As a restaurant owner, you have plenty of expenses to contend with between rent, utilities, ingredients, and labor. The last thing you want to grapple with is the cost of repairing a broken refrigerator. Unfortunately, the cost of not being able to keep your ingredients cool is much higher, so taking action as quickly as possible is crucial.
To get your unit up and running fast, one needs to recognize the warning signs that a commercial refrigerator needs repair.
Temperature Fluctuation
The most obvious sign your commercial refrigeration unit needs repair is the temperature not being consistent. This may look like a unit not getting cold enough, which will become obvious when ingredients spoil more quickly or the temperature doesn’t feel cold.
Conversely, ice appearing on the outside of the refrigerator may also indicate a problem. Ice on the exterior points to an overloaded freezer and inadequate airflow. This ice may accumulate on the evaporator coils, leading to compressor malfunction, which can lead to more serious issues with cooling.
Spike in Energy Bills
Another indication that your refrigerator isn’t maintaining its temperature is a rise in your energy bills. When energy bills are higher than what they usually are, that may indicate that there is something causing your refrigerator to work inefficiently.
This may be because of something small like over-packing the fridge or leaving the door open. However, it may be because of broken seals or something hampering with the machine’s airflow.
Visible Damage
Not all visible damage to a refrigerator is cause for alarm. For instance, scuffs and scrapes on the outside of the doors are not going to impact the machine’s ability to keep food cold. However, breaks or cracks in the rubber seals will. If it’s hard to see visually if your seals are damaged, check the door. If the door doesn’t close properly, you likely have issues with the seal.
Leaks or Moisture
A large puddle on your kitchen floor is a fall hazard for your kitchen staff, and the standing water creates a health hazard. Because of this, leaks—though a simple fix—are ones you will want to take care of quickly.
Often, these issues can be resolved by defrosting the refrigerator or flushing the drain. But if this doesn’t fix the problem, there may be damage on the tubing itself. At that point, more extensive repairs may be needed.
Loud Noises
Rattling, ticking, or scraping noises in a refrigerator can come from a plethora of sources, and in most instances, it suggests a problem in your refrigerator. A few issues include:
- A dirty or broken condenser fan
- A dirty or broken evaporator fan
- A problem with the refrigerator compressor
- Failing defrost timer
The noises may also be coming from your refrigerator’s ice machine, such as a broken connection between the ice machine and the water supply.
Whatever is wrong with your unit, Jay-Hill Repair offers expert refrigeration and commercial ice machine repair to help your business save time and money.
