Your day-to-day business relies on proper refrigeration. If your commercial cooler quits, you can face significant losses. Because your commercial coolers are essential to the safety and success of your restaurant, it is important to be familiar with signs of a malfunctioning unit in order to know when to call for repairs.
If your cooler exhibits any of the following issues, don’t hesitate, seek commercial cooler repair in Eugene, OR right away to save yourself from a cooler disaster.
High humidity inside the cooler: This is a sign that your cooler unit’s door gaskets may be worn out. This is a common issue that develops over time as a cooler ages. Worn gaskets allow air into and out of the cooler, resulting in water on the floor and high humidity within the cooler space. Not only can this be slippery and dangerous, it can also spoil any products you have in your cooler.
Door doesn’t always close: If you’re noticing that the door on your cooler doesn’t always stay shut, it’s typically a sign that it has a worn closure assist. This results in a partially open door or a door that won’t remain closed. When this happens, the cooler must work harder to keep contents cooled, shortening the lifespan of the unit. It can also result in spoiled cooler contents if a door is left open too long and the temperature rises.
Ice build-up or leaks: When ice starts to appear, it is a sign of a failed heater strip. Without a working heater strip, ice can build up around the frame of the unit. Additionally, if you notice water leaking from the cooler’s seams it is not a good sign. Leaking water may be due to poor installation or the old age of the cooler. Not only may your cooler be working improperly, leaks can also create slippery surfaces that pose health hazards to you and employees.
Improper air flow: If your unit has frozen coils, the evaporator may be clogged with dirt or other debris. It is important to restore proper air flow to the evaporator, as this part performs the cooling function. This could also be a sign of low refrigerant level. Always seek professional assistance to adjust refrigerant levels.
Condensation: If “sweat” forms on the outside of the cooler, something is amiss. Damaged or worn seals, gaskets or door closure mechanisms could all be to blame. Left unchecked, the problem will only worsen and result in spoiled goods and further damage to the unit.
Noise: Strange noises accompanying the usual steady hum of your unit’s operation are an indication that your compressor or exhaust fan are in trouble. If the compressor goes out, you may have to replace the entire unit. If you hear unusual noises, have your unit checked by a professional right away.
Commercial coolers require specialized knowledge beyond regular refrigerator repair. If you experience any of the above issues, contact a professional service for commercial cooler repair in Eugene, OR. To learn more about how commercial cooler technicians can support your refrigeration needs, contact the experts at American Refrigeration Inc. today.
To continue providing excellent service and delicious meals to your patrons, you must have properly working equipment. A key component of your equipment operations is refrigeration. What would happen if your commercial refrigerator stopped working? This could spell disaster. To avoid this stressful issue, make it a habit to get routine service for your refrigerator units. Regular maintenance will help you avoid restaurant refrigeration repair in Eugene, OR.
For proper commercial cooler maintenance, consider scheduling the following services on a regular basis:
Door maintenance
This is an area often overlooked by restaurant owners. Because the door has no electrical parts, they often assume it needs no maintenance. This is not true. The gaskets, hinges, and hardware greatly affect the operation of your cooler. If not sealed properly, faulty doors can cause leaks, spoilage and further damage to your unit. Checking these parts and replacing as needed will extend the life of the unit and protect you from further repairs.
Ice machine cleaning
You can’t judge your ice machine’s quality by its ice. The ice may look fine, but this doesn’t mean that the inside of the machine is functioning properly. If not cleaned regularly, mold can develop in the ice machine, which can create sick patrons. It’s important to schedule a routine service check to ensure a technician thoroughly inspects and cleans your ice machine with chemical sanitizers. This protects from mold growth and ensures your restaurant operations continue to run smoothly.
Maintain appropriate refrigerant levels
If your unit is leaking refrigerant, it may go unnoticed for some time. The temperature in your refrigerator can slowly rise, and before you know it, you have spoiled goods. Scheduling regular maintenance for your unit allows a technician to check its levels, recharge the refrigerant if needed and fix any leaks.
Condenser cleaning
The condenser and evaporator coils are what keep your refrigeration unit cool. They are essential components of your refrigerator. If these parts become clogged with dirt, the refrigerator must work harder to cool its contents. This, in turn, wastes energy and creates a shorter life-span for your unit. When you schedule regular maintenance, professionals use specialized cleaners and equipment to ensure all grease and dirt build-up are carefully removed without causing damage to the compressor or the motor.
Leak checks
Not only can leaks create water hazards outside the unit, they can cause food contamination inside the cooler. Leaks are a sign of improper functioning within the refrigerator and should be addressed as quickly as possible. If left unchecked, the problem will only grow and could mean the end of your unit. Regular maintenance will ensure leaks are caught early and any necessary repairs are made before the issue worsens.
Professional maintenance of your restaurant refrigeration units requires some investment, but will produce long-term savings of both your time and your money. By keeping your refrigerators clean, completing small repairs before they grow and having them inspected regularly for potential problems, you will avoid more costly and time-consuming repairs down the road. Contact American Refrigeration Inc. today to set up a schedule for your maintenance or restaurant refrigeration repair in Eugene, OR.
It’s common knowledge that few things taste better than a crisp, ice-cold beer on a hot day. But just how cold should that beer be? It all depends on style and quality, which means that if you are serving all your different beers at the same temperature, you might not be giving your customers the full drinking experience.
While beer chilling is not as complex as wine chilling, there are a few rules you can follow to get the very best flavor from your beers, whether they are poured from a draught handle or sipped out of a can. Here is a rundown of some of those rules, from your team for restaurant equipment repair Eugene, OR:
Quality: If all you serve is basic, inexpensive domestic beer, then you may as well keep serving it ice cold, meaning colder than 44 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep in mind that the colder a beer gets, the less carbonation is emitted, meaning that there is less flavor involved. For beers that don’t have flavor as a main selling point, that’s fine—but for everything else, follow the next few tips.
Lagers: These days, premium lagers are a whole lot more special and flavorful than classic “lawnmower” beer, and they should be treated as such. That means you ought to serve lagers at somewhere between 44 and 48 degrees Fahrenheit, if possible—cold enough to be refreshing, but not so cold that you cannot pick up on any subtle flavor.
Ales: Ales go through a different brewing process than lagers, and will often have a bit more flavor than their lager counterparts. To ensure your customers can enjoy their ales to the fullest, try serving them somewhere between 44 and 52 degrees Fahrenheit.
Stouts: Stouts are a bit of an anomaly in the beer world, as they are more about being rich and dark, rather than crisp and refreshing. Authentic British stouts tend to be best when a bit warmer than a typical ale or lager, but you probably do not want to go much warmer than 55 degrees Fahrenheit, which is traditional British cellar temperature.
High gravity beers: High gravity beers are those big, bold, high-alcohol content beers that are often acquired tastes—think barrel aged stouts, barley wines and strong ales, to name a few. Because these beers tend to resemble hard alcohol a bit more than other beers, they are often served not cold, perhaps even close to room temperature. When serving a high gravity beer, act as if you are serving someone a snifter of brandy.
Experiment: While these are good general guidelines, each beer is different, which means that you should feel free to experiment with what tastes good to you. The more familiar you can become with the beers you serve, the more confident in your selection your customers will become.
For more advice about beer chilling, please get in touch with American Refrigeration Inc, your trusted source for restaurant equipment repair in Eugene, OR, including coolers and freezers.
Whether you run a busy restaurant or are an avid home entertainer, everyone finds themselves serving a nice bottle or glass of wine at some point. But how do you know if your wine is being served at the right temperature? While most people have a general idea of how it is done—whites tend to be chilled, while reds are usually better around room temperature—the intricacies of wine temperature remain a mystery for many, even those in the restaurant business. Here are a few tips to familiarize yourself with regarding wine serving temperature, from your expert in commercial refrigeration in Eugene, OR:
Sparkling wine: Sparkling wine includes Champagne, Prosecco, Cremant and any other wine with noticeable carbonation. These wines need to be served ice cold, meaning that they should be transported directly from the refrigerator to the table—it’s best to even keep them on ice then, which is why most restaurants and bars serve sparkling wine in ice buckets. Whatever you do, don’t serve a sparkling wine at a temperature higher than 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
White wine: White wine ranges in style a lot, from Pinot Grigio to Riesling, but they all ideally need to be served at somewhere between 44 and 57 degrees Fahrenheit. However, there is some room to play around with: light, fruity whites are better at the lower end of that temperature spectrum, while oaky whites are better when served a bit on the warm side.
Light reds: A “light red” is any red wine that is more on the fruity or pale end of the red wine spectrum (common examples include Zinfandel, Pinot Noir and Burgundy). These wines should be served just a notch warmer than their white counterparts; ideally, a light red will be served at somewhere between 44 and 57 degrees Fahrenheit. If you put your light red into the fridge about half an hour before serving, it should be just right.
Rich reds: Rich reds are deeper, and tend to have a higher tannin presence. This category includes Merlot, Chianti, Bordeaux, Cabernet and Shiraz, among others. These wines can be served virtually at room temperature, ideally between 63 and 69 degrees Fahrenheit. The higher the tannin count, the closer to the warm end of the spectrum the wine ought to be.
Quality matters: Ideally, we would never serve our guests anything less than excellent, but occasionally someone might bring a subpar bottle and the only polite thing to do is serve it. If you are serving a wine that is of lower quality, the above rules do not apply quite as much. Keep in mind that the cooler a wine is, the less intense the taste may be, so even a cheap Merlot might be better off left in the fridge for a few hours.
If you are interested in learning more about ideal wine temperatures, or would like to buy new chilling equipment for your wine, please feel free to get in touch with American Refrigeration Inc, your experts when it comes to commercial refrigeration Eugene, OR.
These days, finding gainful employment that you can turn into a longstanding career isn’t always as easy as it sounds—you’re either competing with others who have your same qualifications or there’s simply just a shortage of careers focused on your specialty. If you’re looking for work as a refrigeration technician, however, American Refrigeration Inc. is here to make things just a little bit easier for you!
American Refrigeration Inc. is currently seeking applicants for the position of refrigeration technician. We’re a growing company that has more than 20 years of quality service under our belts and the time has come for us to expand out team. We’re looking for someone who can help expand our reputation as a trusted provider of refrigeration services, while also bringing their own seasoned experience and tenure to the job.
What we’re looking for
We’re seeking a professional who has experience in the commercial refrigeration field and who has a dedicated familiarity to all of the tasks and duties that come with a traditional refrigeration technician job. You need to be able to perform basic maintenance tasks, have a mind for learning the complexities of more advance refrigeration services, and be able to provide exceptional work that you’re proud to stand behind. Upstanding customer service skills are also essential—we pride ourselves on the superior reputation we’ve built over the years.
More than just a professional with refrigeration experience, we’re looking for someone who will continue to invest themselves in on-the-job education. Our industry is an ever-evolving one and it takes someone with a dedication to their trade to keep up with it. If you’re interested in furthering your knowledge, we’re interested in helping you to do so!
About our company
American Refrigeration Inc. operates out of the Eugene, OR area and provides professional refrigeration services to businesses as far north as Portland, OR. Our tenants of business include prompt, professional services, superior customer service, unparalleled industry expertise and remaining cost-effective by industry standards.
Our company was founded in 1995 and has since grown to become one of the most trusted names in refrigeration for companies big and small. Not only do we provide the essential services that are a staple industry-wide, we also work to assume specialty jobs that make us a leader among out competitors. From maintenance, installation and remodeling, to major repairs and service for specialty components, we’re the gold standard in commercial refrigeration.
Join our team today!
If you’re enthusiastic about the prospect of a sustainable refrigeration technician job and want to work for a company that strives to redefine the industry standards of excellence on a daily basis, contact American Refrigeration Inc. today! We’re excited to hear from you and hope that you become the next member of our growing family.
Contact us today via the contact form on our website for more information on how to submit your resume or to set up an interview with one of our managing staff members!
