the outside (like they do in air conditioning systems).

Check it Yourself

The most dramatic pressure change happens when the door is closed. Warm air that entered a cold
freezer will be cooled within seconds by contact with the ceiling, walls and product. If the average air
temperature quickly drops from 40 to 30 degrees, the pressure drops by 0.3 psi. That’s 43 pounds per square
foot, over 800 pounds of force on a normal size door. The door will be impossible to re-open until the
pressure is equalized.
Note: The bigger the size of the door and the more airtight the box, the more dramatic it will be. Read the rest of this entry »

Convenience Store Efficiency

The following article, Cooler Control, from the Convenience Store Decisions magazine, discusses ways to increase your walk-in cooler’s efficiency and decrease operating costs.

Convenience store chains can slash operating costs by as much as 10% with sound maintenance and general improvements to its refrigeration systems.

Operators looking for greater energy efficiency should cast an eye on their coolers, where centralized controls, lighting adjustments, basic ongoing maintenance and employee training can save them money.

“Coolers are typically an opportunity for improvements in maintenance and operational practices,” said Jerry Lawson, national manager for Energy Star Small Business and Congregations Network, a division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington. “With all the different types of equipment in the c-store, coolers are a key piece of the energy equation, and they are typically the most expensive to run. With the right improvements, there is an energy efficiency dollar saving opportunity.”

Where to begin? Start with the obvious.
“Keeping them clean is the biggest thing,” Lawson said. “Coolers have to breathe. Keeping those coils clean allows them to breathe; they take the air in and expel air out.”

When taking care of monthly cooler cleaning, Lawson liked to pull off the back panel and take a cloth or other type of non-steel brush to it and clean it off, then vacuum or sweep the junk up off the floor. “That’s the biggest thing to keep them running efficiently.”

Matt Lauck, director of marketing for Retail Solutions in Kennesaw, Ga., a subsidiary of Emerson Electric, said that central facility management systems can be a major tool for achieving energy efficiency in coolers. Such systems give the operator the ability to optimize energy reduction by, among other things, tracking temperatures to make sure they stay within operational norms, which obviously also has implications for food safety. “Think of it as a programmable thermostat,” he said.

Read the full article from Convenience Store Decisions

Maintaining Your Walk-in Cooler or Freezer

Tips from U.S. Cooler for Maintaining Your Walk-in Cooler or Freezer.

How to keep your walk-in operating efficiently.

• Close door when not in use. Do not block or prop door open for extended periods of time. Make sure door is closed at all times except when entering and exiting the walk-in.
• Periodically, minimum of twice a year, clean evaporator and condensing coil. If located outside, the coils should be cleaned more often.
• Make sure fan motors are running at optimum speed.
• Clean fan blades to reduce drag.
• Make sure there is nothing stacked around the coil to restrict airflow.
• Occasionally have service technician check all electrical connections to make sure they are good and tight. Loose wires could cause high amperage, which will cause your unit to use more energy.
• Check for damage or decay in the insulation on suction lines between condensing unit and evaporator coil. Replace as needed.
• Check door sweep for tears and make sure sealing properly.
• Hinges should be lubricated once a year to keep closing properly.
• Make sure the lights are off when exiting the walk-in. Lights produce heat, which will cause your unit to run more to hold its optimal temperature.
• On outside condensing units, maintain clear and adequate airflow. For example, do not allow trash or weeds to accumulate around walk-in.
• Do not pile anything on top of the walk-in. This could cause damage to the ceiling panels.
• Periodically, check gaskets between panels to make sure they are not cracked or weathered. If so, check with your local health codes for the correct procedure to follow as far as repair and replacement.

How to keep your walk-in clean.

• Soap and water is the best cleaning method for your walk-in. Do not use harsh chemicals as it may react and harm the metal surface of your walk-in.
  For chemicals not to use read this pdf.
• Minimum of twice a year use a self-rinsing cleaner, soap and water or stiff bristled brush to clean your evaporator and condensing coils.
• Drain lines – at least once a year, work with a service tech to make sure the drain lines are clean and not clogged with any debris.
• Door gaskets – Regularly wipe down with soap and water. If door gaskets are damaged, cracked or stiff magnet will not seal and will need to be replaced.
• Sweep or mop floors to make sure floors are kept clean. Read the rest of this entry »

Walk-in Cooler Maintenance Tips

Maintaining your walk-in coolers and freezers is pretty simple. For starters, a clean walk-in is an efficient one. Your staff is likely are trained to keep both the interior and exterior clean and sanitary (use a mild soap detergent and damp mop), but key components can sometimes be overlooked. Pay particular attention to:

Door gaskets. Keep clean and pliable. Replace when worn.

Hinges and door closers. Check regularly for proper opening.

Condenser and fan. Keep clean and free of grease so they can do a more effective job of transferring heat. Since most of you will use remote refrigeration systems, that will mean a trip up to the roof for someone on a regular basis.

Condenser and drain lines. Keep them clear and schedule checks of the seals where they enter the building.

Beyond checking these areas, it makes sense to schedule servicing every three months if your system is self-contained and every six months if it’s remote.

These tips come from the February 2009 issue of Foodservice Equipment Magazine. Find the full article here. The article also details the new government EISA rules and new innovations in walk-in component technology from glass doors to compressors.

For more cleaning and maintenence tips view this post.