Featured Image Caption: Commercial Freezer
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By making your commercial freezer more efficient, you can reduce your energy bill by over 50%. Saving money is crucial in an industry that is known for its razor-thin margins.
Today we will provide some easy tips that will allow you to drastically improve the efficiency of your commercial freezer and other such appliances.
Proper Cleanliness
If hygiene is a priority, then you should clean your freezer as often as possible. Dirty freezers can cause many problems for food industry-based businesses. Bacterial growth can cause food to smell and spoil, which can make patrons sick. Your appliance will also waste more electricity than normal due to bacterial accumulation.
To clean your freezer, you should first unplug it to prevent the risk of shock. Next, remove everything from the freezer and set it aside in a safe spot in the kitchen, like the sink or countertop.
Check the dates of all of the products that you have set aside. Any food items that are past their expiration date should be thrown away. Next, the interior should be wiped using soapy and warm water. Then, restock all of the fresh food items in an orderly fashion.
Inspect the Freezer
Debris and dust buildup can cause serious problems over time. The efficiency of your commercial freezer can be drastically affected by debris and dust buildup.
The condenser and coils will likely become clogged after a few months: When this happens, the freezer will need to work extra hard to cool the device. Check the freezer at least once a week to look for any defects.
What to Look for When Inspecting Your Freezer
Cold air may leak out of the unit if the doors do not close as intended. Debris and mould may accumulate up along the seals of the door. Sticky messes and food spills may cause metal elements, such as hinges, to rust over time.
Clean the Blades
The fan blades will also need to be thoroughly cleaned now and then. The fan blades will rotate on a perpetual basis and will accumulate grime and dust over time. When the blades become dirty, they will cause the motor to slow down.
The decreased performance will cause your commercial freezer to work less effectively. Your fan blades should be cleaned at least once a month. Having clean fan blade components will help greatly boost the efficiency of your freezer unit, which will also save you money down the road.
Maintain the Perfect Temperature
Food will need to be kept at the right temperature if you want it to last as long as possible. A few degrees too low or high may not seem like a big issue, but it is. Many food items will quickly become ruined by elevating or decreasing the temperature by just 2 or 3 degrees.
If you want to enjoy optimal food quality, then the temperature must remain stable. The ideal temperature for a commercial freezer should be -18 degrees celsius to ensure proper storage.
Stay Clear of Moisture
As you continue to open and close your freezer, some increased moisture may develop in the conditioned area of the unit. Your foodservice operation may be dealing with elevated turnover rates, which may make it impossible to keep the freezer doors closed for a prolonged time.
Moisture control must be optimized so that frost does not form near the coldest sections of the unit. Keeping your freezer moisture and frost-free will ensure that the compressors do not overwork. Overworked compressors will inevitably lead to high energy expenditures.
Avoid Frost Accumulation
While an inefficient freezer will cause your operating costs to go up, the same can be said of freezers that have significant frost buildup. Having an on-demand frost system will prevent frost from accumulating and damaging your commercial freezer.
A smart defrost system will also get the job done so that you can focus on other, more pressing matters. For example, a smart-based defrost system will only turn on when its sensors indicate it is time to defrost the unit.
The higher efficiency that results will help cut down your energy costs in just a few weeks. You can then use the savings to help grow your food-based business.
Hire Professionals to Perform Routine Inspections
A refrigeration specialist is an expert who is trained to inspect, maintain, and repair refrigeration units. We would recommend that you hire a refrigeration specialist to check your commercial freezer regularly.
There may be some underlying problems that only an expert would be able to detect and fix. Certain internal components may need to be replaced to boost the efficiency of your commercial freezer.
A refrigeration specialist will inspect the electrical wiring, fan motors, and compressors. You will also be provided with a warranty on parts and labour for peace of mind.
Energy Consumption Facts
Some people in the foodservice industry may believe that saving energy is not a big deal. In reality, restaurants consume roughly six times more energy than other commercial buildings. A conventional commercial refrigerator can consume over 17,000 kWh of electricity.
As for commercial freezers, they can consume over 38,000 kWh, which will result in very high energy bills. However, having a commercial freezer that is highly efficient will reduce the amount of energy that is consumed.
Your monthly utility bills will be lower after you have optimized the efficiency of your commercial freezer unit.
Commercial Freezer Infographic
An efficient freezer will also slow down the spoilage process, which will allow you to serve your customers fresh and delicious food. Superior food quality will give you an edge over other restaurants in the area.
Hiring an expert to inspect your commercial freezer will ensure that any underlying issues are resolved in a timely fashion.
By Devon Graham
who is a blogger in Toronto. He graduated with honours from the University of British Columbia with a dual degree in Business Administration and Creative Writing. Devon Graham is a community manager for small businesses across Canada. He also likes to research various topics related to pets, food, storage solutions and business solutions.
Member since July, 2021
View all the articles of Devon Graham.
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