If it’s your first time purchasing a commercial ice machine, or you haven’t bought one in a long time, you might find it useful to learn some helpful tips about how to determine the right product for your needs.
Then, if you find that you require ice machine repair in Eugene, OR, contact the skilled team at American Refrigeration Inc. We’ll provide you with the best possible service at a competitive rate.
Before you worry about potential repairs, though, here are some factors to consider during your decision-making process:
Ice output and production rate: This is the most important factor to consider when purchasing a commercial ice machine. You don’t want to end up with a piece of equipment that doesn’t produce enough ice to meet the demands of your business, so think through how much ice you need before you make a purchase.
Available space: How much space will you have for your new ice machine to function to its fullest capacity? Take measurements as part of your decision-making process, and be sure to allow for additional space on the top, bottom and sides of the machine. If you don’t have a lot of space or want a more versatile option, consider an upright model, which will require less room and may offer more flexible placement locations.
Electricity requirements: A commercial ice machine with a small output will likely require only the capacity for a 110V or 115V hookup, plus a water line. On the other hand, if you know that you will need a commercial ice machine with a higher output, you’ll likely require a 220V hookup and may have other specific electrical needs. Know what your electricity requirements are before hand so that you don’t find yourself scrambling to make electrical changes to your facility after ordering your equipment.
Type of ice produced: Do you have a preference for the type of ice that your new ice machine will produce for your customers? Ice can come in cubes, partial cubes, crushed flakes or a variety of other consistencies. While cube ice and nugget ice are the types you likely want if beverages are your primary reason for needing to produce ice, you’ll want to think about the style of ice that makes the most sense for your business if you’ll be using ice in multiple ways.
Filtered water preference: Some commercial ice machines come equipped with water filters. If you live in an area with hard water, it may be a logical decision to purchase an ice machine with a water filter, as without a water filter, impurities that can enter the ice machine or form inside may result in a shorter product life for your new purchase.
Now that you’re up to speed on what kind of questions to ask yourself when purchasing a commercial ice machine, it’s helpful to know where to turn for ice machine repair in Eugene, OR if your equipment malfunctions. The technicians at American Refrigeration Inc. offer high-quality commercial equipment repair and bring a wealth of knowledge to help keep your new purchase running as smoothly as possible. For any questions or for repair needs, contact us today.
Whether you own or lease your commercial building, you need to take it upon yourself to ensure your cooling and heating system is working properly. Not only do your customers, clients and employees depend on their environment remaining comfortable all year long, but so does the condition of the interior of your building and its contents—especially perishable products like food. Regular maintenance can reduce energy bills and usage, while also saving you from having to pay for expensive system repairs. So, whether you have an old building or a newer structure, there are important things that should be done to your heating system in preparation for cooler temperatures.
With that in mind, here are five crucial maintenance items to get your commercial HVAC in Eugene, OR ready for the cold winter months:
Check the building’s thermostat: First, there are a few signs that point to the need for a new thermostat device. If it’s an older model, it may not function well with your heating system; should the temperature reading displayed on the thermostat screen not match the indoor temperature, there could be a mechanical issue. Because an accurate thermostat is truly a money and energy saver, take a close look at it at the start of each new season.
Change all system filters: A big part of regular commercial HVAC maintenance is changing the filters—how often you do so will depend on the size of your building, amount of use and indoor air quality. Although clean heater system air filters are necessary for proper airflow throughout your building, you must also take into account the quality of the filters. Can they remove air pollutants like mold spores, pollen and dust? How long will they last? If filters are damaged or dirty, they are liable to cause the heating system to overwork.
Clean the ductwork: When the HVAC is on, warm or cool air is transported through the building’s ductwork. But over time, ducts collect dirt, dust and other airborne particles inside them that can get dispersed to rooms within your building. Regular duct inspections and cleanings can preserve the indoor air quality, as well as see to it that ducts are free of damage.
Inspect for leaks: There’s more than one way for air leaks to appear. Leaks can be due to the age of the building, holes in ductwork or busted weather seals around doors and windows. Fixing air leak issues makes your building more comfortable to be in, and the heating unit will run more efficiently.
Get a furnace tune-up: Since you want you to use your heating system come winter, it’s important that you have your furnace inspected in advance of the cooler months. If there are problems, then they can be dealt with early. Also, kick on the building’s heater for a test run—listen for strange sounds, smell for odd odors and make sure it’s actually heating up.
The key to maintaining a comfortable indoor environment this winter is to ensure your heating system is up to par. To schedule an appointment to have your commercial HVAC in Eugene, OR looked at, or for system and equipment repairs, don’t hesitate to contact the team at American Refrigeration Inc. today.
You may not need a huge walk-in wine refrigerator or a massive wine vault for your dining establishment, but it’s a good investment to have a decent sized cooler to preserve the taste and quality of what’s offered on your wine list. After all, though bottled, wine needs storing at the right temperatures before being served. But none of this can happen when a wine chiller is not maintained properly or inspected on a regular basis. From cleaning the inside of the refrigeration unit to checking all electrical components, don’t put off important preventative maintenance—do it yourself or hire a pro.
If you are like most people, you want to avoid needing restaurant refrigeration repair in Eugene, OR. Let’s take a look at some helpful tips to keep your business’s wine cooler running efficiently.
Place it in an ideal location
The first thing you want to take into consideration is the placement of the wine refrigerator’s ventilation system. Units with front ventilation can slip under counters just fine, or you can even custom-build them into your bar’s or kitchen’s cabinetry or shelving. Wine coolers without front ventilation should not be placed in confined spaces, unless there are at least a few inches of breathing room on each side. Alternatively, leave front or side vented wine refrigerators standing on their own, as long as ventilation grates are not hindered.
A word of caution: To protect your wine from high temperatures that will ruin your product, keep wine coolers away from direct sunlight and sources of heat, like stoves and other large appliances.
Don’t overload with bottles
Bottle shape plays a role in whether you can chill six oversized bottles of sparkling wine per rack or eight regular shaped chardonnays and still be able to have organized rows. Professional grade wine refrigerators are typically made to hold standard size bottles of wine (that’s 750 ml per bottle). Consider this: not only does overloading your wine fridge run the risk of bottles falling out and an overworked refrigerator, it also won’t chill your wine to the proper drinking temperature. This can lead to spoilage.
If your restaurant or bar serves a variety of wine in different bottle shapes and sizes, then it’s best to purchase a large capacity wine cooler to accommodate your wine selection.
Keep it clean
Hands down, cleaning your wine refrigeration unit will ensure that it performs as it should. While wiping it down, take the opportunity to inspect for frost buildup on the inside, as well as moisture pooling around or inside of the cooling unit. Always remove bottles and shelves and unplug it from its power source before a cleaning. Clean it so you don’t have to spend money on restaurant refrigeration repair in Eugene, OR every month, especially repairs that are easily avoided with occasional cleanings.
At American Refrigeration Inc., we are here to help with all your needs for restaurant refrigeration repair in Eugene, OR. This includes, but is not limited to, repairs to specialty equipment like custom wine vaults, walk-in coolers and reach-in coolers. Call us today!
If you have improper levels of humidity in your commercial refrigeration equipment, this could not only cause poor visibility through glass doors and windows, but also damage the food items you have inside the units. Therefore, it’s extremely important that you be familiar with the different humidity levels for each type of commercial refrigeration in Eugene, OR, so you can keep your inventory as fresh as possible.
Here is some information about humidity levels in various types of coolers and refrigerators, from highest to lowest humidity:
Floral coolers: Coolers that are storing flowers tend to have much higher humidity levels than other types of units, as you need to be able to prevent the flowers from drying out, wilting and falling apart. You’re going to keep humidity at 90 percent or higher at temperatures between 35 and 45 degrees. Flowers also require gentle airflow to keep them fresh, which you should also account for in your cooler.
Fresh meats and fish: When storing fresh meat and fish in commercial refrigeration, you should maintain 85 to 90 percent humidity at a temperature of 35 degrees. The higher levels of humidity in meat coolers prevent the meat from losing its weight while sitting in storage. Otherwise, evaporation could cause the meats to begin to shrivel up.
Beverages (beer): When storing beers and other beverages, keep humidity between 60 and 75 percent at a temperature of 35 degrees. This is especially important for the rare beer that has a cork in it. When humidity is too low, the cork can dry out, but if the humidity is too high, then you could have mold begin forming in the beer.
Beverages (wine): When storing wine, maintain a 55 to 70 percent humidity level at a temperature of 45 degrees. Wine corks can also become dried out if the humidity levels are too low. When this happens, the top of the cork will likely crack or shrink, exposing the wine to the air and ultimately spoiling it. If the environment is too damp, the cork could begin to develop mold, which would also ruin the wine.
Produce: Keep all fruits and vegetables in refrigeration environments that maintain a 60 to 75 percent humidity level at a temperature of 55 degrees. Moderate levels of humidity in this refrigeration prevent the fruits and vegetables from shriveling up and becoming unappealing to customers. Most grocery store customers associate the appearance of produce with its freshness, so keeping this appearance is extremely important. Additionally, having humidity too high could cause mold to begin to form on fruits and vegetables.
These are general guidelines you will need to follow for each of these different types of refrigeration systems and products, but as always, you should consult your equipment manual for more detailed information and guidelines. If you find yourself in need of any repairs or other work done to your commercial refrigeration in Eugene, OR to ensure you are able to maintain these proper humidity levels and temperatures, contact our trusted team today at American Refrigeration Inc.
If you run a business in Eugene, OR that has commercial refrigeration and ice machines, you are most likely at some point going to have to have your equipment repaired. Having an understanding of how your ice machine works and the most common problems experienced with those types of machines will help you to know when you need to enlist the services of a repair specialist. Ultimately, the work of a professional will save you time and money, as they’ll get the job done correctly the first time and keep your equipment running great long into the future.
With all this in mind, here is a list of the most common forms of ice machine repair in Eugene, OR that you might have to make at some point:
Poor water flow: If you aren’t getting enough water coming into your filter, this means your ice production will more than likely be affected as well. If this is the case, professionals can figure out why the water flow has slowed down and work to improve it. In some situations, however, bad water flow could merely be a symptom of other larger problems within your system, in which case additional repairs could be necessary.
Leaks: If you have a leak in your ice machine’s inlet water valve, the ice cubes forming in the system will become larger than usual. While this might not seem like a problem initially, it could eventually become a larger issue as these ice cubes get bigger and bigger and eventually get stuck in the production line. This will stall the entire machine. If you notice this problem happening, unplug the icemaker until a professional has looked at it.
Buildup of minerals or ice: A buildup of ice or minerals on the evaporator plate or various other parts inside your ice machine can cause malfunctions to occur. Therefore, you should simply have your ice machine regularly cleaned and serviced to keep this buildup to a minimum and ensure your machine is constantly functioning as efficiently as possible.
Higher water temperature: If you have water coming into your ice machine that’s 90 degrees or more, it’s going to take significantly longer to freeze, which will stall your ice production. This likely isn’t due to an issue with your ice machine—it’s more likely to be caused by other appliances you have in the area, such as dishwashers, that are putting hot water into the cold water line. Therefore, you might consider asking your repair professional to check out some of the other appliances you have as well.
High room temperature: Unlike the other items on this list, this definitely does not have anything to do with the ice machine itself, but is still a problem often uncovered by repair professionals working on an ice machine. If the temperature in your room is extremely warm, the ice machine is going to try to work too hard and ultimately will not be able to produce ice. This is especially problematic in areas without air conditioning during hot summer days.
For more information about ice machine repair in Eugene, OR, contact us today at American Refrigeration Inc.
