Refrigeration Maintenance Checklist

A common mistake people make is to forget about preventative maintenance when everything is working properly. It is always better to prevent a problem from ever happening than to have to try and solve it once it has.

A good idea to keeping on top of your maintenance is having a to-do list. This is not as daunting as it sounds. It can be as simple as below:

• Job
• Piece of equipment
• Who
• When

There are many things to check on a regular maintenance.

Commercial Refrigeration Maintenance Checklist:

• Pressure clean / degrease condenser coils
• Clear condensate drain lines
• Check condition of door gaskets
• Monitor thermostat operation and adjust as needed
• Monitor temperature and cycling
• Check compressor operation and control wiring
• Check refrigerant level
• Oil motors if oil ports exist
• Check unit thermometer
• Check suction line insulation
• Inspect door hinges & door closers
• Check and adjust defrost timers

Regular checks on commercial refrigeration equipment can greatly increase the lifespan. In a large number of cases, refrigeration fails due to overheating of the compressor which is generally caused by 3 common factors 1) poor positioning 2 ) poor ventilation 3) Thermostat is over optimised.

1) Make sure the unit is well positioned, away from any heat sources, high ambient temperatures are inevitable in a commercial kitchen but there are ways to find cools spots for refrigeration i.e. away from cooking equipment

2) Try and position fridges and freezers near Windows or Doors, somewhere will as much airflow as is possible

3) Do not set the thermostat to low. Turning the thermostat up a few degrees will still keep foodstuffs chilled or frozen but will prevent the compressor from working so hard, therefore increasing the lifespan and profitability of the unit in terms of running costs.