There’s no doubt that owning any food or beverage establishment comes with extra responsibilities to ensure consumer health and safety. Important tasks include checking your ingredient storage area monthly for needed commercial refrigeration repair in Eugene, OR and regularly cleaning distillery equipment. Regular maintenance is a crucial step in preventing the growth of bacteria that can lead to illnesses, bad tasting drinks, wasted products and equipment failure. Those in the beer and spirits production industry can attest to this.
Did you know that properly cleaning and sanitizing distillery equipment often goes overlooked? You may rinse and wipe down distillery components after each use, but sanitizing equipment is what will kill unwanted germs, bacteria and yeast.
With that in mind, here are some tips for maintaining your brewing and distillery equipment.
Implement a cleaning routine
Make sure to clean all brewing or distillery equipment parts after use. If you skip this step, you’re taking the chance of germs spreading through the entire system. Parts to clean include the brew kettle, mash paddle, fermenter, fermented lid, pump, hoses, hydrometer, airlock, thermometer, yeast containers and measuring spoons and cups. Always wear eye and hand protection when using cleaning solutions (your cleaning product will depend on what your equipment is made of). Some parts can be washed in an automatic dishwasher, but washing by hand ensures effectiveness and proper flushing.
Sanitize it all
Although cleaning and sanitizing sound like the same thing, they are not—especially when it comes to the food and beverage industry. To clean means to get rid of dirt, debris, stains and other matter, while to sanitize means to kill or greatly reduce spoiling microorganisms to minimal levels.
If you don’t get every area and surface on every piece of equipment, you run the risk of contaminating your next batch. Both cleaning and sanitizing your equipment—all of it, from the large kettle to the handheld measuring instruments—provides the best brewing or distilling conditions possible. Use chemical sanitizers manufactured specifically for sanitizing distillery equipment, and consider making a soaking bath for equipment you cannot reach inside to dissolve leftover ingredients. You should also schedule monthly and yearly maintenance appointments to avoid costly distillery equipment and commercial refrigeration repair in Eugene, OR.
Applying heat is another step you can take in the sanitation process. Heat is good at blasting bacteria from your equipment; you may be able to use the high-heat drying cycle on your commercial dishwasher as the final step in the sanitation process. While metal does great in high temperatures, plastic components do not. Avoid putting plastic pieces in the high-heat cycle.
Clean and sanitize immediately
Yes, you’ve spent the last several hours in front of hot equipment making alcohol, but the time to clean up is right away. Waiting to clean and sanitize gives bacteria time to grow, and makes the mess tougher to remove.
Keep your distillery equipment healthy and clean for fresh batches of beer or spirits every time. Luckily, the team at American Refrigeration Inc. is here to help. Give us a call any time you need distillery equipment maintenance, parts repair or commercial refrigeration repair in Eugene, OR!
Your business depends on its commercial refrigeration equipment. Whether you’re keeping seafood at the correct temperature to meet important safety standards or chilling wine to the perfect temperature, you know that so much rides on a functioning unit. That’s why it’s crucial to have a commercial refrigeration repair specialist readily available when disaster strikes. Choosing the best in commercial refrigeration repair in Eugene, OR can be a tricky process, though. You need someone you know to perform high quality work exactly when you need it.
To help you choose only the best, here are a few things to look out for when hiring a specialist for commercial refrigeration repair in Eugene, OR:
Experience: Knowing how to handle any commercial refrigeration repair that could arise takes significant experience in the industry. As you know, refrigeration units are expensive, so it’s crucial that there aren’t any unnecessary mistakes that could do some damage. Plus, any downtime spent waiting for an inexperienced technician to figure out the problem could cost you business—not to mention loss of product due to a lack of proper refrigeration. Ideally, your repair technician should have at least 10 years of experience on the job.
Speed of service: Running a high quality business means working both efficiently and quickly. A broken commercial refrigerator compromises this, however. You need a technician who will be available exactly when you need them to be, as food could quickly spoil while you are waiting for an unreliable repair company. Select a company that you know is dependable and will be able to commit to a quick response time.
Prior reviews: Hiring a company with a strong reputation within your local community is always a safe bet. Check with others in your industry to see which contractors they use and whether they would recommend their services. Take the time to check online reviews to get a better understanding of their overall reputation and quality of service.
Maintenance: Preventative maintenance is one of the most important steps in keeping your commercial refrigerator in top condition. A refrigeration specialist will not only make repairs, but will also be able to perform regular checks of the machinery to extend the life of the unit and keep it functioning efficiently. During a maintenance check, a qualified professional will be able to identify any potential problems and make the necessary repairs quickly to avoid any downtime.
Emergency services: Time is literally money when it comes to a broken commercial refrigeration unit. A restaurant depends on a functioning refrigerator to keep food and drinks cool—and customers happy. A professional refrigeration specialist will be able to offer emergency services when you need them.
At American Refrigeration Inc., we understand the important role a working commercial refrigerator plays in the success of your business. That’s why we offer the best in commercial refrigeration repair in Eugene, OR and the surrounding areas. Call us today to learn more about how our experienced professional repair team can help you. We look forward to assisting you soon!
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!
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.
One of the most commonly searched things on the Internet when it comes to topics of commercial HVAC in Eugene, OR concerns ways to keep refrigeration costs low. This isn’t surprising! Not only are commercial refrigeration systems one of the biggest line items on your monthly utility bills, they’re also the system where you’re going to find the most energy waste.
Cutting energy waste and is the first step in saving money through your commercial refrigeration system, but it’s far from the only thing you can do. Take a look at 10 ways to keep costs low in regards to this all-important system:
First and foremost, make sure you’re meeting your system’s recommended liquid refrigerant levels. If you’re low, it’s going to cause inefficiencies that are sure to show up on your utility bill.
Change out filters and call for routine maintenance in regular intervals. Dirty filters and other buildups are going to put a strain on the system and impact efficiency in a way that you’ll undoubtedly pay for.
Monitor the temperature consistency of your system closely and stay abreast of any strange trends of fluctuations. Also, make sure you’re doing everything in your power to keep the system closed, to maintain steady temps.
Seal off your ducts to make sure you’re not exposing your refrigerated environment to unmitigated airflows. Unsealed ducts will allow cool air to flow freely out of the environment and other forced air temperatures to flow inward.
Have your economizer checked and maintained regularly. Your economizer can be a huge cost saving benefit for your refrigeration, but if it’s not functioning appropriately, you’ll be missing out on those saved costs.
Where possible, retrofit your lighting with energy efficient bulbs. LED bulbs aren’t going to put out heat, meaning they’re not going to be a source of radiant heat within your system. Florescent bulbs on the other hand are going to create heat.
Monitor three, six, nine and 12-month utility bills to spot change over time. This can yield a substantial amount of information about your commercial HVAC in Eugene, OR—particularly where you might be behind on service, maintenance or problem solving.
Make sure your failsafe systems are in full working order. If you accidently leave doors open or encounter functional troubles within the refrigeration system, these alerts will be your first line of defense in preventing the impending costs that follow inefficient operation.
Have your chiller tubes cleaned periodically. Buildups within these vital components can hinder heat transfer, thus stunting the function of your system and causing inefficiencies to arise, which will directly correlate to higher operational costs.
Last, but absolutely not least, have your system put on a service and maintenance track! A professional will check in with you when it comes time for vital service throughout the year. Not only will this keep things functioning at peak efficiency, it’ll extend the life of your system.
When you really look at the list above, it’s not too hard to keep your refrigeration system operating efficiently! Take these tips to heart and keep a close eye on your energy bill to see what immediate effects they’re having.
