25

Jan

Things To Know About Buying Used Restaurant Equipment

Buying equipment for restaurant is a huge responsibility. One wrong move and all your hard earned cash goes down the drain. Talking about used equipment, of course it would be cheaper than brand new restaurant accessories, but still, you should be careful. Looking for something in good form is important because you don’t want spending money on commercial appliances service, right?

We have gathered some tips to make sure you get authentic equipment in exchange for your bucks.

Look for NSF Logo

It is recommended to look for NSF logo on any restaurant equipment, which you want to buy. National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) has blue logos printed either, on the equipment or its packaging. The logo ensures that the equipment is up to food industry standards.

Buying NSF logo imprinted equipment gives a message that food safety is a top priority in your kitchen.

Compare The Rates

Don’t rely on only one dealer. Scout the internet, compare the prices and then ask a network of dealers. Inspect the rates and the equipment. It will be quite a hassle, but in the end it would be worth it. You can also check out with commercial appliances services, they sometimes have good stuff for sale (but that’s a by chance thing).

Check Out the Auctions

Keep an eye out for auctions. Some former restaurant owners try to auction their equipment and restaurant furniture and chances are that you can easily get good quality restaurant equipment for a cheap price. HANDY…right?

Buying What You Need

Ever heard the saying “Too many cooks spoil the broth.” You don’t need all the equipment you see in fancy hotels. Save some of your cash and look for absolute necessary equipment.

When running a restaurant, one thing is more important than mere equipment. It is the ability to earn customer trust with good cooking skills. So don’t put all your eggs inside one basket. The world of today is dynamic. Be strong in all of your areas, especially in the area of commercial kitchen appliance services.

Inspecting The Equipment

Before you sign up the payment order, it is important to thoroughly check-up your commercial equipment of kitchen appliance – the one which you are about to buy. The equipment is not free. You paid money for it so it is only fair to have it thoroughly checked. Have a team of formidable professionals checking the authenticity of equipment. Sometimes during shipping, products are damaged. In that case, be sure to launch complain at the address of shipping service. It is important to know that as a buyer, it is your responsibility to make damage claims.

Ask questions from the dealer selling the commercial appliances. Ask him to show the receipts from where he/she originally bought the equipment. This is not compulsory but will increase trust between the two parties.

Local Codes

Before finalizing any equipment, you should look through the local codes of health, fire and building codes. The purpose being that what maybe legal in some states, may not be legal in other. Consult your local government to know that your commercial appliances are legal to permit in a particular community. Failure to uphold the local codes could result in penalty damage of millions of dollars so make sure your equipment is up to the standards of commercial kitchen appliance services fairfax.

25

Jan

Fundamentals of commercial appliances service

A person who runs a restaurant or school will be fully aware of the importance of keeping his refrigerator in good condition. If a problem arises to your commercial refrigerator you should contact a commercial refrigerator repairs company immediately because each minute spent without a commercial refrigerator can adversely affect your business prospects.

Any of the defects detailed below requires the attention of experts from a commercial appliances service company. It is better that a person like you who uses a commercial refrigerator in your business establishment to keep friendly relationship with one service company as it can help you to get immediate maintenance at discounted rates.

Water is leaking

Water leaking can occur in a commercial refrigerator if the drain hose has some leakage or the drain opening has some problems. This can also happen due to damage in the gasket around the door. If you are a person who has some interest in maintenance matters, there is no doubt that small matters like this can be settled by yourself if you refer the manufacturer’s guide and understand the matter.

Fluid enters in fresh food compartments

Sometimes it is seen that fluid has entered in the fresh food compartments. This often occurs as a result of damage in the door seals. If you are afraid to change the seals as suggested in the user’s manual it is better that you contact the commercial refrigerator repairs company immediately and get the problem solved.

Excessive frost in freezer

If excessive frost is seen in the freezer it can be due to the faulty defrost system or it can be due to faulty evaporator fan which can be rectified by replacing the fan. If the defrost system is faulty, it is better you get the repairing done at an authorized appliance repair service va center.

Refrigerator stopped running

A refrigerator may stop running if the thermostat is defective. Replacing the defective thermostat by a brand new one is a simple thing if you can follow the instructions given in the user manual.

Refrigerator is not able to cool properly

Due to problems in the gasket, thermostat or in the door gasket, the cooling power of the refrigerator can be severely affected. As this is a complicated matter and as there can be more than one reason which warrants the attention of a trained technician it is better to get the refrigerator checked by an authorized service agent and get the repairing done as per his advice.

18

Jan

How to Search for the Best Commercial Appliance Repair Services

Finding the commercial appliance repair can turn out to be a real struggling job altogether, if you are not aware of the selecting methodologies. It is quite obvious that correcting a commercial appliance requires astute professionalism and management, and any handyman out there is not going to make any difference.

Any service offering commercial appliance repair VA and showing technical acumen will provide instant and superior quality repairs of regular range appliances such as Dishwashers, Refrigerators, Freezers, Ice makers, Wine coolers, Ovens, Stoves and Cooktops etc.

Selecting the commercial appliance repair Fairfax

Not every commercial appliance repair service in Fairfax or elsewhere in VA is carved out of the same mettle.  Therefore, it becomes mandatory to find out the service, which is going to make your day, and moreover, offers peace of mind. Here are few critical points that you need to keep in your mind, when making the selection of appliance repair services:

Years of Experience – The experience of commercial appliance repair service counts and it means you will have value for the money spent.  The repair service, which is backed by thousands of hours, provides you confidence that your appliance will operate smoothly;

Friendly Approach – The service, which follows friendly and pro customer approach, should be your choice. It is going to make you happy in a way, where you can always reach the technician without any formal obligation. The whole idea of expediting a friendly approach is to engage quality service.

On Time Service – Turnaround time of the repair service counts quite a lot. If it does not suit your requirements, obviously, the service is not going to make any real difference.

Always Keep the Options in Hand

When you are going out for commercial appliance repair VA, you need to be extremely wary about your options. You don’t need to make a decision in a hurry, or else you will end up spending more and the service would be bad out of the bad. Check out with a regulated company, whether the appliance repair service is really meant to add value to your needs or not.

The service provider should explicitly show performance, professionalism and integrity. The service should also maintain stringently SLAs to ensure quality maintenance. Remember, the most talented and astute appliance repair service comes not in an easy way. You have to search extensively by spending quality time.

20

Nov

How to Keep Your Commercial Oven in The Best Shape

Whether you own a cafe, restaurant or grocery shop, commercial kitchen appliances are important for your business, and you are required to maintain all the appliances to get lucrative return of investment. This means you need to take care of basic tasks such as cleaning and repair. The more watchful you are about maintaining your kitchen appliances, the more money you will save in the long run. Among all, commercial ovens play significant role in every commercial kitchen. According to commercial oven repair expert, it is possible to improve the performance and increase the life of oven with proper care and maintenance.

Everything you need to know about commercial oven maintenance

A systematic commercial oven maintenance plan is required to prevent costly repairs. And commercial oven maintenance is not a difficult task. It is possible to keep commercial ovens in good condition without any arduous maintenance.

Your Ultimate Guide To Commercial Oven Maintenance and Cleaning

Inspect The Doors: After installing oven, make sure that door sealing should be in perfect condition. However, sealing will wear down after sometime and decrease the efficiency of the appliance, and you may notice that your appliance take longer to cook certain foods. In order to keep energy costs down, inspect the door seal regularly. Check for damaged or loose sealing. Also, avoid closing the oven door hard, as this can break the sealing.

Clean The Interior Of Oven Every Day: Keeping your commercial oven as clean as possible is key to keeping your appliance in good condition. Over the course of time, different types of foods fall to the oven, and their flavor mix with smoke to affect the taste of any dish being cooked. You can avoid this by cleaning the interior of your oven every day using proper cleaning products. Instruct your kitchen staff to keep the oven clean.

Calibrate Your Thermostat: You may think thermostat of your oven precisely display its temperature, but the truth is calibration can be thrown off over time. Check the calibration in every few months to make sure it is still accurate. If you are not sure how to do this, a commercial oven repair technician Vienna can do this task for you.

A big part of running a foodservice business is choosing the optimal way to manage the expenses. Maintaining your kitchen appliances is one of the best ways to do so.

13

Nov

Maintenance Tips: Extend Water Heater Life

Hot water is a necessity during cold months. Water heaters suddenly become the most important equipment for homeowners. This appliance works hard to provide you warm baths, sparkling pots and clean clothes. When it comes to performance, the water heaters are among the most reliable appliances. They usually operate quietly and consistently, and can last for years. You just need to pay a little attention over water heater installation and maintenance to make sure everything is done in an adequate manner. Whether you use gas or electric water heater, you need to look after the water heater to keep getting the hot water supply.

How to care for water heater

In order to keep your water heater running throughout the winters, you will have to use the appliance properly. There are various simple and inexpensive methods of increasing the efficiency and lifespan of the water heater. Check out the below mentioned water heater maintenance tips:

Set the thermostat to 120 degrees:  You will be able to save up to 7% in energy costs for every 15 degrees lower the temperature. By doing this, you will reduce the scalding risk as well.

Keep surroundings clean: No matter, if you are using the water heater or not, it is mandatory to keep the surroundings clean.

Drain properly: You should drain out about a quarter of the water tank. This will help you in getting rid of the deposited sediments and debris. Stop the cold water supply, use a garden hose for the draining valve, and then run it into a bucket till you see the clear water. If the water appears cloudy, temporarily open the water supply valve to clean the sediments, and drain the tank. This will help in reducing the noise as well.

Test temperature-pressure relief valve: You need to check the valves to find the leakages.

Check the sacrificial anode rod: It is extremely important to test the sacrificial rod in every 3 years. Lose the hex head, and remove it to reach to the anode rod.

Insulate older units: Insulate the units with the help of fibreglass. Be very cautious while doing this task. Avoid contact with flue.

Water heater maintenance is important. For proper maintenance, you need to look after the appliance by yourself, and also need to hire the water heater repair technician.

06

Nov

Your ultimate guide to commercial refrigerator and walk-in cooler maintenance

Refrigerators and coolers are the most used appliances in the commercial kitchens. The refrigerating appliances are the largest consumer of energy, as well. Adequate maintenance will help in reducing the energy consumption, improving the performance, and extending the life of the refrigerating units. You should train your staff regarding commercial refrigerator maintenance, and you should also hire commercial refrigerator repair technician. It is very much important to pay attention over the maintenance, inspection, cleaning and repair of commercial refrigerators. Timely action can help you save plenty of dollars.

Commercial refrigerator and walk-in freezer maintenance tips

Commercial refrigeration appliances play crucial role in the success of foodservice business. Emergency repair not only put your kitchen activities to halt, but it will also cause loss of perishables. Follow below mentioned tips to minimize the refrigerator malfunctions:

Always keep your refrigerator clean

Use soap and water to clean the metal surface of your commercial refrigerator. The cleaning should be performed daily. Train your staff to clean the spills right away. Just avoid using harsh cleaning chemicals, and do not scrub roughly. The best way to clean the refrigerator is following the manufacturer instructions mentioned in the user manual.

Clean evaporator fan coils

Evaporator fan coils play a vital role in overall functionality of your refrigerator. If you want to keep your refrigerator running with full efficiency, make sure that evaporator fan coils are clean. Over time the fan accrues dust and dirt. Just make sure that refrigerator is not plugged in while you are cleaning the fan coils.

Inspect door seals and hinges

Over the time refrigerators sealing and hinges become loose. This causes cooling loss. If you think that your refrigerator or freezer is not working with full efficiency, check the seals and hinges. In case you find issue, hire a professional to fix this problem.

Check condenser unit

Always keep the surrounding areas of evaporators and condensing units clean for proper airflow. Do not keep trash around the walk-in refrigerator.

Monitor temperature

Temperature fluctuation indicates that there is something wrong with your refrigerator. In case, you notice temperature fluctuation, call the victory refrigerator repair technician to detect and solve the issue before it turns into a big problem.

Schedule professional inspection

Commercial refrigerators are huge and complicated appliances. You need a professional by your side to keep your refrigerating units running all the time. Thus, schedule professional inspection every quarter.

06

Nov

Preventative Maintenance Tips for Commercial Kitchen Appliances

Commercial kitchen appliances are the most important assets of any restaurant. However, regular use and nonstop operation inevitably lead to appliance failures and unexpected replacements, immensely impacting the productivity and budget of kitchen. Scheduling regular maintenance visits of commercial kitchen appliance repair technician is the best way of reducing repairs needs. A maintenance program can help you in running your kitchen activities smoothly, maximizing appliances efficiency and avoiding the expensive repairs.

Maintaining commercial kitchen appliances

Maintenance of kitchen appliances is as important as paying bills. Regular maintenance actions, such as cleaning, descaling and calibrating cooking appliances, can significantly increase the life and efficiency of the appliances.

Commercial appliance failures are troublesome and pose several operational challenges. Regular maintenance prevents failures, breakdowns and keep appliances running at maximum efficiency. It is important that your expensive commercial appliances operate with full efficiency to cope up with the business requirements, and only well-maintained appliances can work like that.

A commercial kitchen is comprised of number of appliances, such as:

  • Microwave oven
  • Commercial convection oven
  • Commercial range
  • Commercial refrigerator
  • Walk-in freezer
  • Commercial ice-machine
  • Commercial deep fryer
  • Commercial garbage disposal unit
  • Commercial steamer

All these appliances need to be in tip-top condition to carry on the kitchen activities without any sort of trouble. Each and every appliance installed in the commercial kitchen serves different purpose. Thus, every appliance needs to be in working condition to do their tasks.

If you are new to the commercial kitchen appliances, you should read the user manual provided by manufacturer of the appliances. By doing this, you will learn about the installation, maintenance and cleaning requirements of the appliance. The better you understand about your commercial appliances, the better you will be able to look after them.

You and your kitchen staff can handle the maintenance and cleaning task, but when it comes to repair, you need professional help. Commercial kitchen appliances are very complicated. If you think that you can repair them by yourself, then you are making a big mistake. Only a certified and professional technician can do this task properly. The best thing you can you is to find the best commercial steamer repair Arlington technician when your appliance break downs.  The professionals have sheer knowledge and understanding about the internal structure of appliances. They will provide you the long-term solution of the problem.

30

Oct

Avoid Costly Restaurant Equipment Repair with a Preventative Maintenance Program

Commercial kitchen appliances contribute a lot in restaurant’s day to day activities. Persistent use puts the appliances at risk of issues that could result in expensive repairs and decrease the life of appliances, while impacting your efficiency to provide food to your customers. This is the reason why preventive maintenance of commercial kitchen appliances is highly recommended to avoid restaurant appliance repair. By paying attention over your expensive commercial kitchen appliances, you can avoid the appliance failure and improve the efficiency of your appliance to a great extent.

Preventative Maintenance Program for Restaurant Equipment

Restaurant kitchen is comprised of variety of appliances –microwave oven, walk in refrigerators, freezer, ice machine, dishwasher, deep fryer, beverage air and many more. The commercial appliances are different from home appliances in many manners such as functionality, size, efficiency and price. These appliances are required to be taken care differently than home appliances. Also, there won’t be any generalized way of maintaining all the commercial kitchen appliances. Each appliance has its own unique maintenance needs. In order to maintain every appliance in a proper manner, follow below mentioned tips:

  • Read user manuals properly to understand the installation, cleaning method and maintenance requirements of every appliance. Different brands have different instructions mentioned in their user manuals. So, you should follow the manufacturer’s instruction to get most out of your commercial kitchen appliances.
  • Install your appliance at proper location. For example: refrigeration appliances should not receive direct heat from the cooking appliances.
  • Make sure that every appliance gets proper ventilation, and it remains easily accessible to staff members.
  • Give a formal training to your staff on how to use every appliance. This should include explaining overall functionality of the each and every appliance present in the kitchen. At the end, it is the kitchen staff members that are going to use the appliances. So, each and every staff member should be aware of the functionality of the appliance.
  • There should be a formal cleaning schedule –daily, weekly and monthly. All spills should be cleaned right away from the appliances. The appliances should be cleaned with wet cloth at the end of the shift. Deep cleaning should be performed by staff members every week. And professional cleaning should be scheduled every month.
  • Make practice of hiring restaurant appliance repair technician as soon as any problem is noticed in the appliances.
23

Oct

Why Should You Hire a Technician Specializing in Commercial Appliance Repair?

If you own or manage a restaurant, you may think that any appliance repair technician can handle the repair and maintenance of your commercial kitchen appliances. The reality is that commercial kitchen appliances are different from the home appliances, and only a specialized commercial kitchen appliance repair technician can handle commercial appliances properly. These technicians are aware of full functionality of various commercial kitchen appliances such as –commercial ovens, commercial refrigerators, commercial freezers, commercial ice machines, deep fryers, dishwashers, and garbage disposal units. The commercial appliances are bigger and more complicated than home appliances.

Scheduling commercial appliance repair service

When it comes to installing, repairing, or maintaining the commercial kitchen appliances, you need a technician who is licensed and qualified for commercial kitchen appliance repair. The kitchen is lifeline of food service business—you cannot afford appliance failure for a long period of time. An appliance failure can slowdown the kitchen activities, and ultimately affect your business.

Hiring an inexperienced technician is like taking a big risk with appliances. The new technician will take time to understand the anatomy of the appliance and then figure out the fix. This will consume a lot of time. You cannot take this risk, especially in case of commercial refrigerating units. The stored food will start rotting, if appliance remains shut for a long period of time. On the other hand, commercial appliance repair specialists have thorough understanding of restaurant appliances. They know how to fix appliances of different brands. They can provide you the quick fixes, so that you do not have to halt your kitchen activities for a long period of time.

Benefits of hiring commercial appliance repair experts

#1: The commercial appliance repair experts have sheer knowledge about the various appliances. They can solve the root cause of the problem and provide you the long term solution.

#2: Commercial appliance repair technicians know how to inspect, clean and service refrigeration and cooking appliances.

#3: The commercial appliance repair experts can provide you the quick solution.

#4: They have experience of handling big commercial kitchen appliances.

#5: The commercial kitchen appliance repair technicians can educate your staff about the best practices of handling the different appliances.

Well, not all appliance repair technicians are same. Make sure you hire the best commercial kitchen appliance repair company to repair and maintain your expensive kitchen appliances.

16

Oct

How to make your water heater energy efficient

Today, almost every building has the water heating system installed. Every homeowner wants energy efficient water heater –a heater that heat water to desired degree and consume less fuel. Reality is that water heaters are not energy efficient, but it is possible to make them energy efficient. No matter how expensive water heater you install at your home, you cannot enjoy energy efficiency. In order to enjoy energy efficient heating, you need to pay attention over maintenance of your heating appliance. It is absolutely possible to improve the performance and efficiency of the water heater by paying attention over maintenance.

Make old water heater energy efficient

Water heating cost is a big toll on energy bills. It typically accounts for about 20% of your energy bill. To save heating loss, you need to take action. It is not feasible to completely avoid using water heater to cut the energy cost. All you need is using our heating appliance in proper manner.

Save on Your Water Heating Bill

Fix Leaks: It is possible to reduce the heating cost by repairing the leaks at fixtures of your bathroom, such as showerhead and faucet.

Turn Down Thermostat Of Water Tank: When you turn down thermostat temperature ten degrees, you will save 4% to 5% on your energy bill. Maximum water heaters when operated at 140 degrees, add the risk of scalding. This is the reason why, it is recommended to use the thermostat at 120 degrees.

Use Less Hot Water: A family of 4 showering five minutes a day uses seven hundred gallons of water each week i.e. 3 year water supply of drinking water for 1 person! Simply by installing low-flow faucet and showerheads aerators, you will be able to cut your hot water consumption by 30% to 50%.

Drain the Sediment: Sediments decreases the efficiency of the water heater. The water heater consumes more energy to heat water. Draining will help running the water heater efficiently.

Insulate Exposed Hot Water Pipes: Pipe insulation will help in preventing the heat loss. By insulating your pipes, water will comes 3 to 5 degrees warmer. This will help you in saving energy, money and water.

Insulate Your Hot Water Tank: If you use an older tank that installed in an unheated space, wrap it with an insulating blanket. This will reduce the heating time and costs. You can do it by your own or hire the water heater repair technicians.