Proposed Rulemaking for Walk-in Coolers and Freezers

Proposed Rulemaking for Walk-in Coolers and Freezers

Since EISA was passed January 1, 2009, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has been working to mandate a standardized energy efficiency test for walk-in coolers and freezers.  The first step was taken with an informal meeting on February 4, 2009 to discuss comments and suggestions from industry professionals on determining a testing procedure. After nearly a year’s worth of research, DOE has published their proposed testing procedure for walk-in coolers and freezers. A follow-up meeting was scheduled to discuss these proposed rulings, but due to winter weather the meeting was cancelled and has not been rescheduled at this time.

In accordance with section 312 of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA), DOE published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) for the test procedure on walk-in coolers and freezers. The NOPR is the first published document for the test procedure rulemaking process for walk-ins. DOE proposes the procedures explained in the NOPR be used to test walk-in equipment. Once performance standards are accepted, manufacturers will be required to use the accepted test to determine compliance and for all representations regarding the energy use of the product.

DOE proposes to adopt a test procedure that contains two separate testing methods; one for the insulated box and the other for the refrigeration equipment. Each of the two components, the insulated box and the refrigeration system, will be tested separately. The manufacturer will be responsible for testing their product respectively and must provide compliance with all testing standards.  Read the rest of this entry »

Types of Refrigeration Systems Used in Walk-ins

Refrigeration systems consist of a condensing unit and an evaporation coil. The condensing unit is located outside the walk-in and the evaporator is located inside the walk-in. The compressor compresses gas to a liquid. The liquid is then pumped through the condensing unit coil while a fan blows outside air through the coil. Gas is condensed to a liquid and is then pumped through a small copper pipe into the walk-in to the evaporator coil. There, through the expansion valve located in the evaporator coil the liquid is allowed to expand back into a gas. The expansion of the liquid to a gas causes a rapid chilling of the evaporator coil. Since heat always flows toward cold, inside the walk-in air is blown across the evaporation coil to let the coil absorb heat from inside the walk-in. The gas is then allowed to exit the walk-in through a larger copper pipe to the condensing unit where it is once again compressed and cooled to a liquid state and returned to the evaporator coil inside the walk-in. There the cycle is started over.

The new EISA law requires all new walk-ins be equipped with high efficiency motors to be compliant. These cost a little bit more but save you money in the long run. Some suppliers may try to sell you non EISA compliant refrigeration systems. To be compliant with the law and purchase the best lifetime value always ask for EISA compliant equipment.

1. Remote Systems - Remote systems are the least expensive systems to purchase. They consist of a condensing unit, evaporator unit and misc. parts such as expansion valve, site glass, dryer, pump down solenoid thermostat, and on freezers a timer and drain heater to install the system. They require the use of a licensed refrigeration installer since they are pumped down and charged with refrigerant gas on site. The installer will also charge for any other parts needed for the install such as copper pipe, pipe insulation, connectors, and electrical. They are less expensive systems to buy with the walk-in but may cost more over all depending on what the going hourly rate is with the installer and the cost of the parts he provides. They also provide an advantage by allowing the condensing unit to be located outside the building. There the condensing unit can dump its heat without adding extra heat to the building and air conditioning systems. Read the rest of this entry »

Think Custom. Think Cooler. NACS 2009

U.S. Cooler manufactures walk-ins with the customer in mind. We understand it is important to produce an affordable, quality, durable, and efficient product. U.S. Cooler specializes in custom sized walk-in coolers and freezers. All of our walk-ins are produced using the highest quality products and the most efficient insulation. Our custom walk-ins are competitively priced and have the shortest lead time in the industry.  U.S. Cooler has the technology and the capability to manufacture walk-ins to fit any size or configuration you are looking for. When you need custom, think U.S. Cooler. Come visit our booth, # 1863, at NACS in Las Vegas from October 21-23, 2009.

Walk-in Saves Lives

On Wednesday, August 19th, a tornado ripped through the village of Williamsville, IL leaving parts of the town a disaster with many home’s lost. One particular building that was in the direct path of the storm was a Casey’s General Store. When the storm rolled in, there were 9 employees and customers in the store. The entire front wall of the building was blown out leaving no shelter for the group in the store. Immediately they took cover in the walk-in cooler where they safely remained until the storm ended. After the storm, the only structure of the building still intact and left unharmed was the walk-in combination unit. Check with your local emergency center for the emergency plan that best fits your location.

Taken right after the tornado hit Casey's General Store in Williamsville, IL.

After the store clean-up.

Additional pictures of the damage. Read the rest of this entry »

U.S. Cooler is now leasing walk-ins

Buying a walk-in cooler or freezer is a large expense for any business and not all companies have the cash flow available to purchase a walk-in outright. U.S. Cooler has another option for our customers. Leasing.

By leasing your walk-in, you avoid having to come up with the complete purchase price necessary to buy it outright. Instead, with leasing, the cost is spread out comfortably over a fixed period of time, and only a small initial down payment is required. Leasing removes the need for equity financing. It also allows you to acquire and use an asset without having to make a substantial down payment. Thus, minimizing the affect on your cash flow and working capital.

U.S. Cooler has partnered with Advantage Leasing to provide our customers with a financing program for their walk-in equipment. For more information on the program visit the leasing program page on our website or contact Advantage Leasing for details.

Zero Ozone-Depleting FOAMULAR Extruded Polystyrene Insulation

Toledo, Ohio – Owens Corning (NYSE: OC), a global leader in building materials and energy efficiency solutions, today announced it has started manufacturing zero ozone-depleting FOAMULAR^® Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) rigid foam insulation. The new blowing agent technology developed by Owens Corning meets the requirements of the Montreal Protocol which requires the phase-out of the hydrochloro-fluorocarbon (HCFC) 142b, an ozone-depleting compound, by January 1, 2010.

Owens Corning’s new Gresham plant is the first facility in the Western U.S. to meet the requirements of the Montreal Protocol and expands the company’s XPS foam production capabilities. The company also has converted its Rockford, Ill., insulation plant to use the new blowing agent, and all FOAMULAR products will meet the requirements of the conversion deadline.

“High performance homes and buildings are an ever-growing segment of the construction industry, and Read the rest of this entry »

Operating Cost for Walk-in Coolers and Freezers

Before purchasing your walk-in, you may be wondering how much it will cost to operate your walk-in.

To give you a rough estimate of how much it cost to operate a walk-in cooler or freezer, using the national average of 11.89 cents per kilowatt, look at the chart below.

*These numbers were figured using the $.0999 kilowatt hour cost. According to the Energy Information Administration this is the average cost in the United States for commercial electricity.

This chart was created using several assumptions that can affect your actual operating cost.

1. The type of insulation in the walk-in.
2. Efficiency of the refrigeration system.
3. Inside and outside temperature of walk-in.
4. Where the walk-in is located.
5. The temperature and the weight of the product entering the walk-in.
6. How often the door is opened.
7. The age of the walk-in.
8. Cost of electricity.

This is just to name a few.  If you would like to be more accurate using your electric rate, follow the instructions below. Read the rest of this entry »

U.S. Cooler Flickr Photostream

Visit U.S. Cooler’s new Flickr photostream. Flickr is a photo and video sharing site owned by Yahoo. You can view pictures of our completed walk-ins and promotional photos. These pictures represent the wide range of custom design possibilities available for your walk-in cooler, freezer or combination unit.

Meeting 2009 EISA Walk-in Cooler & Freezer Standards

The federal government’s EISA (Energy Independence & Security Act) standards went into effect Jan. 1st, 2009. This act was intended to improve energy efficiency within the refrigeration industry as well as many other industries. AHRI reports there have been some concerns since there are no enforcement mechanism or standard testing methods built into the act; non-compliant walk-in manufacturers will stand to benefit. These manufacturers will be able to beat compliant competitors on price (due to the lower input costs of their non-regulation walk-ins). Be sure that when buying a walk-in, you check to make sure they are EISA compliant.

The AHRI (Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute) is trying to raise awareness about what this act mandates among distributors, installers, and consumers. They have created a checklist of the standards walk-in coolers & freezers are required to meet that can be found at ACHR The News. Use this checklist to ensure the walk-in unit you are about to purchase meets the EISA standards. Read the rest of this entry »

A Matter of Insulation: Acquisition vs. Lifetime Savings

Your cold storage equipment may be one of the most important choices you make. A significant amount of costs are associated with your walk-in. Before you purchase, make sure you consider the entire lifecycle of the walk-in instead of just the acquisition price.

The two main elements that effect energy and cost savings while running a walk-in are the refrigeration and insulation.  To get the optimal results from your refrigeration it must be sized correctly taking in consideration the size of box, if it is a cooler or freezer, and what will be stored inside. (There are many other factors that are considered when sizing refrigeration.) Insulation is the key to energy savings because it is responsible for holding the cool temperature in the box so the refrigeration does not have to work overtime. Insulation quality is measured by R-value; the resistance to heat flow through an object. Since EISA was implemented January 1, 2009, all walk-in manufactures are required to have an R-value of R-25 for coolers and R-32 for freezers. Now that all manufacturers follow the same requirements, the performance of the insulation is what differentiates the walk-in.

The two common types of insulation used are polyurethane and extruded polystyrene.  Each type of insulation brings with it strengths and weaknesses that must be evaluated for each individual application.

U.S. Cooler uses both insulations. Through experience and research, U.S. Cooler believes extruded polystyrene is the best insulation for the walls, ceiling, and floors of coolers and freezers. Polyurethane is better to insulate the doors of their walk-ins. According to a study performed by the U.S. Corps of Engineers, they found that over a five year period extruded polystyrene retains 75% of its R-value while polyurethane retains 25%.¹  This is one reason why U.S. Cooler believes extruded polystyrene provides the most value and the best option for walk-in insulation.

Polyurethane & Extruded Polystyrene

Read the rest of this entry »