Cleaning and Maintaining Commercial Refrigeration in Darwin

Routine cleaning and maintenance prolongs the life of your commercial refrigeration unit and saves you money on power consumption. While you can perform a few basic maintenance tasks on your own, you will have to get professional help to carry out a thorough clean and check throughout the year.

Cleaning Condenser Coils

Walk-in coolers, freezers, ice machines, and beer systems all need to expel heat. Most cooling systems do this through an air cooled condenser coil. Condenser coils tend to attract a lot of dust and debris, which should ideally be removed at least once a month. Failure to clean condenser coils properly could lead to major component issues.

Dirty coils can cost you in many ways. Firstly, it will make the unit consume more energy so the system can run all its components longer and harder. It will also prevent your refrigeration unit from cooling efficiently. To make sure you keep the condenser coils clean, wipe them down thoroughly and dust them often. Condenser coils are likely to trap a lot of dust and dirt in the Northern Territory in particular. Request the professionals to do a full chemical clean a few times each year.

Clean the Condenser Unit

Clean the entire condenser unit using an air compressor. Remember the longer you wait to clean the coils, the dirtier they will get. Your refrigerator may not be able to cope with higher temperatures, and this may prompt you to seek expensive emergency repairs. Besides, perishable foods sitting in your cooler may have to be thrown away. Failure to maintain the right temperature could lead to food safety issues. Since the consequences are costly, it makes sense to clean the condenser unit often.

Visual Spot Checks

Inspect and clean external portions of the unit, including doors, gasket seals, and exterior surfaces. Find out whether the gaskets seal the conditioned space well on all four sides. Avoid using strong chemicals to clean the exteriors of your commercial refrigeration unit. Mild soapy water should suffice. Take precautions when you’re cleaning so water doesn’t come in contact with any electrical components. It’s best to avoid using hoses to clean the fridge or the area right around it.

Ventilation

To ensure the refrigerator or freezer cools properly, keep the air vents free from any obstructions. Find the vents and make sure there is nothing coming in the way of the air flow. Blocked vents could cause temperature issues, moisture build-up, and even excess frost. Use a food thermometer to check the temperature of products lying in your fridge. To do this, just place a bottle of water in the fridge and test the temperature of the water after twenty minutes to get an accurate reading.

Clean Drain Lines

Keep the drain lines clear of any restrictions by cleaning them periodically. Insert a thin brush into the drain outlet and clean the hole, making sure there’s no ice or debris inside. Also, wash the drain line with warm water and soap to get rid of anything that’s trapped within.

Lastly, replace faulty components sooner rather than later. If you delay, you might end up further damaging the unit.

Here at Dynamic Refrigeration Solutions, we use the latest technology to notify you of upcoming equipment maintenance schedules. We also reward you for your investment in preventive maintenance by giving you discounts on emergency call out fees.

Our experienced technicians know commercial refrigeration units inside out and they’ll help you increase equipment reliability and longevity. Call us on 1300 112 187 to get your cooling system professionally cleaned and inspected or send us an enquiry online.