The walk-in freezer is one of the most important pieces of infrastructure in any commercial kitchen. If you’ve started to experience any problems with yours, it’s important to be proactive about getting professional assistance to get it back up and running as quickly as possible so you can avoid losing inventory and having to deal with inefficient operations.
So how do you know if there’s something wrong with your walk-in freezer in Eugene, OR? Here are just a few examples of some of the most common walk-in freezer issues you should know about:
Temperature is not cold enough: Are you having problems getting your freezer to, well, freeze? There are several potential causes of this common problem. It could be that your freezer is overloaded with product, which would increase the burden on the cooling system. It could also be that you have frost buildup on the evaporator, which is causing the interior to warm up. Or, if you have issues with doors being left open for too long, or with air leaks around the edges, this could also be a cause of temperatures running too high. A professional will quickly be able to identify the problem.
No power: Your first step when you lose power to your walk-in freezer should always be to check the circuit breaker or fuse that controls it. If that’s not the issue, it could be a problem with wiring or a control board, either of which are issues that should be left to a professional to deal with.
Drain pan problems: Do you see ice in the drain pan? If so, this could indicate a clogged drain line or a defective heater, as ice buildup in the drain pan is a common result of both of those problems. Again, this is an issue you should have repaired by a professional, and quickly, before your inventory is lost.
Other ice buildup: Ice can build up in other areas than the drain pan. While you might think ice buildup is natural in a freezer, this actually means there’s too much moisture. The ice buildup can result in freezer burn on your product, or cause other issues inside the freezer that can damage the system. Ice buildups on the air vent or evaporator coils can be especially problematic, so if you see these issues forming inside your walk-in freezer, it’s important to have a professional appliance repair technician come out and resolve the issue.
Gasket or door issues: Have you been having issues with your gaskets or doors? Perhaps it’s become difficult for you to reliably close the door all the way, or you’ve seen signs of an air leak. This could be an issue with worn or damaged gaskets, or with a damaged seal around the door that needs to be replaced.
For more information about some of the most common problems that occur inside walk-in freezers in Eugene, OR, we encourage you to reach out to the team at American Refrigeration Inc. with your questions.
We get a lot of panicked calls from customers who notice an accumulation of ice or frost on their refrigeration equipment in Eugene, OR, particularly on their compressor head or surrounding lines. It’s understandable that they’d be stressed—after all, when the compressor has trouble, their business could be in jeopardy!
Fortunately, ice or frost accumulation isn’t always a bad thing. This post will teach you a little bit more about frost and ice on your refrigeration equipment and what you can do to prevent it.
How does frost accumulate?
Frost on the compressor or compressor lines is normal. After all, these are frigid components surrounded by warmer air. When warm air comes in contact with the parts, it condenses and forms small water beads. If the compressor temperature is below 32 degrees, that water will start to freeze and form a layer of frost. This is more common on commercial refrigerators than it is on residential units.
Is there a problem with my compressor?
That fine layer of frost is no big deal—but what about a thick layer of frost or ice? Although this problem is less common nowadays, a lot of ice on your compressor could indicate a refrigerant leak. If there is a leak, you’ll also notice that your fridge isn’t performing like it should be.
So, if you see a lot of ice and notice a dip in fridge performance or temperature, call a professional to inspect and repair your unit.
How to avoid ice or frost accumulation
Fortunately, preventing high levels of ice or frost on your refrigeration equipment in Eugene, OR is fairly easy. Follow these tips, and you should never have to worry about excess ice or frost on your refrigeration gear:
Have your unit serviced annually: The best way to prevent refrigerant leaks and subsequent ice accumulation is by scheduling annual maintenance. During your annual inspection, your refrigeration technician will take a look at all of the components to ensure they’re working like they should. In addition to preventing ice buildup, a routine maintenance call should mitigate the need for any other major refrigeration repairs.
Keep your system at the correct temperature: Cranking your fridge down to the lowest setting makes the compressor work overtime to keep your unit cold. As you can imagine, making your compressor work harder than it has to could lead to an ice buildup or compressor failure. Keep your unit at the manufacturer’s recommended temperature to avoid any issues.
Call a professional if you’re unsure: While it’s true that you don’t have to worry about small amounts of frost or ice, it’s better to be safe than sorry. When you’re not sure whether your fridge might be malfunctioning, call a technician to inspect it and make repairs.
Hire American Refrigeration Inc. for an inspection today
With the start of 2021 just around the corner, now’s the perfect time to schedule your annual refrigeration inspection. Contact us today to book your appointment and ensure you don’t have ice or frost on your refrigeration equipment in Eugene, OR next year.
Unless you work in the refrigeration industry or specialize in winery equipment installation in Eugene, OR, knowing all of the parts in your commercial fridge might not seem to be all that important. However, that’s not the case. More often than not, we find it’s beneficial for owners to understand how their refrigeration system operates.
There are quite a few parts that must work in harmony for your refrigeration equipment to function properly. Continue reading to learn a little bit more about all of the essential components:
Compressor: Because it pumps the gas around the refrigeration system tubing, the compressor is known as the heart of your fridge. When it stops working, your unit will be down for the count.
Condenser: The condenser is tubing that’s warmed by the heat that’s removed from the fridge. It also allows warm gas to cool before it’s pumped back into the unit. Again, when this fails, you’ll need to hire a technician to fix or replace it.
Condenser fan motor: The heat transfer mentioned above is aided by a fan, which forces air through the condenser. Fan motors must be replaced from time to time, as they get less effective as they age.
Evaporator: The evaporator is essentially responsible for making the food or beverages in your fridge cold. As refrigerant gas is pumped into the evaporator, it turns from liquid to gas and cools the area around it.
Evaporator fan: The evaporator fan is located inside the freezer section. It’s responsible for circulating cold air in the freezer and blowing it into the fresh food section. At the same time, the fan sucks cold air from the fresh food section and re-cools it in the freezer.
Cold control: Also known as a temp thermostat, the cold control ensures the temperature within the unit remains at a constant level. It uses sensors to do this, and when those sensors fail, you’ll need to call a technician to adjust or replace them.
Defrost thermometer: The defrost thermostat is a switch that’s located in the evaporator coils. When the coils reach a certain temperature, the switch will turn on and start a defrost cycle. Defrosting is critical for proper winery equipment installation in Eugene, OR, so hire a technician to make a repair if your thermostat isn’t working.
Defrost heater: As the name suggests, the defrost heater is responsible for actually defrosting once the thermostat has been switched on. It is also located in the evaporator coils.
Defrost drain: When the defroster is doing its job, there will be plenty of water runoff as a result of the melted frost. The defrost drain is in charge of carrying the melted water away from the heater and into the condensing tray.
Call our team if you’re having refrigeration problems
When your refrigeration system starts to fail, hire American Refrigeration Inc. to fix it. On top of performing winery equipment installation in Eugene, OR, we’re the trusted team for making refrigerator repairs. Our technicians can quickly identify the source of the problem and either repair or replace the malfunctioning part.
If you’re the owner of a restaurant, grocery store, cafeteria or market, you rely on your commercial refrigeration systems to constantly operate with great efficiency and reliability. Problems with these systems that force them to stop working could result in your business taking a significant blow to its finances and reputation.
Staying on top of regular preventative maintenance can help you to avoid common issues with commercial refrigeration systems in Eugene, OR. However, it’s also important to be aware of the steps you should take if any of those issues manifest in your equipment.
Here’s a quick overview of some common refrigeration issues and the steps you should take to resolve them.
Temperature problems: If you’re having a hard time keeping food cold, you should check the settings to make sure you’ve got the refrigerator set to the proper temperature. If the issue isn’t with the thermostat, it could be a problem with dirty evaporator coils or fans, malfunctioning compressors or poor air flow in the commercial refrigerator unit.
Buildup of frost: Have you started to notice a buildup of ice or frost inside the refrigerator unit? This is almost always a sign of poor ventilation or an air leak. You should first check the temperature of the fridge and the frequency of its defrost cycle. Next, carefully inspect the unit for common potential causes of air leaks, including loosened door gaskets or broken, damaged seals. When these problems occur, there can be issues with condensation, wet floors, frost and ice within the system. Finally, you should check and see if any of your fans or filters are dirty, as this could also cause frost issues.
Broken motor fans: Motor fans are a crucial part of regulating the temperature inside your refrigerator unit and venting the air properly. If the evaporator fan motors are damaged or completely broken, you’ll quickly start to have issues with the general operation of the refrigerator.
Loud or unusual noises: All refrigerator units will make some noise during operation—a healthy hum is perfectly okay, for example. However, if you notice strange, loud noises, this could indicate problems with the compressor, fans, motors or other mechanical components within the system. In such cases, it is important for you to contact an appliance repair technician.
Compressor problems: The compressor is tasked with compressing the refrigerant and transferring hot gas to the condenser. If you don’t hear the humming sound you’d hear during normal refrigerator operations, this is likely an issue with the compressor. You’ll need a repair technician to come out and inspect the unit to determine what sort of repair work needs to be done. In other circumstances, you might notice your energy costs getting out of control. This could be a sign that there is an issue with the compressor that’s making it less efficient. You may need to replace the part.
If you’re interested in learning more about common issues with commercial refrigeration systems and how you can fix them, contact our commercial refrigeration team in Eugene, OR, today.
If you’re preparing to start up a small winery, you’re going to need quite a bit of equipment to get yourself started. You can purchase this equipment new or find it secondhand, but there are certain items that you simply cannot go without.
Here’s a quick overview of some of the most important pieces of equipment you’ll need when planning for new winery equipment installation in Eugene, OR.
Wine press: One of the most important processes in winemaking is pressing the grapes. There are several categories of wine presses, but in general, they all operate the same way. The purpose is to place a controlled amount of pressure on the grapes to extract the juice. The word “control” is important here—it is possible to go too hard with the pressure to the point where the seeds get crushed, which introduces unwanted tannins into the resulting wine.
Crusher-destemmers: These types of machines are used to separate the grapes from the stems before they go through the wine press. You can also find combined destemmer-crushers, which focus on destemming before crushing.
Wine tanks: These acid-resistant containers can be made from various materials, such as stainless steel, wood or concrete. They are large and come in numerous shapes to suit your requirements, meaning you can easily customize them for your operation. Tanks can be separated into those that store mash and those that are used for fermentation. Small wineries will usually have tanks with capacities ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 liters.
Must and wine pumps: These pumps are used to transfer the wine in and out of different containers. Must pumps are stronger and are used for moving thicker substances during the fermentation process. Wine pumps are generally used for bottling and filtering.
Aging equipment: There are several types of wine aging equipment you’ll want to have on hand in your winery. Oak barrels are frequently used for adding to the flavor of the wine during aging and will generally be used for two or three years until their flavors are gone. Stainless steel drums are another option. They’re more durable than oak barrels and can be reused much more, although they don’t impart an oaky taste. They do, however, allow you to control the wine’s exposure to air.
Winery chillers: Temperature control is an integral part of the wine fermentation process. Inconsistent temperatures can lead to poor wine quality and flavor. Winery chillers allow you to maintain the proper temperatures for your fermenting wines over time.
Safety equipment: Any winery should have certain types of safety equipment on hand. For example, workers should always be within reach of an oxygen mask to protect against CO2 poisoning. It’s also a good idea to wear harnesses whenever working inside the tanks.
Laboratory equipment: Part of delivering a high-quality wine product is monitoring its chemistry. You can purchase your own laboratory equipment if you wish, or you can always send samples to other sources for inspection.
There are lots of things that go into starting a small winery, but these are some of the most important. For more information about winery equipment installation, contact your local source for commercial refrigeration services in Eugene, OR.
