Replacement Dart Gasket Installation Instructions

There are various mounting styles of gaskets used in manufacturing walk-in coolers and freezers. Some are secured with screws, stapled onto a flat surface, or cemented into a channel. U.S. Cooler chooses to use magnetic dart style gaskets that push into a groove.
The causes of gasket failure are numerous, from loss of vinyl elasticity over many years to an employee ripping the gasket by running into it with a cart. If your gasket is building up ice or condensation, that’s a sign that your seal is not tight and you need a replacement gasket.

Installing replacement gaskets correctly is important to ensure a tight seal with no air infiltration or icing along the door frame.

Soak the gasket in warm water for several minutes in increase pliability.

Dart Style Gasket Installation Instructions

1. Remove door from walk-in cooler/freezer (some hinges have lift-off capability when the door is open) and place on a pair of saw horses or table with gasket side up. Using a screw driver, remove the 7 screws from the inside edge of the old gasket if they were installed. (NOTE: some types of gaskets are not screwed in).
2.  After old gasket has been removed place new door gasket around door, laying it out across the top and down the sides of the door. With door gasket in position around the door starting at the top corner, firmly seat the spur of the door gasket into the groove of the extrusion along the edge of the door using a hammer. It’s important that the spur be positioned over the groove correctly as it needs to be seated on the first impact of the hammer. Continue along the top of the door seating the gasket and then down the sides until you get to the bottom of the door.
3. Trim the bottom of the door gasket so it just covers the metal strip of the door sweep. It should not extend onto the rubber part of the door sweep. If the gasket is trimmed, remove the rubber plug from the trimmed piece and insert it into the bottom of the gasket to keep the magnets in place. Use NSF approved silicone caulk to keep the rubber plug in place.
4. Using a screw driver, install 7 screws into the locations shown on this drawing.
5. Re-install door onto the hinge blocks on the walk-in frame and check door for proper operation.

You can buy name-brand walk-in parts such as gaskets, handles, and door closers from walkincoolerparts.com. Walk-in Cooler & Freezer Parts has the lowest prices on the net and will ship most orders the same or next business day.

Give Your Walk-in a Walkthrough

Walk-in coolers and freezers: When is the last time you went into your property’s walk-in cooler unannounced? If you haven’t done it in a while, you might be surprised. I recently had the experience where an excellent GM asked me to identify opportunity areas in the kitchen operation. I went through the walk-in coolers and freezers and found the following issues within the first 10-minute visual inspection:

• 

  Make sure you have an inventory management process in place.

  Walk-in freezer that was very poorly lit (read: hard to find items), with boxes of frozen foods that had not been dated. Clearly without a date, it is hard to employ the First-in, First-out (FIFO) method of inventory management. How do we know when that box of chicken wings on the bottom of the stack came in? It is possible the box on the bottom is living there in perpetuity while new inventory is stacked on top every week?

• Food items stored unwrapped, with no date, in non-translucent storage pans and hotel pans. In one instance, two different products were in the same tray: one was uncooked raw chicken breast stored at an angle so the blood was running into unwrapped Canadian bacon. In a cruel moment of irony, just that morning I had been in the hotel’s restaurant outlet and sat next to four female business travelers who all ordered the eggs benedict for breakfast. When I eventually asked the sous chef (the executive chef was off at the time) what was going on, there was a general lack of awareness and training about the dangers of such poor food handling and the improper storage methods. The acts and non-acts were not malicious; rather it was a training and education issue. Oh, and he thought buying Lexans for storage purposes was too expensive for the GM to approve.
• Soup stored unwrapped in a large container sitting on the floor directly under the cooler’s condenser unit that was dripping water condensation into the soup. Read the rest of this entry »

Diagnosing Walk-in Coolers & Freezers Problems

A systematic approach to walk-in cooler and freezer maintenance is the technician’s best guide.

The ubiquitous walk-in cooler or freezer is an essential part of many cafeterias, restaurants and convenience stores. It is also a large energy user in these facilities but is rarely considered until problems emerge.

Problems include failure to maintain pressure and compressor failure, both of which can result in expensive losses to the products stored in the cooler. These problems, as well as unnecessarily high energy use, can be avoided by observing equipment and taking corrective action.

Evaporators
Moisture from the air freezes onto the evaporator coils (the cooling coils in the freezer) and forms an insulating barrier to heat transfer. Airflow also decreases as the passages narrow due to ice buildup. Each evaporator has a defrost cycle to melt frost/ice that has built up on the evaporator coils. Water from the melted ice is drained from the freezer . . . ideally. Read the rest of this entry »

Passing Restaurant Inspections for your Walk-in Cooler or Walk-in Freezer

Restaurants are supposed to be checked by health inspectors twice a year. Walk-ins can be a source of food safety violations if not properly maintained and cleaned. If you run a restaurant you can also be stuck with fines totaling thousands of dollars or face temporary closure of your establishment. After the restaurant is closed, an inspector will generally return within 24 hours and will continue to visit until these violations are resolved and the restaurant can reopen.¹ Lost days of operation can cost your business not only revenue, but your reputation as well.

One restaurant in New York paid a total of $8,600 in fines from a food inspection, including $1,200 directly relating to their poorly maintained walk-in cooler.

· $600 – The walk-in cooler was dripping water from the ceiling. Ice build-up on the condenser was present in the walk-in freezer dripping into extra ice storage in a garbage can below. Shelving in multiple refrigeration units was rusted and therefore not easy to clean and particles of rust able to flake off into food products below. The condensation line for the cooler was not connected and the condensate was dripping into a pan at the bottom of the unit.

· $600 – The floor in the walk-in cooler was in disrepair and no longer an easy to clean surface.²

Health code regulations and requirements vary from state to state. The following are areas you could be cited for in your walk-in or other refrigerators:

Lack of interior release in walk-in.

Spoiled or improperly packaged food in your walk-in.

Any spills or pieces of food in the walk-in not cleaned up.

Mold present in the walk-in cooler.

Refrigeration unit poorly ventilated and in close proximity to combustibles.

Walk-in not held at the proper temperature for food storage.

Improper organization of the walk-in or obstructions in the area around it, making it hard to service or clean. Read the rest of this entry »

Do Walk-in Cooler & Freezer Walls Wear Out?

Hi there,

Do walk-in cooler walls wear out over time?

I build restaurants and we are renovating a restaurant we built 17 years ago.  A supplier is recommending we replace the walk-in box, because they “break down”. I find that hard to believe. Could you please give me your opinion?

Thanks,

- Len Chaston

Len,

On the surface, your walk-in box probably has a few scratches, dents and slightly worn metal but overall it appears serviceable and is likely structurally sound. However, the insulation inside the panel can take a much more severe beating over the years than the exterior. The insulation has to deal with huge temperature differentials between the inside and outside of your box. Depending on the material used to insulate your box it could have absorbed a good deal of moisture, which degrades the thermal resistance of your insulation. Your old walk-in was also not built to meet modern efficiency and safety requirements and it could even contain a large amount of wood (which is a poor and water permeable insulator). If you have a walk-in freezer, one indication of trouble is ice buildup on the inside of the box. This is a sign that water vapor has been able to infiltrate the insulation.

At 17 years old, the cost of running the walk-in for several years as well as the added load and wear on your refrigeration unit will far overshadow the cost of purchasing a new walk-in unit. If you do decide to opt for a new walk-in, I want you to take a look at the inside of the panels when your old unit is disassembled. A panel that is now leaking all over the floor was no longer doing the job it was intended to.

Ice buildup in a walk-in panel

If you have a question you’d like answered please visit the Ask an Expert section of our blog. Note: Not all responses will be published.

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.

• 

  Do not use harsh detergents on metal surfaces.

  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.