The one thing every restaurant operator should know about is refrigeration maintenance.

One of the biggest challenges in the restaurant business is keeping your produce and your foods fresh for the appropriate time periods.  The one thing you do not want is your refrigeration unit to break down right when you have stocked up on meats and fresh fruits, leaving you with the prospect of facing some really huge losses in terms of your inventory.    When you open your own restaurant, you want to make sure that there is no risk of this happening and that’s exactly why you should know about refrigeration maintenance.

Some background information

Back in the years almost a couple of decades ago, rules were somewhat lax and this meant that the refrigerant gases and government standards allowed refrigeration units to operate even if they were not performing efficiently or they were actually rather faulty. That is why the refrigeration equipment made before 1999 may not work as well as the modern ones.

There is another side to the story. Today, the refrigerant gases and government regulation are dramatically different and manufacturers of refrigeration equipment are required to meet these standards. In sync with these, manufacturers have been producing cooling units (after year 2000) that are capable of peak performance provided they undergo regular maintenance. As a brand new entrant to the restaurant business, you want to invest in these high efficiency, modern units, not the obsolete models. We can help you here with our comprehensive inventory of restaurant equipment.  But, to get the best of your equipment, it is up to you to carry out proper, periodic maintenance.

What should you do?

The good news is that with simple periodic maintenance, you ensure that your cooling units are giving you the best and thus preserving your valuable food stocks in perfect, healthy conditions. Plus, a well maintained unit is energy and cost efficient so your bills remain within reason.

So, what should you focus on when it comes to periodic maintenance? The most important thing is MONTHLY complete coil cleaning. Many restaurateurs make the mistake of ignoring this maintenance activity and pay a high price for it. Choose to ignore coil cleaning and the coil gets clogged, resulting in an increase in temperature across the system. In turn, this causes the compressor oil to sludge up and plug your capillary tube, which is the part that creates the actual cooling. A clogged capillary tube translates into a huge repair or replacement bill for you. Most often, this ends up with tube replacement or compressor failure.

A simple way to avoid all of this is to get a skilled technician to clean out the coil monthly or learn how to do it yourself. All you need is a co2 tank and a hose and guidance from a trained technician, the first few times. You also need to check and clean the evaporator coils but this is necessary only twice a year because they do not gather as much dirt and debris.

Knowing what to do and when to do is the key to making sure that you are getting the best out of your investment in restaurant equipment. It is also the way to keep your inventory in pristine condition and avoid high utility bills.