A commercial walk-in cooler is an absolutely critical part of many businesses. Not only does it make things more appealing, but it also ensures health and safety by keeping foods and beverages at a temperature that prevents bacterial growth.
In some medical or laboratory settings, a cooler preserves the integrity of medications, vaccines, or samples. Regardless of the type of business using commercial coolers, the one thing nobody wants is a cooler that isn’t cooling. If your commercial walk-in cooler isn’t staying cold enough, it needs to be addressed immediately. Here’s what you should know.
Things to Check Yourself
While many commercial cooler problems do require professional repairs, there are a few things you can do before calling a technician. In some cases, there’s an issue you can resolve yourself.
- The Power Supply: Has the unit been turned off or unplugged or did it trip the circuit breaker?
- The Thermostat: Was the thermostat inadvertently adjusted, perhaps by an accidental elbow or a stack of products bumping into it?
- The Door Gaskets: Is there something preventing the doors from closing fully? Something caught in the gaskets can stop them from properly sealing and may be easily cleaned or removed.
- The Product: If the cooler has been overstocked with warm items, it will struggle to bring everything down to a cool temperature at once. The cooler will function best when stocked, not overstocked, with items that are evenly distributed throughout the space.
- The Vents: Has something been placed in front of the vents? There must be enough airflow in that area, or the cooler will not be able to discharge excess heat.
Things that Require Professional Repairs
Once you’ve checked for basic issues that you can address yourself, it’s time to call in a technician who can diagnose and repair any issue your commercial cooler might be experiencing. There are a variety of problems that could be causing a lack of cooling.
- The Doors: While keeping gaskets clean and clear of debris is helpful, if a gasket is torn or has become brittle from age, or if a hinge is bent or misaligned, your technician can repair or replace it.
- The Condenser Coils: Clogs or dirt in this area can interfere with cooling. Cleaning this portion of your cooler requires some know-how and specific tools, but it is a straightforward job that won’t take long.
- The Compressor or Relay: Replacing the compressor is a costly repair, but if it’s not operating, there’s a chance it’s just the relay that has failed, and the compressor is not getting the signal to come on.
- The Fans or Motors: Both the condenser and evaporator have fans with motors that operate them. An obstruction could be preventing a fan from turning, a fan blade could be broken or out of position, a motor could have burned out, or an electrical connection between the fan and the motor could have come disconnected.
If you have any questions or concerns about walk-in coolers in Joliet, IL, don’t hesitate to reach out. Our team is happy to help you troubleshoot or to schedule maintenance or repair.
Call J&A today, Sleep-tight tonight!