Many Arizona restaurants see a spike in guests during the summer as people travel to the state to visit friends and family, return from school breaks, and pass through on summer road trips. More business means greater wear and tear on your equipment, especially your refrigeration systems, which are already working harder to compensate for increased temperatures. That’s why it’s so important to handle preventive maintenance, inspections, and check-ups ahead of the summer rush.
B & J Refrigeration specializes in inspections, maintenance, and repairs of commercial refrigeration in Tucson, AZ. We can help you avoid peak-season breakdowns, costly food spoilage, unexpected downtime or closures, and failed inspections. Here is our recommended checklist for refrigerator, freezer, and walk-in cooler maintenance.
Airflow and Cooling
Proper airflow and cooling efficiency are crucial to offset soaring kitchen temperatures and ensure you comply with food safety regulations. Your checklist should include:
- Cleaning the condenser coils on all refrigerators, freezers, walk-in coolers, wine and beverage coolers, ice machines, and other refrigeration equipment
- Clearing ice, dirt, grease, and debris from the evaporator coils
- Ensuring fan are blades clean and removing grease and other build-up or obstructions
- Confirming that all equipment has the required clearance space for proper ventilation on all sides
- Making sure all internal and external vents are clear of obstructions
Seals, Gaskets, and Other Hardware
You want to carefully inspect all internal and external components to look for signs of degradation, wear and tear, and damage that could affect the performance or safety of your refrigeration equipment. Minor issues can get worse over time, leading to unexpected breakdowns and the need for costly emergency commercial refrigeration repairs. Be sure to inspect and test:
- Door gaskets, looking for cracks or loose parts
- Seals, looking for cracks, chips, lost or disconnected pieces, or degradation
- Door hinges, lubricating them to ensure they close properly without sticking or jamming
- Automatic door closers to make sure they close and latch on their own
Drainage and Plumbing
You should also inspect all refrigeration system drainage and plumbing elements. A problem with a hose, filter, or drain could affect equipment performance and food safety. Follow this checklist:
- Flush all condensate drains to remove food debris, residue, and bacteria
- Empty and clean drain pans to prevent odors and mold
- Replace all filters
- De-lime ice machines
- Defrost and clean freezers
Electrical and Mechanical Systems
Finally, assess and test all electrical and mechanical systems to ensure optimal performance. We recommend that you:
- Test and recalibrate all thermostats
- Make sure refrigeration systems maintain a consistent temperature between 33-38 degrees Fahrenheit and freezers are set to 0 degrees Fahrenheit
- Check all refrigerant levels
- Inspect wiring and connections
- Evaluate defrost timers
Call B & J Refrigeration for Refrigerator, Freezer, and Walk-in Cooler Maintenance in Arizona
B & J Refrigeration specializes in commercial refrigeration maintenance in Tucson, AZ for restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels, healthcare facilities, and more. We offer comprehensive inspections, onsite maintenance and repairs, and customizable preventive maintenance contracts. Our team will make sure your commercial refrigeration system is in perfect working order before the summer rush. We have extensive experience working on walk-in coolers and freezers, reach-in coolers and freezers, ice cream machines, soft serve machines, refrigerated prep tables, chillers, cryogenic equipment, wine and beverage coolers, and commercial refrigerators. Call us now at (520) 308-6722 or contact us online to make an appointment.