Your home or business’s HVAC system depends on a few things to run smoothly. It obviously needs a steady supply of fuel and power, but it also needs a reliable and clean source of air in order to properly function. You can help keep your unit running in good order by ensuring it’s regularly cleaned and that all airways are kept clear, but there’s something else that you can do to help with the airflow.
Over the past few years of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have gained a new interest in the field of air filtration. Indeed, proper airflow has been proven to be one of our greatest allies in combating the virus. One of our best tools so far has been the high-efficiency air filters that we see more and more customers opt for; however, is such a filter right for you?
Read on for some more insights to help you make your decision.
Pros of premium filters
High-efficiency air filters are just what they sound like: They’re the best on the market at trapping particles that are trying to enter an interior space. In fact, they can trap nearly 100 percent of particles smaller than 0.3 microns; this puts them on par with the N95 and KN95 masks that we’ve all come to familiarize ourselves with.
It’s easy to see how installing such a tool in your home or office can make the breathable air that much safer and your loved ones and colleagues that much more protected against the threat of disease.
Another thing that high-efficiency air filters offer is an increase in air quality, not just when it comes to the risk of disease. Regular air filters are made to prevent dust and debris from entering your space and not much else. Allergens can still have free reign, so a high-efficiency air filter can be a boon if you spend much of your day indoors and are susceptible to allergies.
Cons of premium filters
With that said, an air filter replacement in your future isn’t necessarily a slam dunk. For starters, high-efficiency air filters are more expensive than standard filters. They use more material, and they’re more difficult to manufacture, all of which pushes their price tag up.
They can also push your utility bill up a bit. The added filtration means that less air can pass through at once. This means your home or business will take longer to reach the desired temperature on your thermostat, so the actual HVAC unit will have to run longer. It also decreases the efficiency of the system for the same reason; the unit has to work harder to push air through a finer grade of filtration.
All in all, high-efficiency air filters can be a great choice for most homes or businesses, especially with remaining concerns over the threat of COVID-19; however, buyers should beware that such filters can cause their HVAC units to work a bit harder, so this kind of air filter replacement should be considered with care. Our team at American Refrigeration Inc is well versed in these kinds of HVAC questions, and we’re happy to lend our expertise, so give us a call today to discuss your heating and cooling needs.
When it comes to a lot of things, bigger is usually better. After all, who doesn’t want a bigger mattress to lounge on or a bigger shower to rest and relax in? While these are some fairly obvious examples that most people would agree with, when it comes to other things like the appliances that you trust in your home or workplace, bigger isn’t necessarily always better.
Your HVAC system is a finely-tuned set of machinery, and it takes some special knowledge to know what makes it perform best and what can seem like a good idea but ultimately just be more of a strain than anything.
Read on for some more thoughts about HVAC installation and why you should work closely with a professional technician before deciding what size unit you’d like to install in your home.
Risks of units that are too small
Picking an air conditioning unit isn’t just about avoiding one that’s too big—it’s about finding one that’s the right size for your home or office. An air conditioner that’s too small for your space carries with it a few risks. First of all, it will likely never get your house down to the right temperature after the HVAC installation is completed and it’s up and running. It simply won’t have the muscle to bring everything down to a cool and consistent temperature.
Second, it’s going to be brutal on your electrical bills. It will be constantly running as it strains to meet the temperature you’ve set, but it likely will never quite get there, so it will burn through power at a very expensive and inefficient rate. This also means that it will have a shorter lifespan, and HVAC repair could be on the horizon sooner than it should be.
Risks of units that are too large
On the flipside, our experience in the field of HVAC repair informs us that air conditioners that are too big for a space can be harmful as well. First off, a large unit is not going to cool your home at the consistent rate that an HVAC system should. It will cool it down immediately and then shut off, which means that it’s not fully cycling. This can cause larger electrical bills and also wear out the unit faster.
It can help to understand the detrimental effect of a short cycle length by remembering that HVAC motors use far more power when starting up than when running, so short cycles leave you more susceptible to higher bills and a more frequent need for HVAC repair.
Next a quick cycle like the one described won’t properly dehumidify the home. It might bring temperatures down quickly, but there will still be an uncomfortable level of humidity in the air. Only a normal-length cycle can ensure that this humidity is effectively removed from your home’s breathable air.
Picking an air conditioner that’s the right size for your home can involve some research, but it’s also best to work side by side with HVAC installation professionals. Our team at American Refrigeration Inc has helped people heat and cool their homes for over 25 years, and we want to earn your business next, so call us today.
As a winemaker, you probably understand the importance of winery or glycol chillers in the overall winemaking process. The idea is to slow down the fermentation process to develop better flavor and finish. Winery chillers allow winemakers to precisely control the temperature of the wine so they can achieve a consistent, delicious result in every batch.
Here’s a brief overview of the winemaking process, to highlight why glycol and winery chillers are so important.
The winemaking process
Great wine starts with grapes, carefully harvested at the peak of flavor and ripeness. This ensures they have the right acids, tannins and sugars to create the wine. Once the grapes have been picked, the grapes are crushed or pressed to release the juices. Typically, this is done with mechanical presses, especially in larger wineries—grape stomping is more of a tourist attraction or special event these days.
Fermentation begins about 12 hours after the grapes are pressed, thanks to wild yeast floating around in the air. Modern winemakers tend to add precise amounts of their own yeast to each batch, which allows them more control over the final result. Some even kill off the wild yeast in order to add their own. The fermentation process converts all the natural sugars in the grapes into alcohol. This can take as little as 10 days, but can go on much longer, depending on the temperature. The higher the temperature, the faster the grapes ferment—but that’s not always a good thing. That’s why winemakers use winery chillers to control the process.
The clarification process is next, in which the winemaker will remove the sediment from the wine, using a filter or other methods. Finally, the wine is aged and bottled, depending on variety, and it’s ready to drink.
Temperature and winemaking
The basic steps to winemaking are simple, but when you want to consistently produce delicious wine, controlling the process is key. That’s where glycol chillers come in handy. Fermentation generates heat (it’s an exothermic process), which can speed up the process—but for better flavor, keeping the wine cool during fermentation is essential. It’s also important because each varietal requires different temperatures for ideal flavor and finish.
Plus, cool fermentation affects how much color is extracted from the grape skins—the next time you pour a glass of ruby red wine or a pretty pink rosé, you can thank glycol and winery chillers for making those vivid colors possible.
As you can see, the winemaking process depends on using winery chillers. If you care about the finished product, it’s crucial to invest in glycol or winery chillers—they’ll allow you to control the results and offer a superior product in every way.
The team at American Refrigeration Inc. is proud to offer high-quality commercial glycol and winery chillers. Call us today to learn more about our selection. We’ll be happy to help you find the right product for your facilities, and provide maintenance and repair services as needed. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Whether you own a hotel, restaurant, bar or other facility, having a commercial ice machine is an important part of your business. How do you know which size to get? Other than calling their ice machine sales, repair and maintenance company for advice, finding the answer to this question can stump business owners. If your machine is too large, it could take up valuable real estate. If it’s too small, you won’t be able to adequately supply customers, clients and employees as needed.
Here’s a quick guide to the right ice machine size.
General guidelines
You might already know how much ice you use on a daily basis—if so, that makes your decision a lot easier. If not, your ice needs depend on the type of business, the cubic feet of your cold bar and how many seats are in the establishment. Then you add 20 percent to the estimate to leave room for growth (and for rush crowds).
Typically, you want an ice bin that can hold about 75 to 80 percent of what your ice machine produces. The “head” or production unit might be able to make 500 pounds of ice per day. That means you’d need a bin that can hold 375 to 400 pounds—if you constantly use the ice, that is. For places like event halls and other places where ice isn’t constantly needed, look for a bin that holds 150 percent of the total production capacity. For 500 pounds of ice, you’d need a bin that could hold 750 pounds. Even if the ice has time to build up, you should be safe.
Restaurant sizing
To size a commercial ice machine for a restaurant, think about how many customers you serve per day and what types of service you offer. If you don’t have past sales data, you can use these guidelines to estimate. You may need multiple machines if your place includes a bar. Always add 20 percent to your estimate to account for rush crowds and growth.
A standard restaurant uses about 1.5 pounds per customer. If you serve cocktails or have a self-service beverage station, make it three pounds per customer. Meanwhile, drive-through customers use anywhere from five to 12 ounces per drink sold.
Other establishments
If you run a different type of establishment, keep these guidelines in mind:
Convenience stores: Use the same guidelines as a drive-through establishment.
Healthcare facilities: Estimate 10 pounds of ice per bed per day.
Hotels and motels: You’ll need about five pounds per room per day, and up to eight pounds per room per day if you expect people to fill their ice chests.
Cafeterias: Typically, you’ll need one pound of ice per customer.
Grocery stores: Estimate 35 pounds of ice per cubic foot of display each day. If you offer a beverage station, also use the convenience store and drive-through guidelines.
Following these guidelines will help you determine just how much ice you need.
Are your commercial refrigerators or freezers holding food at appropriate temperatures? If you don’t store food at the right temperature, it could enter the danger zone and potentially contain foodborne pathogens.
Reach-in refrigerator installation and food-safe temperatures
The purpose of commercial refrigerator installation is to provide a space to keep foods at cooler temperatures to slow down the growth of bacteria. They’re ideal for perishable foods like produce and cooked meats.
The average operating temperature for a commercial refrigerator (whether reach-in or walk-in) should stay between 35°F and 38°F. If temperatures fall below this range, you run the risk of freezing food that shouldn’t be frozen, like milk or dairy products. If temperatures reach above this range, the food could enter the danger zone, i.e., a temperature range between 40°F and 140°F where dangerous bacteria, including campylobacter, E. coli, salmonella enteritidis and staphylococcus aureus, multiply incredibly quickly.
You should never let food linger in this temperature range, since the food could spoil and cause foodborne illness. This applies to leftover food, too, since bacteria still grows on food even after it’s cooked.
You and any employees working at your business need to monitor temperatures regularly to ensure food never enters the danger zone in terms of temperature. Always shut the door to the unit when you’re not using it, since this leads to instant cooling loss.
Keep in mind that the bigger the refrigeration unit you have, the longer it takes to stabilize temperatures. If you’re planning to adjust the temperature of the unit, wait a full day, and check for an appropriate temperature before storing food inside.
Walk-in freezer installation and food-safe temperatures
Unlike a commercial refrigerator, which only slows the growth of bacteria, a commercial freezer is meant to halt the growth of bacteria completely. Different types of freezers should be set at different temperatures, and your installation technician will be sure to discuss safe operating temperatures with you. Here are the general guidelines:
Reach-in freezers: Between -10°F and 5°F
Walk-in freezers: Between -10°F and 0°F
Ice cream freezers: Between -20°F and -10°F
The wrong temperatures impact food safety for frozen foods, too. You also need to account for food quality by preventing freezer burn. Freezer-burned foods lose their color, aroma, flavor and even texture—it’s completely unappetizing. Freezer burn occurs when food is exposed to too much frost or air as it sits in the freezer. Make sure you’re properly storing your food and that your freezer is running efficiently; otherwise, you run the risk of turning your inventory into wasted profit potential. Keep the freezer door closed, and you’ll avoid temperature fluctuations that can spoil food.
Want to know more about commercial refrigerator or walk-in freezer installation? If your current unit isn’t performing as well as it should, contact American Refrigeration Inc today. We’re the top choice for commercial refrigeration installation and repair, ensuring worry-free operation and protecting your inventory.
