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Multidecks In Summer
During hot summer months the demand for cold drinks and food dramatically increases as everyone wants to stay cool. Constantly replacing purchased items in your multidecks can lead to the units having to work harder, expelling more heat and causing the shop to rise in temperature also. This would also have an effect on your energy bills as the displays use more energy to keep up with the demand. Working your multidecks in this way can really put a strain on them, possibly causing breakdowns and loss of sales.
The best way to prevent this from happening is to buy the best and most energy efficient equipment possible in the first place. Obviously this is not always possible so there are some things that you can do to keep your current multideck working at it's best. Even during the hot summers.
If you do have the money to buy a new unit, it is a good idea to consider, not only the basic cost of the multideck, but the long term running costs too. It would not help to buy the best unit money can buy only to find out that it costs an arm and a leg to run.
Multideck displays are not cheap, with the average width of one being 2.5m it would even be cheaper to buy three 1m wide cabinets and place them next to each other. However, multidecks add a visual appearance much more appealing to customers than cabinets. When a customer walks in to a shop to see shelves of products all neatly displayed inside a multideck, they are drawn to buy.
While multidecks do cost more than cabinets, they are much more energy efficient than they used to be, and so the running costs are not as large as you may think.
You can further reduce energy costs in multidecks by keeping them in a cool area in the shop. This will mean that they don't have to work as hard to maintain a required temperature and use less energy.
In conclusion, multideck displaysd are a very viable options for shops to add an extra point of sale, keep their shops a pleasurable environment and keep running costs as small as possible.
Why Are Vestfrost Chest Freezers So Popular?
Chest freezers are ever growing more and more popular in the domestic and commercial world. With their ability to hold much larger amounts of produce than conventional freezers with the added benefit of being extremely energy efficient. One of the most popular chest freezer brands is the Vestfrost chest freezer.
Vestfrost is a Danish company who have been running since 1963. Since then they have been the largest producers of commercial chest freezers in Europe. One part of their success has been the fact that they use Danfoss compressors in their products, which are regarded as the best on the market today.
Vestfrost chest freezers come in a wide variety of sizes and styles, further helping their popularity. From the smallest to the largest, these chest freezers are known to be efficient and reliable. Even if your newly purchase unit were to break, Vestfrost have a 3 year minimum parts and labour warranty to all of their chest freezers. If it's for commercial use it is 5 years parts and labour warranty free of charge!
There are also Vestfrost chest freezers with stainless steel lids. These units are very popular with catering establishments as the lid can be used as an extra preperation surface. Stainless steel lids are easy to clean and food safe. These units are usually more expensive than the standard chest freezers but with the added bonus it is worth the extra investment.
From 6 cubic feet capacity to the 13 cubic feet capacity these units are built for a variety of situations and can really add that extra capacity needed to any kitchen or food preperation environment.
Some extra features available on these chest freezers include; lockable lids, lights, digital displays and controllers, low temperature models and baskets included in some.
Whatever your exact need is for a chest freezer, Vesfrost are able to help with their extensive range. Make a list of your requirements and cross check it with the models you can find on the internet.
Choosing and Looking After Your Bottle Cooler
In order for most drinks to keep their taste, they need to be stored in a bottle cooler. Serving warm drinks in summer is not something most people will enjoy. If your bottle cooler does not work, there are things you can fix quite easily without having to return it.
First of all check to see where you have placed your bottle cooler. It is not a good idea to situate the appliance near to a heat source as it will make the cooler work harder than it should. Direct sunlight is also not good for your appliance.
If you have placed the bottle cooler in an appropiate place, it may be that there is something wrong with the power supply. The first thing to check with the power is that a fuse has not blown and the power outlet which the unit is attached is still working. Once you have checked these, unplug and plug in the cooler and turn it on again. The last thing to do is to try swapping the power cord.
It is important that your bottle cooler is plugged in to an outlet that is grounded. It is a good idea to check this.
If your bottle cooler is leaking a lot of water, make sure that the coils within the unit are clean and not blocked in any way. Try wiping them clean, this can also help to remove ice build up on the tops or sides of the cooler.
If you have tried all of these suggestions, it may be time to get it returned.
Bottle coolers are becoming more popular these days with updated technology and their usefulness for storing drinks collections. Unless you own an expensive wine collection, these units do not need to cost a lot. It is a good idea to look in to the appriopiate storage system for your paticular case.
One of the major advantages of these units in relation to a conventional refrigerator is their ability to accurately set the temperature entered. Meaning drinks can be stored exactly how they require. Another benefit of bottle coolers is that they can have seperate temperatures set for each compartment, meaning you have the ability to store two different drink types simultaneously at different temperatures.
The right bottle cooler for you depends entirely on the type of drinks you are storing, the temperatures at which they need to be stored and the quantity. Also the size of the space you have available can have an impact, it would not make much sense to buy a triple door bottle cooler when you only have enough space for a single door unit.
Once you have found the right bottle cooler model for your needs, look around for the best price, there are many vendors around on the internet and in showrooms. Make sure to shop around.
What Is A Serve Over Counter?
If you own a shop or other kind of establishment where you need to get as many off the shelf product sales, presentation is key. Customers can be put off by disorganised displays and messy appearances. If your products have an appealing appearance, customers are far more likely to want them. As well as the products they came in to buy originally, they may see other products next to this that can catch their eye and result in possibly a larger sale.
As well as how your products are displayed and organised, the actual unit that they are located inside can help to impact the overall visual appeal. Customers will take into account their first impression of the premises and if they do not like this then it could result in you losing sales. A refrigerated display can boost your sales dramatically and make your premises look better. One of the most popular is the serve over counter.
Serve over counters are units consisting of a base and some transparent material, usually glass, on top. As the name suggests, they allow for customers to be served over themselves. There are many different variations of these counters. Some can be multiplexed so, in theory, you could have them running all the way around your shop. This however would be extremely expensive with the average cost of these units easily being a thousand pounds.
One of the common features in all serve over counters is that they allow products to be stored in an attractive manner behind the glass on top. If you place one of these counters in your shop, it can add an extra point of sale as the customer walks over to it, they can see what is on offer and if they so wish, purchase the product there and then. Some of these serve overs also come with refrigerated under storage, with access at the back, stored products can be easily reached and placed in the display position.
The top display part of serve over counters often have curved glass but can also have flat glass. Some models feature a gantry with lights at the top of this glass compartment. There are many different sizes too, if you find a model that you like, there are usually different width variations of that same model.
It is a good idea to choose a serve over counter with a complimentary finish to it's surrounding area, making it fit in with the visual scheme of your premises.
Multideck Maintenance
Multideck displays are very popular peices of equipment in shops and supermarkets. There are not many shops now that do not have these units helping to add an extra point of sale.
With these multidecks being such an important part of the business, it is important to maintain them regularly to ensure that they do not break down. This can also help to make them run more efficiently, saving money on energy bills.
There are several things to do when cleaning and servicing your multideck. The first thing to do is empty the unit of all it's merchandise so that you can reach every area. Once this is done you need to strip the shelves, remove the base and back plates. Block the drain with a bung.
After this the unit is ready to be cleaned. Wash the inside as best you can, it might be a good idea to use a wet and dry vacuum. Clean the drains and flush them with hot water to make sure they are clean.Ensure that the condensor is clean and test the air flows and on and off temperatures.
How long this takes depends entirely on the size of the unit, but it would be well worth it to keep your unit running efficiently and keep it's visual appeal for the customer. The best solution to a problem is prevention.
Refrigeration represents 14% of the UK's total electrical energy consumption. There are more ways that regular maintenance to increase the efficiency of your unit. Design, type of compressor and fan and location can all impact upon how efficiently your multideck will run.
Chest Freezer Climate Classes And Compartments
Chest freezers are all built with certain operating temperatures in mind, this is known as the freezer's climate. Placing one of these units in a kitchen or other room within your home will be a sure way of ensuring it is within it's climate temperatures. This can be compromised, however, if you place it near a source of heat or even in direct sunlight.
Placing your chest freezer outside is possible, but by doing this you may be situating it outside of it's climate temperature range. This can cause further problems such as freezing lubricants and refrigerants.
Chest freezers should always come with a climate class either on the unit itself or in it's instruction booklet. This climate class will tell you the minimum and maximum temperatures at which the freezer will operate at it's best.
The following climate classes will show you the temperatures:
Climate Class Temperatures
N 16C to 32C
SN 10C to 32C
ST 18C to 28C
T 18C to 43C
With a chest freezer's high capacity being one of the biggest benefits, it can be difficult to keep it's contents organised. Although a lot of chest freezers come with two or more compartments built in as standard, it may be advantageous to add more yourself.
With any kind of project such as this, preperation is key. The first step is to determine how many compartments you wish to create, how you would like them to be configured and whether you anticipate change in the number of compartments you wish to use.
Once you have planned, measure your chest freezer from front to back and side to side. With these measurements, create divider sheets from plywood or plastic. Make sure to leave space at the top to allow for the lid to be closed properly. Also try to ensure that the dividers fit as snugly as possible into the freezer.
As well as this an option could be to place stackable baskets inside each compartment for extra organisation.
Keeping Your Chest Freezer Outside
Chest freezers are used in a wide variation of places, from restaurant kitchens to domestic households. It is not, however, always suitable to have them placed in the actual kitchen due to space restrictions. This is not a problem for those that have out buildings or other suitable places to put their chest freezer, but for those that don't it is possible to keep them outside.
There are a few factors that muct be considered before placing your unit outside. The first is water damage. There are a few precautions that you can prepare to avoid water causing electrical shorts, rust and other sorts of water damage. The main step to protecting your chest freezer from water damage is to keep it off the ground, but also try to avoid placing it near high pressure faucets or any other water sources.
The next danger is wind. You may not think this is a massive concern and you would be right for most of us, however, if an unusually high wind was to occur, it would be best to be prepared. Chest freezers are naturally bulky appliances but there is still the risk that they could be moved too far from their power supply or even tipped over. The key to protecting your unit from high wind is to anchor it securely and make sure that any tools or other debri can not damage it.
Although chest freezers are designed to work in extremes and are built to be reliable, they are not immune to very high or very low temperatures. High temperatures can cause problems such as overheating or melting plastic wires and seals. It can also cause the cooling unit to run constantly which can cause a burn-out. Very low temperatures can cause some lubricants or refrigerants to freeze which will cause friction damage within the unit. When placing your chest freezer, ensure that it is within the recommended operating temperatures.
The last major consideration when placing a chest freezer in an area exposed to the elements is animals and insects. Food is naturally going to draw these nuisances towards your unit so it may be a good idea to use insect repellant and rodent traps around it.
There are other factors to consider when placing your chest freezer outside. If, for example, you had to retreive a peice of meat during a thunderstorm. It is perfectly safe to place a chest freezer outside if all of these factors are taken into account.
Maintaining Your Chest Freezer
Maintaining a chest freezer is not as big a task as it may sound. Keeping an appliance in good working order and regular maintenance can extend it's life expectancy, even with cheap conventional fridges and freezers.
Regularly defrosting your freezer is one of the major steps, some models now come with automatic defrost which makes this task almost obsolete. It is, however, still important to empty the compartment where the melted frost is collected in these units. If your chest freezer does not have this feature then here is what you must do; The first step is to empty your freezer and place it's contents somewhere cold for a short period of time. Next you must disconnect your freezer from it's power supply and remove all detachable drawers etc. Place some towels or other absorbant material around the bottom and front of the freezer compartments. These will act to soak up water as the frost melts. It is not a good idea to use sharp objects to remove the built up frost as this can damage the appliance. Once all the frost has melted, remove the absorbant materials, clean and dry the freezer and replace all your goods. Defrosting done!
The next step to maintaining a chest freezer is to ensure that it is retaining a constant and safe temperature. This can be checked by placing a thermostat at the back (usually the coldest place) of the unit and ensuring that the temperature is between -18C and -23C. It is also a good idea to keep stock of what is in your chest freezer as even with these units, food can get lost at the bottom and get spoiled.
One thing to consider when you are placing food in your freezer is that it isn't packed too tightly, this can hinder the chest freezer in maintaining it's proper operating temperature. The known benchmark for a chest freezer to run at it's maximum efficiency is around 70% full. An empty chest freezer is also regarded as bad for your units efficiency. Keeping your freezer's contents in an appropiate container is always a good idea to prevent spoling, mess and freezer burn.
The last step to maintaining your chest freezer is to avoid opening the lid too often, this is not as important as in conventional freezers as the cold air is held in the bottom of chest freezers well.
A couple of extra tips for servicing your chest freezer is to place buckets of hot water inside the freezer, this can speed up the melting of the frost. Also rubbing vegetable oil around the seals of the lid can prevent premature cracking, helping to keep the cold air inside.
With the maintenance and cleaning of a chest freezer being so simple, there is no excuse not to keep it serviced. Not only keeping it running efficiently but also reducing costs in the process.
