Meticulously Maintaining Your Walk-in Cooler

A well-maintained walk-in cooler is the only thing that stands between your restaurant and copious amounts of spoiled food. That being the case, it’s in you and your patrons’ best interest that your eatery’s cooler remain in tip-top condition. Luckily, as long as you’re consistent in performing basic upkeep, you should have no problem keeping your cooler in working order. In your efforts to keep your cooler operational, take care to tend to the following tasks.

Keep the Door Closed

While keeping the doors firmly closed may seem like a no-brainer, a surprising number of walk-in coolers break down as a result of doors continuously being propped open. Unless someone is inside the cooler, the door(s) should remain shut. As is the case with refrigerators, leaving doors open for extended periods wears out compressor motors, effectively preventing coolers from functioning properly.

Perform Regular Gasket Checks

Every few months, make a point of checking the gaskets located between the cooler panels. This will enable you to monitor for cracks and other signs of wear. If you come across any gaskets that look particularly weathered, it’s strongly advised that you promptly replace them. Fortunately, O-Reps, the Web’s foremost purveyor of walk-in cooler accessories offers amazing deals on high-end gaskets from a wide range of well-known manufacturers.

Keep the Lights Off

Just as you need to keep the door(s) shut, make sure to turn off the lights when no one is inside the cooler. Lights produce heat, which makes the compressor motor work harder to account for the increase in temperature. Like opened doors, lights that are left on can lead to prematurely kaput compressors. 

A faulty walk-in cooler can mean big problems for your restaurant. In many respects, functional coolers are the most important tools an eatery has, so it behooves responsible restaurateurs to keep them in good condition.   

Why Walk-in Coolers Are Important for a Commercial Kitchen: Part II

 As mentioned in a previous post, maintaining standards for your walk-in cooler parts can be cost effective, as well as necessary for health and safety standards. Keeping up to date with repairs and maintenance can help you lower costs over time by staying away from urgent services on your appliances which can be more costly. Here is one more tip for keeping up with your commercial kitchen and your walk-in professional cooler.

·         You Need to Save Floor Space - One of the great things about walk-in coolers is that they don't have to take up precious space in your kitchen. They can actually be installed outside the restaurant's main kitchen space, located outside the back door. This is an ideal arrangement for smaller restaurants that need refrigeration but have limited kitchen floor space.

Are you looking for walk-in cooler parts? Check out O-Reps to shop a great selection of parts for many different makes and models of walk-in coolers. O-Reps also carries other items for your professional kitchen such as fryer parts and fryer baskets, as well as other hot-side replacement pieces. O-Reps has a great reputation for having a large selection of reliable replacement parts for your profession kitchen. Check out the assortment, today!

Preventative Maintenance Checklist for Commercial Refrigeration Systems

Whether you’re running a five star restaurant or a small town deli, your refrigeration system is an integral part of your business. In order to keep your refrigeration system in proper working order, it’s important to practice preventative maintenance. Here are a few things you can do to keep your system in tip top shape. 

• Temperature - Check the temperature settings and make sure the equipment complies with local health regulations. The life of your food depends on the refrigeration system being set to the correct temperature.
• Door Hardware - Check the refrigerator latches, handles, door gaskets and heat strips to make sure the door is sealing properly and all handles are in proper working order.
• Airflow - Stacking boxes or containers of food in front of vents can cause an airflow blockage, which causes your system to run inefficiently. Each fan should rotate freely and quietly.
• Electric – Check all electrical wires and components for kinks, discoloration, and breaks. You should also check to make sure all electrical connections are secure. Loose wires can result in equipment failure. 

In addition to the above, restaurant owners should also clean shelves, walls and the doors of the refrigeration systems, in order to maintain a clean workplace. For questions or concerns regarding refrigeration system replacement parts, call O-Reps.net at 888-289-5911.