With enough use, all walk-in coolers are going to get dirty eventually. It’s important that you keep up with your general maintenance and cleaning to make sure that any spills or other issues that occur don’t lead to persistent, unpleasant issues, such as odors that linger all the time in the space.
While unpleasant odors can simply be the result of regular use or spills that haven’t been properly cleaned up, they could also be a symptom of a much larger problem, such as a mold or bacteria growth somewhere inside your walk-in. Considering the fact that most walk-in coolers are used for food and beverage items, these types of issues need to be corrected immediately, or else you run the risk of having products that get contaminated, ultimately costing you a significant amount of money in lost inventory. This is a problem many small businesses simply cannot afford to have.
Here are some issues to consider when you begin to notice unpleasant odors lingering around your commercial walk-in coolers in Eugene, OR.
Steps to take
If your commercial walk-in cooler is more than two or three years old, it becomes easier for odors to get trapped inside the walls and flooring. This isn’t necessarily symptomatic of trouble—a little bit of odor is going to be natural, especially if the cooler gets a lot of use and houses a lot of food or other fragrant items. However, if bacteria gets trapped in these areas, then you could be looking at some trouble, as it can grow and multiply, resulting in these odors becoming stronger and fouler over time.
So what should you do if you notice odors starting to form in your cooler? The best thing you can do is thoroughly clean it out.
First, empty out all of your inventory into another cooler—you might not have another walk-in cooler available, but portable coolers with ice will do in a pinch. Remove all the shelves, bins and containers from the walk-in to clean those separately. Simple soap and water will be a good cleaner—you don’t want to use harsh chemicals, as they could damage the walls and surfaces of the unit. Baking soda and white vinegar are also effective cleaners, because vinegar is a great agent to fight against mildew and odors. Clean off the surfaces as soon as you spray your cleaner (whichever cleaner you decide you’ll use), and allow all surfaces to completely dry before you bring back in all the shelves and products.
Another good way to absorb odors in your walk-in cooler is to set out a bowl of charcoal briquettes, fresh coffee grounds or baking soda. All of these are natural odor fighters and can help you keep those unwanted smells at bay.
For more tips and information about what you should do if you start to have unpleasant smells lingering in your commercial walk-in coolers in Eugene, OR, contact the team at American Refrigeration Inc. today and we’ll be happy to assist.
No matter what purpose you’re using a walk-in cooler for, it’s important you make sure the system is properly designed so you don’t waste money keeping it cool. This means having proper insulation levels so you are able to more effectively maintain a cool temperature.
When you run your own business, it’s important to place an emphasis on efficiency in as many areas of your operation as possible. Insulation can help you maintain the efficiency of your commercial walk-in coolers in Eugene, OR, as it keeps temperatures regulated at your desired level of coolness while also lowering the costs of utilities, as your equipment won’t have to run as constantly to maintain that temperature. It also is beneficial in that it protects your inventory—by keeping the inside of the cooler at your desired temperature, you don’t have to worry about losing any products that have to be refrigerated.
Considerations when looking at commercial walk-in coolers
As you shop around for a walk-in cooler, consider the temperature you’ll be keeping your unit at while it’s in operation. Temperature and insulation often go hand in hand, and different temperatures may require different types of insulation.
The quality of the insulation you look at is measured by R-value, also occasionally called R-factor. The R-value gauges how resistant a material is to heat flow. The type of foam that gets used in insulation, as well as the age of that foam, are two of the biggest factors in determining what the materials’ R-value is.
The average R-value for insulation in the walk-in cooler industry is 25, though keep in mind that the different types of foam and different thicknesses can actually increase the R-value of that insulation well beyond that 25 benchmark. This is something, therefore, that you’re going to want to make sure you ask any commercial walk-in cooler dealer about when you’re comparing units and attempting to make a decision for your business.
Insulation that has a higher R-value will make it easier for your walk-in unit to keep its temperatures cool. Because the machine won’t have to work as hard to keep running, this will extend the life of the compressor and its components, and lower the costs of operating the unit, as it won’t have to constantly run. Keep in mind, though, that R-value does change over time. After a few years, it’s likely that your insulation’s R-value will decrease. Make sure that, when you’re shopping, you base your decision on a projected R-value at least five years out, rather than what you can expect that insulation to provide right out of the box in terms of R-value. The projected R-value of the insulation will primarily be determined by the average operating temperature of your walk-in cooler.
R-value might not seem like the most interesting aspect of your cooler shopping, but it’s an important metric to keep in mind as you make your decision. For more information about commercial walk-in coolers in Eugene, OR, contact the team at American Refrigeration Inc. today.
When your car has a flat, you know it’s time to get a new tire. When a light bulb blows, you know it’s time to change it. When your oven stops heating, you know it’s time to buy a new appliance. What about your commercial walk-in cooler in Eugene, OR? How can you know when it’s time to replace this piece of equipment?
Since this is a significant investment, it’s important to make the right call. Replacing a unit when simple repairs may suffice is a waste of resources. On the flip side, replacing it too late can cause inventory loss and damage to surrounding structures. Use this guide to determine when you should pull the trigger on this purchase:
Frost buildup: Are you losing inventory to frostbite? Are your employees frequently scraping away ice buildup inside your commercial walk-in cooler in Eugene, OR? This frost is a sign that your freezer has leaks. Gaps in components or between panels allow air leaks, which cause excess moisture. A leaky unit should be replaced to ensure proper refrigeration.
Regular leaks: Are you finding puddles or streams near your freezer? Water leaks can cause mold and mildew growth, ice accumulation, damage to surrounding structures and slip-and-fall hazards. Avoid health inspection issues and worker injury by replacing your leaky commercial walk-in cooler in Eugene, OR.
Over-spoilage: Are you losing food to spoilage before its expiration date? This can result in a significant loss of inventory and add up to huge amounts of waste. If your products are spoiling before they should, this is a red flag that your freezer is not storing them properly. Rather than sink more money into spoiling inventory, replace your commercial walk-in cooler in Eugene, OR.
Spikes in utilities: Are your utility bills creeping up? Your cooler may be operating inefficiently due to internal issues. The spike in utility bills is an indication that your thermostat could be broken or the motor is draining more energy than it should. If you don’t replace the cooler, your bills will likely continue to rise, and your unit will eventually fail.
Temperature fluctuations: Your commercial walk-in cooler in Eugene, OR should be able to maintain consistent temperatures. If you notice that the unit is struggling to regulate the temperature, it might be time to replace it. First check to see if the cooler needs to be calibrated. If a recalibration does not solve the issue, consider investing in a new unit that can properly maintain cooling temperatures.
Partner with the Pros
Are you experiencing problems with your walk-in cooler in Eugene, OR? Don’t wait to investigate. You may be able to save your unit with some simple repairs. If not, it’s important to replace the unit before you suffer inventory loss or complete failure of your cooler. To keep your unit well maintained, partner with the professionals at American Refrigeration Inc. We’ve been serving the region with premier services since 1995. Our team specializes in walk-in coolers in Eugene, OR, and we offer 24/7 emergency repair. Reach out to us today!
All food service establishments must maintain certain standards of cleanliness. Part of this comes through regularly cleaning your commercial walk-in coolers in Eugene, OR.
Over time, it’s easy to build up collections of foods that are long past their expiration date, especially if your coolers aren’t particularly organized. The longer these foods hang around in your refrigerator, the more they can become a safety hazard, in that they harbor bacteria. This is especially true if any old food spills out into the refrigerator and does not get wiped up right away.
Here are a few steps to take to help you clean and organize your fridge to ensure you maintain the best standards of cleanliness possible in your restaurant or other commercial operation:
Always unplug the unit first: You should never start cleaning with the unit still on. Eliminate the possibility of electrocution by unplugging the refrigerator before you get to work.
Empty every shelf and drawer: Take everything out and put it in coolers with ice or other cold containers where the food will be safe during your cooling process. The best time to do this is right before you receive a new shipment of food, so your fridge is as clear as it’s going to get. Throw away anything that’s expired or has otherwise gone bad—even if it’s not clearly past its expiration date, you should get rid of it if you have any reason to suspect they’re compromised. Your motto should be “when in doubt, throw it out.”
Wipe down the entire interior: Using a mixture of warm water and soap, take a sponge and thoroughly clean the inside of your refrigerator. You can also use microfiber mitts or cloths to scrub down the hard-to-reach spaces without worrying about leaving behind any debris. Toothbrushes can also be of assistance in tight corners—the bristles are just flexible and strong enough to do the trick. Once you’ve finished scrubbing the entire interior of the refrigerator, rinse it out with clean water.
Disinfect: Once you’ve finished cleaning with soap and water, you should disinfect all the surfaces with a food-safe sanitizer. This will kill off any remaining bacteria or mold and will offer some additional protection for some time after you place your food items back inside the refrigerator. You don’t need to use as much sanitizer as you probably think you do—a little spread throughout the equipment should go a long way.
Clean other parts while you’re at it: Once you’ve finished the inside of the fridge, clean some of the other parts, including the condenser and coils, as well as the top, sides and underneath sections of the refrigerator or freezer.
Restock: Restock your items, but make sure you keep them organized so you don’t have to worry about items getting lost and going bad once again.
For more information about how you can better clean out your commercial refrigeration in Eugene, OR, contact the experts at American Refrigeration Inc. today.
Walk-in coolers are highly advantageous for any business that either specializes in food service or needs to store a lot of food at any given time. They are available for many types of businesses, and provide the following benefits:
Plenty of storage space: Perhaps the biggest advantage of using a commercial walk-in cooler in Eugene, OR is the large amount of interior space it provides. When storing perishable foods on a large scale, you need plenty of space to keep them all from going bad. Walk-in coolers are very large, especially compared to other options such as dedicated freezers. You can get them in sizes ranging from 15 cubic feet to more than 400,000 square feet—entire cooled warehouses for you to store your perishables. You can assume that a single cubic foot of storage space in a walk-in cooler will accommodate about 28 pounds of solid food products.
Financial savings: A truly effective walk-in cooler can save you a lot of money, not just on your electricity bill, but also with your food, because it will keep it preserved for a long period of time. Therefore, any business looking to trim costs in as many areas as possible would do well to look into purchasing a commercial walk-in cooler of its own.
Technology: Walk-in coolers have evolved just as many other types of technology have in the last several decades. Today’s walk-in coolers are equipped with Bluetooth technology, which means you can be notified on your smartphone or other device any time the temperature goes outside of its settings. This means you’ll be alerted to problems immediately, which can help you save money on repairs as you’ll correct the issue before it becomes severe. In addition, many walk-in coolers now are outfitted with motion detectors to turn the lights on and off, which helps to reduce overall levels of power consumption.
Power: Speaking of power, the amount of power behind a walk-in cooler is extremely impressive. Some walk-in freezers will use a large compressor to keep temperatures at -10 degrees Fahrenheit, others will use smaller horsepower compressors. But you can rest assured that your cooler will have the power you need to keep all your perishable food items reliably cold.
Safety: Walk-in coolers have deadbolts on their doors and high-quality, heavy-duty hinges, which ensure their safety. In addition, they all have functionality to allow them to be opened from the inside, just in case someone accidentally shuts themselves in.
Versatility: Walk-in coolers are very versatile in nature. For example, you can set the interior temperature range to your desired preferences—typically around 35 degrees for the cooler and -10 degrees for the freezer. You can establish your own footprint for the cooler layout, as well, based on the space you have available in your kitchen or storage area.
These are just a few of the biggest benefits associated with commercial walk-in coolers in Eugene, OR. Contact American Refrigeration Inc. today for more information about our services.
