Commercial refrigeration maintenance is a critical step in increasing the lifespan of your equipment. It is important to point out that for any commercial refrigerator, professional check-ups should be done at least twice annually. Here are some of the DIY maintenance steps and repairs that one can take between checkups.

Visual Inspection Of The Condenser Coil

For most commercial units, air is cooled using a condenser coil. Cool air is then drawn from this coil, causing accumulation of dust and debris which need to be removed regularly. It is usually found at the top or bottom or at the front- right or front-left of a self-contained refrigerator. A self-contained refrigerator refers to a stand-alone unit that is not attached to a wall or that is not a built-in unit.

For a walk-in / built-in refrigerator, the condense coil is usually found outside.

Begin by unscrewing the condenser cover. Then once that is done, using an appropriate brush, brush off dust without damaging the aluminum fins or by using a pressurizer air blower. Replace the material covering the coil regularly so as to ensure efficiency. Finally, replace, cover, and screw in place.

Checking The Door Seals (Gaskets)

A door seal or gasket refers to the rubber lining on the refrigerator door. Regularly clean with warm soapy water and a damp cloth. Rinse off with a clean damp cloth.

Check Drain Lines

These are located near the compressor unit. To keep drain lines clear, insert a straw into the end of the drain outlet and wrap a damp cloth at that intersection point. Blow into the straw while firmly holding down the damp cloth wrapped at the intersection point. This will help keep the drain clear.

For Leaks And Repair

Finally, the last step is to check for leaks. Listen for sounds like pressurized air when the fridge is turned off. Also, the distinct smell of coolant gas can tip you off. Leaks occur when one of the pipes either from the condenser coil or evaporator coil has a hole. When this happens you will have to replace the coil, after which you will have to replace the coolant gas

Note: have a professional check that there are no more leaks that are from any other place other than the coil before proceeding to replace coolant.

Proceed by locating and opening the coolant access valve. Attach a gas gauge and then the coolant pipe. Measure the gas you are putting into the fridge using the gauge so as not to under fill or over fill the fridge.

Take off the gas gauge and coolant pipe, replace access valve cover and tighten with pliers when done. Plug in the fridge and reset the fridge dials to their original factory setting.

For more information, contact a company such as Epg Electrical Plumbing Group Pty Ltd.