Walk-in coolers are mostly found in commercial applications, but can also occasionally be found in large residential homes. A walk-in cooler is used to store fresh ingredients, cold cuts or temperature-sensitive compounds like medicines. This is why restaurants, storage facilities and grocery stores rely heavily on walk-in coolers. Walk-in coolers ensure that ingredients and other perishable items are kept in perfect storage conditions so that they can last for as long as possible. This is especially important for restaurants, since walk-in coolers keep food and drinks at the proper temperature. Many cooling and heating installation companies would go so far as to say that they help items move through the “danger zone” so that they can be used or consumed as soon as possible.
In today’s post, one of the top experts in heating and cooling services, American Refrigeration Heating and Air Conditioning Co., Inc., shares the top signs of a walk-in cooler malfunction.
The walk-In cooler has fluctuating temperatures. If you find that your walk-in cooler isn’t maintaining the proper temperature, there could be a number of reasons for this, such as a dirty condenser or evaporator coil. Other likely causes could be undercharged refrigerant, a faulty relief valve or a damaged compressor unit. Other possibilities include a damaged discharge tube or a lack of airflow.
Before you come to a decision as to what’s wrong with your walk-in cooler, your heating and cooling services expert would recommend setting your cooler to its designated temperature. Check if there’s enough clearance between the unit and the wall to ensure proper air circulation. Try to operate the door to see if it closes itself tightly, and open it again to make sure it operates normally: it shouldn’t be able to open on its own.
Evaporator fan issues. If you find that ice is building up around your walk-in cooler, you might have a faulty evaporator fan. If the source of the buildup is coming from your evaporator, shut it off immediately to allow the ice to melt. Once this is done, have the evaporator coils thoroughly cleaned and the drain pipes checked for signs of blockage. If only a small part of your evaporator coil has frost buildup, this could be due to low refrigerant charge. Contact your local cooling technician so that they can properly take care of your refrigerant and see to it that the pressure and sub-cooling units are tuned properly.
Lighting problems. While it’s not as big of an issue as the previous ones, you should still look into lighting problems since you won’t be able to navigate through your walk-in cooler if you can’t see. Granted, it’s possible to replace the indoor LED lights with third-party alternatives, but you have to make sure that the bulbs you’re swapping them with are approved by your refrigeration company to avoid damaging the light sockets. You can consult your user manual to see what kind of bulbs are compatible with your walk-in freezer.
Here at American Refrigeration Heating and Air Conditioning Co., Inc., you can count on us for your residential and commercial HVAC needs. We offer superior heating installation services to satisfy your needs. Call us at (662) 895-7204 or fill out our contact form to get a free quote.
