A commercial refrigerator is vital in your commercial space for perfectly chilling and storing all of your food and beverages. That is why it is essential to do regular commercial fridge maintenance on your unit in between scheduled service appointments.

You’re probably aware that essential commercial fridge maintenance protects your heating and cooling systems from functioning smoothly and effectively. You may not understand that frequent service for your commercial refrigeration equipment is just as crucial.

After all, commercial refrigerators and freezers are critical pieces of equipment that can easily cost you a lot if they malfunction. Even if you believe your refrigeration units are in good operating order, they may be spending too much energy, damaging your money, and the latter. Essential maintenance will save you money while also allowing you to contribute to environmental sensitivity.

Commercial Refrigeration Maintenance

Whether your business is in peak or low season, any commercial refrigeration in Singapore that is utilised regularly will have urgent needs to be attended to. Routine servicing before and throughout the busiest months will help you avoid significant malfunctions and satisfy your customers and employees.

The mere prospect of your commercial freezer failing is enough to boost your blood pressure. When your system is inspected regularly by a refrigeration professional, issues may be identified and resolved before the equipment fails and you lose an entire supply of ice cream or meat. Investing in the relatively low expense of regular maintenance ensures that you will not face substantially more significant commercial refrigeration repair expenditures in the future.

So, what must you constantly do to ensure the maintenance of the fridge? Here are some commercial refrigeration maintenance suggestions to help maintain your fridge clean and working well.

8 Helpful Tips For Commercial Refrigeration Maintenance

1. Clean The Interior and Exterior of the Unit Regularly

It is critical to clean the interior of your refrigeration equipment regularly to maintain it working efficiently. This entails removing all things from the inside and transferring them to another unit or temporary cooler. Scrub shelves with warm water and soap or a specialised freezer/refrigerator cleaner if necessary for an extra cleaning boost! Regular cleaning will eliminate all of the natural residues that might accumulate within and cause food rotting or poor efficiency in other areas, such as cooling capacity! So, before it’s too late, set aside some time each week (or monthly) to clean the interiors for maximum performance.

The exterior of your unit should also be cleaned regularly. When caring for metal exteriors like those seen on appliances, the need for maintenance cannot be overstated. Neglecting basic cleaning might result in anything from visible scratches to rust. 

Use suitable cleaning solutions and products to avoid damage to a stainless steel surface. This is best done with warm water and a mixed detergent-based solution, depending on your preference for routine maintenance. Avoid using abrasive scrubbers such as sponges; use soft brushes or a microfiber rag!

2. Check Condenser Coils

You may save between 5 and 10% on energy bills by maintaining your commercial refrigeration equipment in excellent order. When condenser coils are unclean, your commercial refrigerators and freezers must exert additional effort to keep the temperature inside stable, consuming more energy. Cold air leaks from the unit can be due to worn gaskets, hinges, door handles, or poor seals. 

Your technician will clean coils, repair damaged hardware, and check the temperature and defrost frequency levels to ensure optimal efficiency and low power use. Cleaning evaporator and condenser coils also lessen the strain on the compressor and reduce the danger of failure.

3. Make Sure The Ice Maker Is Clean

Stained and stinky ice can quickly turn off your clients and may even make them sick. Bacteria and viruses can be found in neglected ice makers. You might face health code penalties and even litigation in the worst-case scenario.

These issues arise from dirt and mould building within your ice maker, which can occur even if the unit has an automated cleaning cycle. To avoid such situations, it is highly advisable to call in your technician to have a check at least twice a year. If the usage is higher, they should visit for two months once. They will be able to dismantle the unit and carefully clean all components.

Ensure that your service provider cleans the water pipes, bins, and dispensers with ice machine-specific materials. Cleaning has the additional benefit of improving ice output.

4. Regular Cleaning Helps 

Monitoring electrical connections can help to prevent power outages. Regular cleaning also decreases system wear and prevents important parts from failing.

This component in your commercial refrigerator should be cleaned at least once every six months. You might ask how often this has to be done, but the answer is when they’re dirty. Once every six months is also the specific suggestion; however, depending on your circumstances, this number may alter to more regularly.

This is why you should inspect your commercial refrigeration unit regularly and wash the freezer coils to guarantee there is no material blocking things up. The evaporator will have to work more than it should to chill the interior, which will take longer. It may even necessitate contacting a professional for assistance in minimising strain on the evaporator’s motor.

Worn parts can be changed during a commercial refrigeration service visit before they cause the machine to shut down. 

5. Clean Drain Pans And Tubes

To maintain your refrigerator working smoothly, clean out the drain pan and associated tubing regularly. If there is debris or filth in these machine components, it can quickly accumulate, causing your unit to freeze.

Examine the drain pan and any tubing that may accumulate food particles regularly. If too much moisture is on the surface, an overflow may occur. It’s an excellent option to clean the pan and tubing with warm water and soap after removing any dirt or food particles. When it comes to refrigerator maintenance, a little goes a long way. Doing this monthly can help your equipment run more efficiently and decrease contaminants in your unit.

6. Inspect The Refrigeration’s Door Gaskets (seals)

Torn or split door gaskets or seals occur over time as the refrigeration unit is used more frequently. It works a great deal to keep the conditioned room cool. Torn or cracked gaskets can let heated air into the fridge, causing food to deteriorate. Food particles in these worn-out gaskets can also contribute to the growth of germs and mildew.

It’s a good idea to regularly examine all sides of the business refrigeration unit’s door gaskets. Examine the door for rips or tears and ensure they are adequately sealed on all four sides. Gasket cleaning should be done gently, using mild soapy water, to remove any food particles.

7. Change the Air Filter

Yes, commercial refrigeration has air filters, like an air conditioner or heater. This is why we constantly emphasise the need for everything clean because a considerable accumulation might prevent air from adequately circulating in the fridge or freezer. You may be wondering how accumulation occurs, but it is evident that it is caused by debris, grease, and dust.

Eliminate dust or debris from your fridge’s air filter using a strong vacuum. A degreasing solution should be used to remove any heavy grease accumulation. You can also check the unit’s instruction manual for further guidance on thoroughly degreasing while avoiding risks. 

Another thing that too much oil and buildup might do is cause damage. If you’re degreasing and see any cracks in the air filter caused by debris, replace it immediately.

8. Clear Any Residual Water and Keep The Unit Dry

Too much moisture might create cooling issues, primarily if it originates from within your unit. Wipe away any water or liquid accrued within your commercial refrigerator regularly. 

Not only should spills be cleaned quickly, but you should also monitor for buildup at least once a week. This includes inspecting behind shelves, which may have condensation developing.

Unchecked moisture buildup might trigger your refrigeration unit to freeze because of the cold inside air. Cleaning your commercial refrigeration unit properly might help you save hundreds of dollars in the long term.

Commercial Refrigerator Still Giving Issues?

Are you still having problems with your commercial refrigerator? Not to worry! Some significant issues will necessitate the assistance of certified refrigeration service experts like EconCool, to help solve your issues! At EconCool, we have commercial refrigerator service experts who can come to your rescue when your unit malfunctions, repairs, or even regular checks and maintenance services. 

As a well-known commercial refrigerator servicing company in Singapore, we are dedicated to helping our customers quickly solve their commercial refrigerator issues! 

Contact us today to learn more about the other services EconCool provides. You may reach out to us, and we will try to reply within 30 minutes or below!