If you are about to open a new brewery or winery in the Eugene area, you are probably feeling equal parts excitement and stress. The craft beer and wine culture around here ensures that you’ll get plenty of curious customers coming your way. However, the local level of excellence also means that your product will be up against some stiff competition. In this kind of environment, a brewery or winery needs every advantage it can get to ensure it yields a great tasting drink for its customers.
One very important factor, of course, is the equipment you chose to have installed. When installing equipment and commercial HVAC in Eugene, OR, there are several important things for any brewer or vintner to consider, such as placement, ventilation and much more. As a business that provides key equipment services like installing commercial HVAC in Eugene, OR, we are pretty well versed in the topic. Read on to learn more about what we have observed over the years.
Inspect first: One of the things that many brewers and vintners wish they’d known before starting a brewery or winery is that the integrity and quirks of a certain location can greatly impact your production and success, especially when first starting out. Before you start installing everything, have a professional conduct a very detailed inspection of the property. That way, you will know about any potential problems before all your heavy equipment is already in place.
Find a local specialist: Hiring a general plumber, construction crew and HVAC contractor might work for a regular restaurant, but wineries and breweries have rules of their own, and it really helps to have the assistance of someone who has gone through it before. Fortunately, American Refrigeration Inc. specializes in winery and brewery commercial HVAC in Eugene, OR.
Don’t skimp on equipment: We know that starting any new business is very expensive, and breweries and wineries are no exception. But in spite of this, you really do not want to cut costs when it comes to ensuring you have the best equipment. After all, having a key piece of your production process cut out after only a couple batches will set you back way more than the initial cost of quality equipment.
Consider placement: A fine-tuned brewery or winery is a bit like an assembly line, with one batch moving out of one stage just as a new batch moves in. Having your equipment placed in the right spots can greatly cut down on labor and production time. If you are not sure what placement is best, ask a winery or brewery owner, manager or general expert whom you trust for a little guidance.
Remember ventilation: Finally, breweries and wineries can produce a lot of strong smells. A certain amount can be appealing to customers, as it is a sign that their beer or wine will be fresh from the source. But too much of the smell is just sickening. To make sure your odor doesn’t turn customers away, it is very important to make sure you have a proper ventilation system set up.
American Refrigeration Inc. is here to assist you with your brewery and winery equipment needs, including commercial HVAC in Eugene, OR. Call us today to learn more.
Commercial HVAC in Eugene, OR is such an issue for brewers that the Brewer’s Association puts out an energy manual on this very topic. Cost savings and efficiency are the top concerns and are often very industry-specific. Food and employee safety regulations add more to this complex picture and before long, it appears impossible for any small brewery to stay in business.
However, this can all become manageable by hiring a commercial HVAC specialist who understands the needs and often delicate balances. In fact, when asked what they would do differently, seasoned brewers indicate they would hire local specialists for their HVAC needs. Here are four of those needs that are unique to breweries.
1. Customized refrigeration
Some beers are meant to be served cold and others at room temperature. Health standards also place requirements on keeping beverages cool before being served. In order to keep beers at their optimal temperatures, this often means separate refrigeration elements for each type of beer, sometimes for each keg attached to a tap. This can be challenging for contractors who deal primarily with large restaurant freezers, but for an HVAC company that frequently helps breweries, this is a normal occurrence.
2. Venting
Fumes and smells are just facts of the fermentation process. Venting is also required for the early boiling steps as steam cannot build up inside if unvented. If you have employees and visitors, safety standards come into play along with ensuring beer quality. The trick is to offer the venting without risking beer quality due to outside elements. This delicate balance means adjustments to the HVAC system that are unique to places that brew beer or make wine.
3. Cost savings
Brewing means high energy consumption. The brewing process includes boiling, heating, mixing and cooling with many extremes that put demands on HVAC systems. A skilled technician can make adjustments for energy savings to not only assure the long-term function of the system but also prevent large utility bills from threatening a small brewery’s financial solvency.
4. Environment temperatures
In the extremes of heating and cooling, there is also an ambient temperature to maintain for the safety and comfort of employees and visitors. This can be extremely demanding for HVAC systems; if a brewery is boiling mash in the dead of summer, not only does the system need to provide heat for that process, but it must also account for keeping areas cooled for the human inhabitants. As it is not always practical to match brewing needs with environmental ones, HVAC needs to be streamlined to manage these conflicting functions.
Breweries that double as venues need to give this extra consideration. A too-hot brewpub is likely to push away customers in the summer as much as not enough heating in the winter. Employees may be accustomed to periods of extreme temperatures but the same cannot be said for consumers.
Whether your brewery requires an upgrade or you are looking to produce the next big summer IPA, contact American Refrigeration Inc for all of your needs regarding commercial HVAC in Eugene, OR. We can create a customized system that will support your beer making, employee safety and customer comfort all at once while ensuring efficiency and controlling costs.
The largest expense for small wineries is often the cost of commercial refrigeration in Eugene, OR. About 50 to 70 percent of utility effort is put into cooling, stabilizing and storing wine. If you want your boutique dream to remain cost-effective and profitable, taking measures to repair and maintain your commercial refrigeration will save costs and keep your wine palatable. Here are five measures to add efficiency to your system.
1. Review your utility bill regularly
You cannot schedule repairs or maintenance unless you know something is wrong. The first signs of shortcomings in your commercial refrigeration system will be in your utility bills. Keep records of usage and patterns; like any business, you will have higher usage at different times of the year. When an irregularity appears, perform an inspection to find any shortcomings or contact a commercial refrigeration specialist to diagnose possible problems.
2. Repair leaks
Tank jackets can leak solenoids or show water vapor, both of which indicate that there is inefficient cooling on the inside. Just as with other HVAC or refrigeration systems, coolant leaks can also lead to higher bills and less efficiency that can cut into your bottom line. You will often detect these leaks after a spike in your utility bill, so give your tank jackets a check.
3. Know when to keep refrigeration running
Wineries often lose money running their commercial refrigeration all the time. This also increases wear-and-tear on the system so repairs become more necessary and frequent. If the wine is not in a cooling period, shut down the refrigeration plant. Make sure you follow the specific shut-down procedures or you risk blowing a power supply. You will also have to follow start-up procedures carefully when it is time to turn the system back on again.
4. Adjust for winter and summer schedules
Needs change not just by the wine’s stage but also by season. The most efficiency is possible during the winter when ambient temperature is lower. However, systems will be taxed more during warmer temperatures. Schedule steps needing cooler temperatures for night to allow less drain on systems. In the summer, focus primarily on storage as the warmer temperatures will make keeping cooler temperatures difficult. Timing wine production and commercial refrigeration needs by season can also make a big difference.
5. Don’t overlook maintenance tasks
Maintenance now can mean avoiding large repair bills later. Clean condensers are more effective, require less energy and are less likely to break. Blocked brine strainers can continue to eat up energy and also destroy entire batches of wine if not fixed. If you hire a professional to perform maintenance tasks, find one who has experience with commercial refrigeration as it relates to wineries. This is a specialist industry with particular considerations. Find the right expert, and you will likely receive guidance on keeping your equipment in top shape.
American Refrigeration Inc offers expertise in commercial refrigeration in Eugene, OR and also understands wineries. We can help you maintain, repair or install any commercial refrigeration equipment needed by your winery. Give us a call to see what we can do for you.
American Refrigeration Inc is growing, and with that, we offer employment opportunities in commercial refrigeration here in Eugene, OR. If you have a background in commercial HVAC, refrigeration, and heating and air conditioning repair, there is likely an opportunity here for you at our company. As our repair staff grows, we will also need dispatch and telephone personnel to be the first line of contact for our customers. Here is some information about our company and what we do to help you determine if you are a match.
About our company
Located in Eugene, OR, American Refrigeration Inc started in 1995. We serve a variety of businesses from Eugene all the way north to Portland. Our focus includes offering dependable and high-quality service. We also work to keep our rates competitive so customers feel they receive a good value with trustworthy repairs and installation.
Our services
Our primary specialty is in commercial HVAC systems. We provide maintenance, installation, remodeling and major repairs. Some clients require basic repairs and we are just as committed to those, meaning no job is too small.
Our technicians work on air conditioning and heating systems, gas heating units and refrigeration in a variety of settings. We serve the restaurant industry and wineries, along with farms and agribusiness. If you work for us, be prepared to travel and learn about new industries.
While much of our work is scheduled, we also provide emergency services. People who work for us will spend some time on call for these incidents that can happen anytime during the day or night. Part of our reliability is diminishing anxiety when customers face the likelihood of going without heating, cooling or ventilation. In most industries, this can prove to be disastrous.
Who are we looking for?
If you have repair and customer service skills, we would love to hear from you. We look for people who embrace our ethic of dependability and commitment to providing the best work.
You will need to be prepared for different settings, lots of travel and sometimes, long days. If there is an emergency situation, you may be out for a night making sure a restaurant or agricultural business does not lose its inventory or food supply. In some ways, you will likely have to make the customer’s emergency your own so you can devote good time to solving the issue.
We also have some unique specialties that include walk-in coolers, ice machines, reach-in coolers, refrigerated warehouses, custom wine vaults and freezers designed for particular industries. While heating and cooling systems are often similar, you may find yourself learning on the job at times, or you will have to be open to additional training. Basically, you will find a dynamic opportunity where you need to be willing to learn.
If you are customer-oriented, a skilled HVAC technician or have experience with dispatch, we would love to hear from you. As we grow, so do available employment opportunities in commercial refrigeration in Eugene, OR. We look forward to hearing from you and to offering the best services for our customers.
Summer is just around the corner and you need to consider maintenance for your commercial HVAC, even in Eugene, OR. With a dry, hot summer predicted, you do not need to have your cooling systems failing. For restaurants, this can mean uncomfortable patrons and wasted food. With other industries, failed systems can compromise worker productivity and electronic systems. To prevent these scenarios, here are some HVAC maintenance routines you should consider before the hot temperatures begin.
Cleaning
Cleaning tasks can require professional help, but some of them you can do on your own. Start trimming vegetation growing around your air conditioning unit. Many breakdowns occur because the unit sucks in the plants and jams up the operations. Dead leaves from fall, overgrown grass, and fallen tree branches can all pose a threat. After you clear the plants, consider cleaning your air filter too. If it is not accessible, contact your commercial HVAC contractor.
Have your system checked over
Even with your surface cleaning, there can be some issues that you will not see. HVAC contractors can also check drains and clean deeper within the unit. This can be especially important for any outside equipment that likely went ignored all through the rainy winter. Fan blades can also be cleaned and lubricated for more efficient operation. A breakdown of any of these components can be expensive and stressful, so investing in this preventive maintenance can be worth the time and money. Your HVAC professional can also find issues before they become serious matters, which can save you more time and money wasted on costly repairs.
Consider upgrading thermostats
Older thermostats may not keep temperatures steady and can even stop working altogether. Anyone who has shown up at work to find that the HVAC system has not activated all night will know the dangers of a failing thermostat. With new technology emerging in this area, this could be a good time to look into an upgrade. Programming temperatures with a computerized thermostat can save money and resources by reducing the load on the system when no one is there. You can even make adjustments with your smart phone if you forget to adjust before leaving. While maintaining a temperature of 65 degrees makes sense when workers and customers are on the premises, raising that to 70 degrees when it is empty can mean lower utility bills.
Check windows and doors
Cracks, nooks and crannies in windows and doors lead to air leakage and inefficiency. Checking the seals is just as important in the summer as it is in the winter. Keeping the cool air in your buildings means less stress on your HVAC system and better temperatures indoors. This measure will also mean benefits when your monthly utility bill arrives.
Time for a complete overhaul?
No one likes to think of it, but sometimes systems are just too old and inefficient to be worth the effort and repair. Also, technology changes almost yearly and improved systems mean better heating, cooling and refrigeration. If your system is more than 10 years old, having your HVAC contractor look it over and make recommendations on new efficiencies will save costs in the long run for both utility bills and repairs.
Contact American Refrigeration Inc today to schedule a maintenance appointment for your commercial HVAC in Eugene, OR. If you spend money on small tasks now, it means worrying less about major repairs later.
