When you’re trying to decide which commercial refrigerators to buy, choosing between indoor and outdoor walk-in coolers can be difficult. While both types of coolers are a good choice for restaurants, bars, distilleries and other businesses that rely on large-scale refrigeration, indoor and outdoor coolers have distinct quirks. Depending on your building and property size, there may be a clear winner—but if you’re still trying to determine what to buy, read on.
Should you choose an indoor or outdoor cooler?
Here are some of the factors you’ll need to take into account when making a commercial refrigerator purchase:
Major differences: Since indoor and outdoor coolers are made differently, they require different features. When you buy an outdoor model, you’ll need extra weatherproofing. For example, rain roofs, weather sealing strips, panel protection and other weather protection is necessary to insulate the cooler and keep it safe from the elements.
Type of product: What will you store in your walk-in cooler? Depending on the product, the refrigeration needs may change. For example, most coolers “assume” that you’ll be storing the product at 33 degrees Fahrenheit, but it will enter the cooler around 55 degrees. For freezers, it’s assumed that the holding temperature is -10 degrees Fahrenheit, but the products will enter around 20 degrees. Because the models and refrigeration type can vary, make sure that your cooler can handle the size and type of product you need to store. If they’re entering or holding at different temperatures, you may not get the right type of cooler.
Flooring: Do you need special flooring? That depends on whether you have an indoor or outdoor cooler—usually. Unless you already have a concrete floor with thermal breaks, both your indoor and outdoor coolers will need flooring. Furthermore, if you plan to carry heavy loads in and out of your cooler, it’s best to install a thermal break, as it will help prevent condensation from forming.
Airflow: You’ll need at least two inches around the cooling panels. When you design your space, make sure there’s plenty of room for airflow. Otherwise, condensation will build up, which is not conducive to good operation of commercial refrigerators.
Location: Your location will also have a major effect on your cooler—depending on if you’re in a warmer or cooler part of Oregon, you’ll need to size your cooler accordingly. Check the ambient temperature in your cooler specifications to ensure it will work for your needs.
Delivery: When you have your cooler delivered, it can be difficult to move everything to where it needs to go—make sure you know whether you need to have a forklift available or if your refrigeration company will help deliver and install the cooler.
Refrigeration type: Finally, determine which type of refrigeration is right for you. Pre-assembled and remote refrigeration versions have their advantages and drawbacks. Ask your vendor about what’s best for your particular setup.
When you need commercial refrigerators and walk-in coolers, American Refrigeration Inc. is here to help. Call us today to learn more about our offerings and find out which type of cooler is best for you.
A refrigerator is a refrigerator, right? Yes—that is, unless you’ve ever been in a commercial kitchen. There’s an obvious difference between commercial refrigerators and residential refrigerators once you’ve seen them both. While they both technically do the same thing, there are some key differences in the way they get their jobs done and in the way we need to interact with them.
Here are some of the main differences, as well as some of the similarities, between commercial and residential refrigeration.
Similarities
Before we get into differences between residential and commercial refrigerators, let’s start with the similarities. Both do basically the same thing—that is, they keep food and beverages at a cold temperature. This goes for freezers as well. They are so similar, in fact, that a residential fridge could be used in a commercial setting, and a commercial refrigerator can be installed in a residential setting.
While you’re not likely to see a refrigerator model that’s designed for an apartment installed as the workhorse cooler for a restaurant, there has been a trend of commercial units being installed in residential spaces. If you’ve got the space for it—and the budget for maintenance—this can be a very handy appliance to have in your kitchen.
Differences
One of the main differences between residential and commercial refrigerators is their size. Commercial fridges are larger than residential units—often much larger. They are designed to hold a lot more food and substantially larger containers than are common for home use. This extra space can come in handy when you’re hosting get-togethers with a lot of food and drinks. The downside is if your kitchen is on the smaller side, a commercial fridge may end up taking up more room than you bargained for.
Because of that large size, commercial refrigerators also require much more power than residential models. They get colder faster, and that means they use more powerful components like compressors to maintain a consistent temperature even when the door is open. The downside here is that it will use more energy on a regular basis, which, in turn, will raise your energy bill.
That extra power also leads to more maintenance. Because they are more specialized, commercial refrigerators need regular maintenance and service to make sure they keep working in top condition. This has to be done by commercial refrigeration technicians, which can cost more than a residential refrigeration technician.
Another difference is aesthetics. Commercial units are often stainless steel, which gives a clean, modern look. Residential appliances are also available in this look, so it’s easier now to blend a commercial unit in with the look of the rest of your kitchen. This holds true for main refrigerators as well as drawer and standalone freezer units.
When you need any type of refrigeration service for your commercial property, reach out to the experienced professionals at American Refrigeration Inc. for the best, most reliable service. We’d be glad to take a look at your equipment and get to the bottom of any issues.
We get a lot of panicked calls from customers who notice an accumulation of ice or frost on their refrigeration equipment in Eugene, OR, particularly on their compressor head or surrounding lines. It’s understandable that they’d be stressed—after all, when the compressor has trouble, their business could be in jeopardy!
Fortunately, ice or frost accumulation isn’t always a bad thing. This post will teach you a little bit more about frost and ice on your refrigeration equipment and what you can do to prevent it.
How does frost accumulate?
Frost on the compressor or compressor lines is normal. After all, these are frigid components surrounded by warmer air. When warm air comes in contact with the parts, it condenses and forms small water beads. If the compressor temperature is below 32 degrees, that water will start to freeze and form a layer of frost. This is more common on commercial refrigerators than it is on residential units.
Is there a problem with my compressor?
That fine layer of frost is no big deal—but what about a thick layer of frost or ice? Although this problem is less common nowadays, a lot of ice on your compressor could indicate a refrigerant leak. If there is a leak, you’ll also notice that your fridge isn’t performing like it should be.
So, if you see a lot of ice and notice a dip in fridge performance or temperature, call a professional to inspect and repair your unit.
How to avoid ice or frost accumulation
Fortunately, preventing high levels of ice or frost on your refrigeration equipment in Eugene, OR is fairly easy. Follow these tips, and you should never have to worry about excess ice or frost on your refrigeration gear:
Have your unit serviced annually: The best way to prevent refrigerant leaks and subsequent ice accumulation is by scheduling annual maintenance. During your annual inspection, your refrigeration technician will take a look at all of the components to ensure they’re working like they should. In addition to preventing ice buildup, a routine maintenance call should mitigate the need for any other major refrigeration repairs.
Keep your system at the correct temperature: Cranking your fridge down to the lowest setting makes the compressor work overtime to keep your unit cold. As you can imagine, making your compressor work harder than it has to could lead to an ice buildup or compressor failure. Keep your unit at the manufacturer’s recommended temperature to avoid any issues.
Call a professional if you’re unsure: While it’s true that you don’t have to worry about small amounts of frost or ice, it’s better to be safe than sorry. When you’re not sure whether your fridge might be malfunctioning, call a technician to inspect it and make repairs.
Hire American Refrigeration Inc. for an inspection today
With the start of 2021 just around the corner, now’s the perfect time to schedule your annual refrigeration inspection. Contact us today to book your appointment and ensure you don’t have ice or frost on your refrigeration equipment in Eugene, OR next year.
Unless you work in the refrigeration industry or specialize in winery equipment installation in Eugene, OR, knowing all of the parts in your commercial fridge might not seem to be all that important. However, that’s not the case. More often than not, we find it’s beneficial for owners to understand how their refrigeration system operates.
There are quite a few parts that must work in harmony for your refrigeration equipment to function properly. Continue reading to learn a little bit more about all of the essential components:
Compressor: Because it pumps the gas around the refrigeration system tubing, the compressor is known as the heart of your fridge. When it stops working, your unit will be down for the count.
Condenser: The condenser is tubing that’s warmed by the heat that’s removed from the fridge. It also allows warm gas to cool before it’s pumped back into the unit. Again, when this fails, you’ll need to hire a technician to fix or replace it.
Condenser fan motor: The heat transfer mentioned above is aided by a fan, which forces air through the condenser. Fan motors must be replaced from time to time, as they get less effective as they age.
Evaporator: The evaporator is essentially responsible for making the food or beverages in your fridge cold. As refrigerant gas is pumped into the evaporator, it turns from liquid to gas and cools the area around it.
Evaporator fan: The evaporator fan is located inside the freezer section. It’s responsible for circulating cold air in the freezer and blowing it into the fresh food section. At the same time, the fan sucks cold air from the fresh food section and re-cools it in the freezer.
Cold control: Also known as a temp thermostat, the cold control ensures the temperature within the unit remains at a constant level. It uses sensors to do this, and when those sensors fail, you’ll need to call a technician to adjust or replace them.
Defrost thermometer: The defrost thermostat is a switch that’s located in the evaporator coils. When the coils reach a certain temperature, the switch will turn on and start a defrost cycle. Defrosting is critical for proper winery equipment installation in Eugene, OR, so hire a technician to make a repair if your thermostat isn’t working.
Defrost heater: As the name suggests, the defrost heater is responsible for actually defrosting once the thermostat has been switched on. It is also located in the evaporator coils.
Defrost drain: When the defroster is doing its job, there will be plenty of water runoff as a result of the melted frost. The defrost drain is in charge of carrying the melted water away from the heater and into the condensing tray.
Call our team if you’re having refrigeration problems
When your refrigeration system starts to fail, hire American Refrigeration Inc. to fix it. On top of performing winery equipment installation in Eugene, OR, we’re the trusted team for making refrigerator repairs. Our technicians can quickly identify the source of the problem and either repair or replace the malfunctioning part.
If you’re the owner of a restaurant, grocery store, cafeteria or market, you rely on your commercial refrigeration systems to constantly operate with great efficiency and reliability. Problems with these systems that force them to stop working could result in your business taking a significant blow to its finances and reputation.
Staying on top of regular preventative maintenance can help you to avoid common issues with commercial refrigeration systems in Eugene, OR. However, it’s also important to be aware of the steps you should take if any of those issues manifest in your equipment.
Here’s a quick overview of some common refrigeration issues and the steps you should take to resolve them.
Temperature problems: If you’re having a hard time keeping food cold, you should check the settings to make sure you’ve got the refrigerator set to the proper temperature. If the issue isn’t with the thermostat, it could be a problem with dirty evaporator coils or fans, malfunctioning compressors or poor air flow in the commercial refrigerator unit.
Buildup of frost: Have you started to notice a buildup of ice or frost inside the refrigerator unit? This is almost always a sign of poor ventilation or an air leak. You should first check the temperature of the fridge and the frequency of its defrost cycle. Next, carefully inspect the unit for common potential causes of air leaks, including loosened door gaskets or broken, damaged seals. When these problems occur, there can be issues with condensation, wet floors, frost and ice within the system. Finally, you should check and see if any of your fans or filters are dirty, as this could also cause frost issues.
Broken motor fans: Motor fans are a crucial part of regulating the temperature inside your refrigerator unit and venting the air properly. If the evaporator fan motors are damaged or completely broken, you’ll quickly start to have issues with the general operation of the refrigerator.
Loud or unusual noises: All refrigerator units will make some noise during operation—a healthy hum is perfectly okay, for example. However, if you notice strange, loud noises, this could indicate problems with the compressor, fans, motors or other mechanical components within the system. In such cases, it is important for you to contact an appliance repair technician.
Compressor problems: The compressor is tasked with compressing the refrigerant and transferring hot gas to the condenser. If you don’t hear the humming sound you’d hear during normal refrigerator operations, this is likely an issue with the compressor. You’ll need a repair technician to come out and inspect the unit to determine what sort of repair work needs to be done. In other circumstances, you might notice your energy costs getting out of control. This could be a sign that there is an issue with the compressor that’s making it less efficient. You may need to replace the part.
If you’re interested in learning more about common issues with commercial refrigeration systems and how you can fix them, contact our commercial refrigeration team in Eugene, OR, today.
