By now, many people across the United States have realized that they can save a significant amount of money on their energy bills by switching over to energy efficient appliances. This is especially true in commercial settings, where there are likely to be many more appliances eating up a whole lot more energy. In restaurants, hotels or cafeterias, for example, commercial refrigeration accounts for a significant portion of energy costs.
But when exactly is the right time to purchase energy efficient commercial refrigeration in Eugene, OR? Is it better to replace an appliance that is currently functioning well, or wait until it dies to replace it with a more efficient unit?
This can be a difficult question to answer for companies that have tight budgets and might not necessarily want to spring for a new commercial refrigeration unit right away. But it’s one that’s worth answering. To do so, consider the following factors:
The cost of the appliance versus the savings you’ll earn: Models that use less energy cost less to operate than other comparable appliances that are not made to be energy efficient. This we know. But you also have to factor in the upfront cost of the appliance itself. Will you eventually recoup the purchase price? Consider how much you spent for your current units, how long ago you paid for those units and how much you would potentially spend on a new one. In many cases, unless you have brand new appliances, the switch to energy efficient commercial refrigerators could make a significant difference.
Available sales: If you know there are going to be sales on refrigeration units at certain times of the year, then it’s worth putting off your purchase until you know you can get a discount. This is especially true for companies that are operating on tighter budgets and are on the fence about whether or not they want to make the upgrade to their equipment.
Incentives: There are a number of rebates and recycling programs from local utility companies, as well as a variety of government tax incentives, that can benefit people and businesses that decide to purchase energy efficient appliances. Therefore, not only will your operating costs be lower when running the equipment, but you could also save money in taxes or other costs. You must factor this into your calculations as well.
Selling your business: If you are planning on selling your business at any time soon, it can actually be a good idea to upgrade your appliances in advance of the sale. Already having energy efficient appliances, like commercial refrigerators, on site can add to the appraised value of your property and increase what you can get out of the sale.
Do you have further questions about purchasing energy efficient commercial refrigeration in Eugene, OR? If so, we encourage you to reach out to our professional team at American Refrigeration, Inc. today. We look forward to working with you and finding the best solutions to your commercial refrigeration needs.
If you own a restaurant, grocery store or any other type of business that makes heavy use of commercial refrigeration, then you know the importance of keeping the refrigeration unit as clean and well maintained as possible. However, many companies do not necessarily understand all of the cleaning tasks they need to accomplish, or the frequency with which they need to perform them.
There are several different aspects of keeping your commercial refrigeration in Eugene, OR clean:
All food should be properly culled and rotated so only fresh food is being served. Old, spoiled food will contaminate the refrigerator, and potentially other foods.
Food must be properly labeled and stored in containers, and separated according to all health code regulations. This helps to avoid raw and cooked foods mingling.
All shelves, drawers and bins should be kept clean to prevent bacteria from forming and foul odors from growing.
Any mechanical elements, such as coils and gaskets, should be regularly cleaned and maintained to keep the unit in good working order.
The exterior surface should be cleaned frequently to avoid potential cross-contamination of germs, as there are likely many different people who touch the unit on a daily basis.
Strategies for cleaning commercial refrigeration in Eugene, OR
Now that you know what needs to be done, it’s important you know how to accomplish it.
The most basic cleanings should occur after every shift. Take the time to inspect the exterior surface and give it a wipe down so it looks clean and ready to go for the next day’s work. Pay specific attention to the handle of the unit, as that is where most germs are likely to congregate. There are plenty of special cleaners made for refrigerator use. These cleaners should never have dyes, acids, ammonia, butyl, caustics or harsh fragrances.
If you do not prepare food but simply have a refrigerator on hand, make sure employees always take care of any messes that form inside the refrigerator. Even if these refrigerators are just used to store lunches, there can still be leaks that occur inside them.
Beyond daily cleanings, you should engage in weekly deep cleaning sessions. These should be performed with a heavy-duty cleaning agent meant for commercial use. Empty food into another refrigerator or stack it into ice-filled coolers first. This is a good time to throw away any food that has spoiled or reached its expiration date. Unplug the refrigerator, then wipe the entire interior clean using a non-toxic cleaner. Work from top to bottom, and remove the drawers to soak them, clean them and rinse them, letting them dry before putting them back in.
Finally, you should also periodically clean the gaskets, seals, condenser coil and fan. Gaskets can simply soak in a soap and water solution, and then be reattached once they’re dry. Condenser coils must be dusted on a regular basis with a safe, water-based coil cleaner. Fan blades should only be cleaned with a soft cloth.
For more information about cleaning commercial refrigeration in Eugene, OR, contact American Refrigeration Inc. today.
Appliances are not always the most affordable, so when businesses purchase things like freezers and refrigerators, it is necessary for them to take care of them if they want to keep them in working order and avoid having to repair or replace them. To many, “working order” means that the unit is doing its job, but this doesn’t necessarily indicate that it is running efficiently. To address this issue, there are a number of things that business owners will want to do to ensure they can avoid having to repair their unit too often or buy a new one.
Here are a few ways to keep your unit running efficiently when you’re looking to avoid commercial freezer repair in Eugene OR:
Keep the back of your freezer clean: Freezers tend to be large and can be made from a number of materials, but all of them can get dirty. Like other appliances, a freezer can easily accumulate dust, especially on its back. Because this can cause your freezer to require more energy to keep your food cold, regular cleaning is necessary. If possible, check your unit once a week, as this can prevent a huge buildup of dust and keep your energy bill low.
Limit how long you keep the doors open: It is fairly easy for people to leave their freezer doors open longer than necessary, especially when they cannot find what it is they are looking for inside. However, that doesn’t mean it is acceptable to do this. Considering this can affect how efficiently your unit runs and cause it to use more energy, it would be wise for people to limit how long they have the door open, but also how frequently they open the freezer door.
Eliminate gaps in the door seals: Warm air getting into your freezer means that your food will not be able to stay frozen. If warm air is getting into your freezer, it is probably a result of gaps in the door seals. You will want to check your doors and eliminate any gaps. Make checking for gaps part of your regular maintenance routine, because ensuring that it is sealed properly means your food will be safe and cold and your unit can run efficiently and not use up too much energy.
Watch where you place your freezer: Placing your freezer in a location that will cause it to be too cold or too hot is not a good idea because it can affect your unit and your food. For example, next to a radiator would be a bad location, because your freezer will have to work harder to keep your food cold. Placing it in a location that is cold, meanwhile, will confuse your unit and cause it to not keep your food as cold as you need it to be.
If businesses do all that they can to keep their unit running efficiently, they are less likely to have to get it repaired. In addition, they are helping to ensure that their unit will last as long as it is expected to last. However, this doesn’t mean that your freezer won’t ever need to be repaired, as the parts also have a life expectancy. When it is time for a repair, calling a professional to get the job done would be a good idea.
Are you in need of commercial freezer repair in Eugene OR? Contact American Refrigeration Inc. for assistance.
When working in an office or restaurant, people are often distracted by their work busy interacting with customers and clients. With everyone being so busy focusing on the job at hand, many people may not realize that there is an HVAC system that must be maintained. Although there are plenty of good reasons why those in these environments forget to show their HVAC some TLC, that doesn’t make them exempt from the many consequences of neglect.
Here are some of the consequences of failing to invest in commercial HVAC repairs in Eugene, OR:
Poor performance: When your unit was first installed, it probably performed efficiently with no problems, but over time that performance may have decreased. A poorly maintained HVAC system will perform much less efficiently than it did when it was first installed. As a result of the system’s poor performance, you’ll likely experience an increase in your monthly energy bill because your HVAC will be working harder to do its job.
Health will be negatively affected: There are a variety of ways to properly maintain your system, but one of the most common maintenance tasks is the changing of the filter. When the filter is not changed, it is unable to filter out particles that can cause you and others in the office harm when they are breathed in. If you want to keep yourself healthy, you’ll want to make sure you maintain your system and change the filter when necessary.
Unit may break down faster: Similar to a car that has not been maintained, an HVAC breakdown is likely to occur at some point. The more you neglect your HVAC system, the faster it will break down. When this happens, there are some cases where you will need to just replace it instead of repair it because it is simply too damaged. Regular maintenance will keep your unit working the way it is supposed to and prevent it from completely shutting down on you.
Unnecessary repairs will need to be performed: Failure to maintain your HVAC system will lead to otherwise unnecessary repairs having to be performed on your unit. The reason they would be considered unnecessary is that they could have been avoided if the unit had been properly maintained, rather than neglected. With most HVAC maintenance being simple and more affordable than repairs, it is something business owners and building managers should stay on top of on a regular basis.
If you want to avoid things like poor health, system replacement and unnecessary HVAC repairs in Eugene, OR, then you want to avoid neglecting your HVAC system. It is easy to forget about your HVAC system because it is not something you see every day, but it is just as easy for this lack of maintenance to negatively impact your business in a number of ways. With a bit of maintenance helping you have better control, you’ll be pleased with your decision when you have a system that is running properly and you don’t have to spend money on otherwise avoidable repairs.
Want to learn more? American Refrigeration Inc. can answer any questions you have about commercial HVAC repairs in Eugene, OR and much more.
Businesses like restaurants, cafeterias, grocery stores, hotels and more all require the use of commercial refrigeration. If a unit breaks down, it could lead to a lot of unneeded trouble for the business owner. Therefore, it is important that anyone who owns a business that relies on the use of commercial refrigeration do everything they can to keep their units properly maintained so they can extend the life of the unit and avoid major repairs.
One of the best ways to accomplish this is through cleaning commercial refrigeration in Eugene, OR. Here are a few tips about how to clean each part of the unit.
How to clean the condenser coils
As condenser coils become dirtier, they lead to the unit needing to work harder to accomplish the same task. This can lead to overheating and the eventual damage of some important parts of the equipment. Therefore, condenser coils should be cleaned once a month at the very least to ensure their longevity.
Condenser coils are not always located in the same spot, so you may need to check the manual or with the person installing the unit to figure out exactly where yours is located. Once you’ve found it, you’re going to want to clean it off with a commercial cleaner made specifically for these types of coils, sold at any location that provides kitchen equipment. Use a brush to scrub off the condenser fins, using a top-to-bottom motion as you scrub. After you’ve finished with the fins, make sure you straighten out any you’ve bent in the process with a comb.
How to clean the interior of the commercial refrigerator
The interior of the unit is what the customers are typically going to see, and so you’re going to want to pay more attention to aesthetics here. Therefore, you’re not going to want to use hard brushes or steel wool to clean, as it could cause a lot of damage to the finish and scratches to the interior. Additionally, you will want to avoid harsh chemicals or bleach, as they could leave behind unwanted scents or chemical coatings. The last thing you want is to negatively impact the flavor of the food.
Instead, use a simple mixture of a mild soap and warm water and gently wipe the inside of your unit with a towel. Additionally, once a week, you should take all of the gaskets off the refrigerator and let them soak in soapy water for a half hour or so. Then you can dry them off and put them back on the unit.
How to clean the fan blades and motor
You should also clean the blades and motor about once a month. This is a simple process—just use a soft cloth and run it over the fan blades and motor. If you notice the fan blades are particularly dirty, cover the motor with a dry cloth and use a damp cloth to wipe the blades. This will make sure no moisture seeps into the motor.
For more tips for cleaning commercial refrigeration in Eugene, OR, contact the team at American Refrigeration Inc. today!
