Whether it’s seafood, burgers, gelato, or groceries, if you have a business that deals with food, a lot depends on the condition of your food-storing equipment, especially your walk-in cooler. Loss of refrigeration jeopardizes your bottom line and customer health and satisfaction. Having a professional tend to cooler operation is the best way to avoid costly repairs and ruined inventory. Here are a few indications it’s time to make the call. 

When to Have Your Walk-In Cooler Serviced or Repaired

1. Fluctuating Temperatures

Walk-in coolers must maintain a consistent temperature. If the temperature is fluctuating, something’s wrong. You may have a damaged door gasket, a broken thermostat, insufficient refrigerant, or something less obvious. Have a commercial refrigeration technician examine your unit, diagnose the reason for the malfunction, and fix it. 

2. Strange Odors

If you smell rot, dispose of unsafe inventory and get a technician in to service your cooler immediately. But if you sense an unfamiliar chemical odor, you may have refrigerant leak. Refrigerant has a sweet, acetone-like aroma, similar to that of nail polish remover. Loss of refrigerant should be handled quickly. Prolonged exposure to it can cause headaches, nausea, and heart palpitations.

3. Water Leaks

Puddles of water around your walk-in cooler should be dealt with immediately. Any amount of water on the floor is a safety hazard. The common culprit of leaks is a damaged door gasket. Since employees are continually opening the cooler door, the gasket takes on a lot of wear and tear. The evaporator is another source of leaks, as is the drain pan, which may be clogged.

If your walk-in cooler is exhibiting any of these problems, call Coulee Refrigeration Inc. at (608) 269-0403. Located in Sparta, they provide reliable commercial refrigeration services for restaurants, grocery stores, schools, and warehouses throughout Western Wisconsin. Whatever the issue may be, their trained technicians can handle it quickly and efficiently. To learn about their comprehensive commercial HVAC services, visit their website.