A commercial kitchen must hum with efficiency if it is to allow its hard-working staff to deal with peak hour demand. To achieve this, each item of equipment in the kitchen has to be of good quality and be well maintained throughout the year. Yet facility managers can often forget to keep up with routine maintenance, and this can cause a major issue at precisely the wrong moment. What are the key reasons for a fridge freezer failure, and what can be done to prevent such an occurrence?
Protecting Your Investment
When maintained correctly, a commercial fridge can last for many years. These items are not cheap to purchase, and it makes sense to look after them as carefully as possible, but if they suffer from neglect, failure is inevitable.
Paying Close Attention
As an operator, you need to avoid this scenario as much as possible as a cost-efficient repair is not always possible. You may need to consider the cost of parts and labour against replacement in the worst-case scenario, so this is another reason to maintain a service schedule.
Compressor and Condenser
From time to time, switch the fridge off and move it away from its seat. Remove the lower rear panel and have a look at the condition of the coils. If they have not been cleaned for some time, they will invariably be clogged with dust and debris. If this is the case, the compressor will not be able to work efficiently and transfer heat from the refrigerant to the surrounding air. It will need to work overtime and will rapidly wear out.
Fan Issues
You should also have a look at the fan and clean that as well. This can also become clogged with dirt, no matter how efficient you are at cleaning the kitchen floor. Once again, this part will have to work too hard, and the bearings will only last for a certain amount of time. If the motor fails, it can be replaced, but a major issue with either the compressor or condenser can be costly.
Assessing the Situation
More often than not, a major failure is caused by neglect. Sometimes, a power surge can also damage the internal componentry, the circuit board or the compressor. Make sure that you have a surge protector in place to prevent this eventuality, but once you have repaired your current problem, pay close attention to future service.
For further tips, reach out to a local refrigeration repair service.
