30

Sep

How To Prevent Commercial Kitchen Hazards?

Commercial kitchens are the places where chefs whip up delicious edible creations, but that’s not the only thing. It’s also a place where things can get out of hand if proper precautions aren’t taken. You need to keep everything tidy and maintained. Train your staff well and get help from commercial kitchen appliance repair companies for maintaining your equipment. Let’s take a look at the most important things to take care of for preventing hazards in a commercial kitchen.

Commercial Kitchen Hazards Prevention Tips

No Overcrowding

The first order of importance when it comes to preventing hazards or accidents in commercial kitchens is to avoid overcrowding of the space. The kitchen is big, no doubt, but that doesn’t mean that you can fill it up with a lot of people and then everyone is bumping into each other. Even though you might think that this is no big problem, it can lead to a lot of issues.

Firstly, hot foods are being handled in the kitchen and every chef and worker needs ample space to be able to walk around freely with hot pots of food and water, without the stress of bumping into someone else. This is important because you’ll prevent a potential burning hazard and with a lot of space, the productivity and efficiency will increase too.

So, whatever you do, make sure that, if you have a lot of workers in the kitchen, manage the shifts timely, so that small groups of people can work effortlessly in the kitchen with efficiency and not get hurt during the process.

Keep Flammable Things Away

Another thing that is common in commercial kitchens is fire and flammable things. Aerosol cans, cylinders, and other pressurized containers are always a threat and risk in the kitchen, especially when the temperatures get past a certain degree. So, it’s better if you make your kitchen a safe zone for the people working in it.

This is possible by keeping fire and flammable things away from each other because they don’t go together and things will take a detrimental turn if you are not too careful in this regard.

Burn Protection

Speaking of fire, there is also the risk of chefs and workers getting burned by the stoves or hot things that they’re dealing with. Apart from burns, there also a risk of issues caused by heat exposure. This is why it’s important to make safety a priority when dealing with open or dangerous flames and high heat.

A kitchen is a place where everything is at different and dangerous temperatures, so you need to ensure that all of the chefs and workers are safe from the flames. This is possible by installing shields and splatter guards all over the working stations so that the chefs can stay safe and still cook amazing things at the same time.

Staff Training Is A Must

The next order of importance is the training of the staff working in the commercial kitchen. This is extremely important because no safety measure can top up the training of staff and that is important if you want everything in your kitchen to run smoothly.

For this, you need to go back to ground zero. This implies that you need to hire people who are trained professionals and even offer them training to work in a commercial kitchen under different circumstances, whether it’s packed, relaxed, or working under the stress of completing a big order. Only those workers who pass the training will get the green light to work in your kitchen full-time.

A Chemical-Free Zone

The next thing that you need to take care of is making your commercial kitchen a chemical-free zone. This is important because your kitchen is not a place where chemicals should be in the first place, so you need to ensure that you’re clearing them out, in case someone steps on it or spills a harsh chemical all over the floor.

This might seem like a non-issue, but it’s going to turn drastic within minutes. So, always try to keep your kitchen safe from such hazards.

Communication

This is also a very important thing to do and it will save you and your kitchen from a lot of trouble. You need to have a clear line of communication between you and your workers and chefs for your kitchen staff safety.

This is crucial, especially for bigger kitchens where you can’t always go back and forth. Train your workers to holler out whenever there is a potential hazard rearing its head. You don’t want to keep quiet about it and you want it to be the priority. This might sound obvious, but you will be surprised at how much people will forget about this fact. You mustn’t fall victim to this too.

Deal With Hazards Straight Away

Whenever you face a hazard, you need to drop everything and deal with it first. This is important because if you let things stay unnoticed for too long, then that is going to do more bad than good for you and you don’t want that, especially when you’re working in a commercial kitchen.

So, whenever you see something like a spill or a small fire breaking out, you want to drop everything and suppress the hazard first. Priorities need to be straight in times like these.

Be Organized

Do you know the number one reason for hazards? Not being organized. This is bad not only for the kitchen and the workers’ productivity but also for the way everything is handled in the kitchen.

You want to ensure that your kitchen is a neat and clean space with no boxes or things littered around. The less the mess is, the fewer chances of hazards there will be, so always make it a priority to keep your kitchen neat and organized, especially after a long day of work. It will be ready for you to dive elbows deep in preparing the food the next day.

Use The Right Gear

This is mainly for anyone working in the commercial kitchen, but you need to have the right gear and protective clothing. Chef’s whites are important, but aprons, gloves, and goggles for protecting the eyes, especially if you’re sizzling something up, are crucial.

You will be surprised at how much people neglect the importance of safety gear while preparing food. It not only keeps the chef safe but also prevents hazards from getting serious in the long run. So, if you look after the people operating the kitchen, then everything will be perfect.

Regular Kitchen And Equipment Inspection

You want to make regular inspections a priority as well. Something as simple as a crack or spill can turn into a hazard, so you want to make sure that you eye everything once every few weeks. If it is a busy commercial kitchen, then you want to conduct regular inspections.

If the kitchen is small and in tip-top condition, then a monthly inspection will suffice. But the point is to take a look at things around the kitchen, like gas leaks, broken faucets, and other things, because then you can spring into action timely.

Conclusion

Hazards are kind of probable, especially when you’re working with flames, food, and other things in between. So, keeping these things in mind will ensure that you’re keeping your kitchen and the people inside it safe. Inspection and maintenance of appliances and equipment is critical to avoid hazards so consult commercial appliances repair Alexandria services for that.

20

Sep

Your Guide To Managing Commercial Kitchen Inventory

According to the National Restaurant Association, 75% of U.S. restaurants struggle to make a profit because of poor inventory and food cost management. And on average, 10% of the food is wasted even before making it to the dishes. These are big numbers, calling for a kitchen inventory management emergency. That’s why we’ve penned down this topic to help you master kitchen inventory management, ensuring you avoid common pitfalls that many restaurants face inventory shortage or spoiled food due to malfunctioning refrigerators and walk-ins, which is why using commercial refrigerator services for regular maintenance is so important. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

What Is Restaurant Kitchen Inventory Management?

Restaurant kitchen inventory management at its core is tracking your stock levels, monitoring their usage over time, calculating the cost-to-sales ratio, predicting customer demand, and matching stock levels with sales trends. This is necessary to keep a balance between a seamless client experience and avoiding overspending on your kitchen inventory.

Otherwise, your average amount spent on food inventory would go above 35%, which is the usual amount. So, if your goal is to run a successful restaurant business, you have to learn everything about kitchen inventory management.

Let’s get started with common inventory terms.

Restaurant Kitchen Inventory Terminology

In general, restaurant kitchen inventory includes:

  • Food ingredients
  • Spices
  • Dry goods
  • Pots and pans
  • Beverages
  • Employee uniforms
  • Linens

However, experts use some specific terms for this inventory to manage it all together. Here we’ve enlisted the most common of them:

Sitting Inventory

This means the total amount of kitchen inventory available at the moment. You can record sitting inventory either in numbers, dollars or in some measurement unit. Just remember, whatever measuring unit you choose, stick to that.

Depletion

Depletion is usually defined as the amount of product used in a specified period. You can calculate your depletion weekly, monthly, or over a long period.

Usage

This means how long you can use a stock before it runs out. You can calculate usage by dividing your sitting inventory by your depletion time.

For instance, if you have 180 kg of uncooked rice, and you’re planning to use 6 kg every day, you have 30 days of usage without restocking.

Variance

Variance is often recorded as a percentage and is the difference between depletion and how much your POS says you’ve sold.

For instance, at the end of the weekend, your hamburger inventory is 250 pounds down. But your record says you’ve only sold 190 pounds of hamburger. So, the difference is 10 pounds. Or, in percentage, it’s 10/200 (5%).

Dead Stock

It’s the stock apart from the sitting inventory that didn’t sell well and has no hope to sell well in the future either.

Par Level

This is the amount limit for an ingredient you set yourself for a dish on your menu. If you buy lower than this level, you won’t be able to fulfill customer demand. And if you buy more, your stock will be wasted.

Catch Weight

This is a standard measurement for foods that fluctuate in weight, so you’ll measure their yield and weight margin with flexibility.

Why Do You Need To Manage Restaurant Kitchen Inventory?

Food inventory takes up most of the restaurant budget, and if you don’t manage it efficiently your business won’t thrive. Plus, it helps you avoid food waste and spoilage as well, which are some of the major problems of the world today.

Here we’ve enlisted some of the major benefits of kitchen inventory management for restaurants:

  • Higher profit: When you’re making more than you’ve invested, or simply not overspending on food inventory, your return on investment will be higher.
  • Happy Customers: You will be able to fulfill customer demands with a stocked inventory.
  • Good Vendor Relationship: With good inventory management, you will be able to order and pay your vendors on time.
  • Automated Inventory Supply: With a managed inventory system, you will be able to automate your inventory supply.
  • Less food loss: By keeping a record of your food supply, you will be able to reduce food spoilage.
  • Saving on Capital: You’re saving more, and making more money by avoiding over-ordering.

Kitchen Inventory Management Practices

Now that you’re familiar with the basic terminology and why you should manage your kitchen inventory, let’s move on to the main section “How to manage restaurant kitchen inventory?

Invest in a Good Inventory Management Tool

Before technology, restaurant owners were forced to use manual techniques to manage their kitchen inventory. But that’s not the case anymore. Now you can invest in a good inventory management tool to automate your tracking process.

It’ll let you know what products to refill, what you’ve already run out of, and track your food wastage as well.

Train Your Employees

Inventory management isn’t just a one-person job. It takes a team to build this whole system and follow it. So, you need to teach every person on your staff about how you’re tracking the in and out flow of the inventory and how to organize the inventory in the right refrigeration unit or storage unit to make the food inventory last long safely. This way, they’ll know their next step precisely in case there’s a spoilage or spill.

Make An Inventory Consumption Sheet

The easiest way to track your inventory is by creating a sheet where you’ll record how much of an ingredient you have, how much it costs, how much you’ve used & wasted, and what your profit rate is at the end of the day. This will help you keep a record at hand which you can update regularly.

Track Your Inventory Consistently

Hire staff you can trust and have at least two of them in charge of inventory. Then, with this little supervising team of yours, track your inventory regularly.

Compare this physical number with your recorded levels and see if there’s any difference. It’s a great way to avoid food inventory theft or any other such abnormalities.

Apply The First-In, First-Out Method

Make sure to label your inventory precisely with names and the date they’re best before. And then, use the first-in, first-out method. Use the stock that’s bought first. And then, later use the newer one.

This way, nothing is wasted due to spoilage. And if it still happens, your staff will be held accountable.

Regularly Clean Stock Shelves

This is the most ancient yet effective technique for regularly managing your inventory stock, because a messy kitchen inventory could result in over-ordering, double ordering, and missed stock items. This is no fun and could lead to major capital loss.

Therefore, we recommend regular cleanups of your inventory stocks. Group them into categories and add more shelves if needed. Plus, assign a specific ID to each item for search purposes on your software or spreadsheet.

Conclusion

Effective kitchen inventory management is critical for restaurants and cafe businesses to help them reduce food waste and earn a good return on their investment. This can be assured by regular inventory tracking and the usage of different automation software.

Plus, build a strong relationship with your suppliers for better quality stock items and favorable discounts. Moreover, schedule regular maintenance of your restaurant equipment and appliances that is provided by commercial appliances repair Fairfax technicians.

30

Aug

Restaurant Pizza Oven Maintenance Guide

Owning a restaurant requires hard work and dedication. Ensuring the best quality and maintaining it is not that easy. Part of that is directly related to how you maintain the kitchen appliances. With the oven being the most important factor, you need to keep it maintained to offer your customers mouth-watering pizzas. However, not many restaurant owners are aware of the fact that pizza ovens need to be maintained regularly by the commercial appliances repair services apart from the daily cleaning done by the staff members. So, let’s take a look at some tips that will help you keep your investment protected.

Clean The Exterior

The first and most important factor you need to keep in mind when it comes to maintaining a pizza oven is cleaning the exterior. Restaurants that specialize in pizzas tend to have open or live kitchens in most cases. This means the customers can see that the pizza is being prepared.

If the oven happens to be in bad shape i.e. covered with stains, oil, grease, etc. it will give a negative impression. Customers will think that the oven is not cleaned and maintained. Hygiene goes a long way in terms of making regular customers into loyal ones.

Plus, cleaning the exterior is not complicated either. You might think that it is an overwhelming task but you can train one of your employees to clean the exterior at the end of the working day. All you need to do is purchase a chemical and use a soft brush and cloth to make it squeaky clean.

The problem with a dirty exterior is that the pizza quality might be affected as oil, grease, dirt, and dust stick to the dough as it is placed inside the oven. This might influence the taste and also the outlook of the pizza. If you have loyal customers, they will be able to quickly point out the issue and might even leave if you do not work on it.

Check Gas Lines

Another noteworthy factor you need to keep in mind while maintaining your pizza oven is checking the gas line. Unfortunately, business owners are neither aware of nor check the gas lines out of sheer ignorance. Gas lines tend to become clogged due to dirt, dust, and other accumulations as well.

A tell-tale sign that there is a problem with the gas lines is if you observe that the oven is struggling to receive some gas. Although you will need to check the valve first, if the issue is not resolved, you will need to check the gas lines. Ensure to turn off the main gas supply before checking the lines.

Plus, do not keep any flammable items during the process as the gas can catch fire and lead to an explosion. For safety, wear gloves and other safety equipment to prevent injuries or burns.

Check The Burners

Ensuring the burners are clean is equally important. Without the burners, your oven will simply not work and you won’t be able to prepare the pizza. If there is a problem with the burners, you most probably notice the flame to be yellowish. In normal cases, the color of the flame tends to be blue.

Plus, if you observe that the gas supply is normal but the burners are struggling to produce flames, you will need to open the covers and inspect them. In most cases, the issue comes out to be debris and food leftovers. That said, you will need to put in a bit of effort and time to clean the burners if they have not been cleaned in a while.

Cleaning The Cooking Surface

The baking area or the plate happens to be the most important component in a pizza oven. This is where the pizza is placed in raw form and is prepared. You have come across employees using a metal scraper to remove any leftover food items from the baking plate. This is done to ensure the taste and quality are not affected.

Moreover, you can employ a wire brush as well to remove stubborn stains and leftovers. However, keep in mind that you will need to do this at the end of the day. You should not try to clean the baking area immediately after making pizzas. This is because the area happens to be hot and could cause injuries.

Check For Cracks Or Damages

Because pizza ovens can reach extreme temperatures, it is normal for ovens to experience cracks or damage. You might also observe gas leakages and other similar issues. Such issues can quickly turn serious and you need to be a step ahead to prevent complications.

Checking for cracks or damages helps you prevent issues that might halt your business in the coming days. Making a pizza is a very intricate process and every minor detail matters. So, if there is an issue and you haven’t observed it yet, it might affect the final output.

So, it would be a smart move for you to keep a check on the oven for even the most minor issues. Pizza ovens are not cheap and are meant to last several years. But, you can prolong their lifespan by putting in some time and effort.

Get It Maintained By A Professional

Getting it maintained by a professional is key to ensuring your pizza oven works in perfect condition for years to come. Most business owners believe they can train their employees to maintain the oven and end up saving money. While that is a risk in itself, professional maintenance goes deep inside the oven and not only thoroughly cleans but also looks out for potential issues.

Instead of considering it expensive, professional maintenance is an investment you make to keep complications away. This way, you can run a worry-free business without having to think about the oven malfunctioning anytime soon.

Professional maintenance is done by using special tools and expertise. You can invest in such tools but your employees might not be able to clean the oven like the professionals do. So, make sure that you follow the user manual and schedule expert maintenance.

Follow The User Manual

There is a reason your oven comes with a user manual. A common misconception surrounding ovens is that every oven functions and needs the same maintenance. While that might be a usual case, but that does not hold true for every oven out there. You will need to follow the manual religiously and ensure you employ the right techniques and tools

For instance, your oven might not be compatible with certain types of detergents on chemicals. If you were to use them, the finish of the baking plate might be compromised. Therefore, you need to be educated about your oven and keep a balance between maintaining the pizza quality and oven maintenance.

Conclusion

Maintaining a pizza oven is easy as long as you follow the tips mentioned above. It is all about using the right techniques and following a schedule that ensures your oven receives the care it needs. Do not shy away from consulting a commercial oven repair Northern VA technician or giving it some personal time and care to keep it running smoothly until a replacement is due.

21

Aug

How To Prepare For Your Commercial Kitchen Health Inspection?

If you have a restaurant or any food business, then kitchen health inspections are really important to pass if you don’t want to your restaurant to be fined or closed. Moreover, a failed health inspection makes it hard for people to trust your food service. So, if you want to pass the inspection of your commercial kitchen, you need to stay on top of your game. Educate your staff, ensure proper hygiene, maintain the equipment with the help of commercial kitchen appliance repair services, and take care of many other things. Let’s know them more in detail.

Check The Hand Washing Station

First things first, you need to ensure that your hand washing station is clean and up to the standard of the food health and safety code. If the sinks aren’t clean, then how can you expect to pass the inspection with flying colors? So, always make sure that before an inspection and regularly, there is a clean up of the sink and you also want to check for problems associated with the sink, like clogged drains, absence of soap or sanitizer, and the proper working of the faucet.

Also, while you’re at it, make sure that the water temperature is also interchangeable. All of these things are going to ensure that your hand washing station ticks all of the boxes and there won’t be any issues regarding the safety health code when the kitchen is inspected for health and safety measures.

Is There Sanitation?

Hand washing is one thing, but you also need to have different hand sanitation stations, so that chefs, workers, and even servers can use it to clean their hands on the go.

Sometimes, washing hands with water can take a long time, so you’ll need to have these hand sanitation points all over the kitchen, especially near the entrance so that the workers coming in and out of the kitchen can clean their hands before handling food for the patrons. This is an amazing health inspection addition and you will get brownie points for that.

Is There Proper Cleanup?

The next order of importance involves the whole cleanliness of the space. You need to ensure that your kitchen, the floors, and also the workstation have been cleaned after every round of heavy workload. You don’t want to start working in a kitchen that is dirty or hasn’t been wiped down, because there can be a danger of contamination and you don’t want that.

Therefore, always make sure that your kitchen is squeaky clean, and that shouldn’t just be before an inspection. Try to make it a regular habit and you’ll see that the food will be more sanitary and everyone will be happy with the services.

Are The Workstations Clean?

The next important bit to go over is the very place where the food is prepped. You want to ensure that the working counters and stations are clean and they are being regularly wiped down whenever you are ready to make new dishes.

This is important to do because this is the place where food comes into contact with the kitchen surface and you don’t want anything to get contaminated at the end of the day. Make sure that your countertops are clean and that you’re using food-safe cleaners to wipe your countertops down.

Is Your Staff Following All Safety Codes?

This is also really important because, during a commercial kitchen health inspection, the team doesn’t only go through the kitchen, but they also look at different workers and how they’re following the codes laid out by authorities. Are they dressed cleanly? Are they wearing gloves while preparing the food? Are they keeping their mouths and heads covered at all times?

These are just some of the things that the team goes through, so you need to make sure that your staff and waiters are following all orders to the T.

Is The Food Prepared In Sanitary Conditions?

This is something that a lot of restaurants can overlook but you don’t want to if you want everything to go smoothly in a food inspection. If the food is being prepared in unsanitary conditions, then that’s going to give you a bad rating as far as the health and food safety code is concerned.

So, you want to ensure that you’re making and preparing all of the food on clean surfaces and you’re cleaning the workstations, pots, stoves, and ovens regularly, if not a few times a day, to get everything looking spotless and to prevent foodborne illness.

Check The Trash

You don’t want trash, especially perishable trash, sitting around in the kitchen where you’re preparing food. Throwing out trash after every work day is crucial because you don’t want the kitchen to smell bad, especially when you’re preparing food in the same place. So, always make it a habit to check the trash and empty it, as soon as it fills up.

If there is wet and a lot of soiled garbage in the trash, then it’s better if you throw it out before the day ends, otherwise, the smell will waft around the whole kitchen and if you have poor ventilation, then this can turn into a serious problem.

Follow The Rules

When having a commercial food business, there are certain rules and regulations you need to follow. This is different for different restaurants, but you want to ensure that the temperature of the fridges and freezers are set at a certain point.

You also want to ensure that the thermostat of the kitchen is standard to the rules and you also want to know the different working capacities of different workers in the kitchen. This is going to ensure that the inspection goes smoothly and nothing bad happens. If you follow the rules, then you’re good to go.

Have A Checklist

Maintaining a kitchen and its equipment for a food inspection can be a tough task and there are a lot of small things that can slip through the cracks if you don’t pay attention. This is why making a list of things that you need to go over before an inspection is important.

This is going to ensure that you’ve got everything down and you’re not forgetting about the different tasks. Once you’re going through the to-do list, you can even add more things to check as you go and you’ll get done in no time.

Perform A Self-Inspection

Commercial kitchen inspections are done on either a monthly basis or once every couple of months. However, you don’t want to wait around for the team to show up and do the inspection.

Since it’s your kitchen and you are committed to delivering amazing and sanitary food, you need to ensure that you’re doing some sort of regular self-inspections as well. Checking the equipment, making sure that everything is clean, and so on, will only promise better quality and service from your side.

Conclusion

Commercial kitchen health inspections are unannounced so you must make sure that you and your staff are following the hygiene and cleanliness standards set by the FDA. Moreover, your equipment must be maintained by professional commercial appliances repair Springfield technicians to avoid any hazards and food safety violations. Good luck!

31

Jul

Which Type Of Kitchen Layout Is Best For A Restaurant?

The customers may not see the restaurant kitchen often or at all, but it’s the heart of a restaurant because that’s where the magic happens. The layout will dictate how easy to navigate and use the kitchen will be so choosing the right one is super important. The selection of anything related to commercial kitchens requires proper planning. Apart from the layout, even when you need to hire a commercial kitchen appliance repair expert, you must assess multiple companies before choosing one. Anyways, here are the common restaurant kitchen layouts.

Types Of Commercial Kitchen Layouts

There are five common types of restaurant kitchen layouts and if you’re seeing a restaurant kitchen, its layout is most probably one of these five.

Assembly Layout

The assembly layout is similar to dishes running down a conveyor belt. This allows different components of the dish to be prepared on each station and then it’s assembled. The start of the assembly line is the preparation point and the end of the line is the service line. The cleaning and other prep is done at the back of the assembly line.

It’s a very clean and organized way of preparing foods with lots of components. It also allows lots of people to work in line and get things done fast.

Zone Layout

As the name suggests, a zone-style layout is a kitchen layout in which the entire space is divided into different zones. There is a food prep zone, a serving zone, a service zone, a cleaning zone, a washing zone, and the list goes on.

This layout is also very organized and it helps chefs and other personnel to easily communicate with other people around each zone.

Island Layout

The island layout is just like how it sounds. If you want all of the prep, cooking, and dishing to be done in the center of the room, then an island layout is what you want to go for. The other non-cooking-related things are present on the perimeter of the kitchen.

So, the dishwashing area, cleaning, and cutting area are all on the sides encompassing the area where the food is being cooked. This is an amazing layout if you want to prevent a circular flow in the kitchen and if you want a lot of floor space.

Open Kitchen Layout

An open kitchen layout is a layout in which the kitchen is visible to the guests eating the food. Sometimes, there is no partition, and other times, there is a glass wall sectioning off the kitchen from the guests. So, the view is still visible, but things like smoke and odors won’t reach the guest.

Combining the dining room and the kitchen is a different experience for the guests, who can see their food being prepared in front of them. It also makes the space look bigger and its overall a great way to improve service, at the end of the day.

Gallery Layout

A gallery layout is perfect for small and even bigger spaces. It’s very versatile and it allows a clear path in the middle for the workers to walk easily. All of the food prep is done around the perimeter of the kitchen, leaving lots of room in the middle.

This is amazing if you have cramped spaces to work with and even if you have a bigger kitchen, everything is in one place and the space stays mess-free for longer. The middle is essentially empty whereas everything from the grills to equipment and even the washing stations are on the sides of the wall.

Considerations For Choosing A Kitchen Layout

Now that you know what kinds of layouts are commonly preferred in commercial restaurant kitchens, here are some considerations that you need to keep in mind when going for a specific layout.

Space

You need to figure out how much space you have to make the kitchen layout. If you have a cramped space to work with or if you want a kitchen for a food truck then a gallery layout will be perfect. For larger kitchens, you have the liberty to choose from all of the options mentioned above.

Food Preparation

The next thing you want to consider when choosing a layout for your restaurant kitchen is the food preparation and the types of food your restaurant offers. If there are a lot of components in almost all of the dishes, then an assembly layout will be perfect, because you can gather lots of chefs to work on every component and it’s going to increase speed and the service will be better.

However, if your menu mostly consists of foods with 1 to 2 components, then a zone layout or even an island layout will work, depending on how many chefs you have in the kitchen.

Ease

The next order of importance is the ease of working in the space. Now, this also coordinates with the available space you have for the kitchen. However, it does boil down to how the workers are performing in the kitchen and whether the layout is a source of obstacles for them or not.

This is why choosing the right layout is so important because you want to ensure that the chefs and other personnel on the line aren’t facing any hindrances because of the layout while trying to prepare the food.

Service

The next thing to consider for the perfect layout is the service. Some restaurants are really huge and even walking from the patrons to the kitchen can take a decent amount of time. You want the layout to increase productivity. So, you need to ensure that the food isn’t getting cold sitting at the service station. This is why the layout needs to be in such a way that as soon as the waiter arrives at the service station, you can immediately hand over hot and fresh food to them for the guests.

It might seem pretty simple, but there’s a whole science behind the perfect timing. Also, heating lamps on the service station help to keep the food warm.

Maintenance

Maintenance is another thing that you want to keep in mind. Remember, choosing a layout is one thing, and maintaining said layout is completely different and you want to choose a layout that is easy to clean and maintain as you go.

You don’t want the layout and the stations to be dirty while you’re prepping food on top of them, so this is why it’s important to select a layout that’s not only functional but easy to clean as the food gets prepared.

Ergonomics

You want to ensure that the layout increases productivity and leads to better work without compromising anything about the chefs either. The layout needs to be big enough to hold a lot of equipment based on the amount of people that flock to your restaurant. There also needs to be better access when it comes to preparing foods.

You don’t want the chef to leave his station and go to the end of the kitchen to grab another pot or knife. That is counterproductive and very inconvenient. So, ergonomic consideration of the layout is vital.

Conclusion

Commercial kitchens are different from residential kitchens and they need to be a certain way to increase productivity. After kitchen designing, you should also hire experienced staff and hire a commercial appliances repair Alexandria company that can regularly maintain your restaurant equipment.

23

Jul

How To Troubleshoot Your Commercial Food Steamer

Steamers are a necessary item in every commercial kitchen. As a commercial steamer is used daily in the kitchen, it’s bound to perform abnormally at some point, which would need immediate attention if you want it to cook food perfectly. In our previous blogs, we have covered various commercial steamer problems. However, as there are so many, we still have a lot to discuss. Before we start, if you notice that the issue is more complicated than removing the removable parts and cleaning the unit, it’s better to call in commercial appliances repair services.

Troubleshooting A Commercial Food Steamer

There are many types and models of commercial food steamers so some solutions listed below might not fix your specific unit. For exact procedures and instructions, refer to the user manual of your commercial steamer.

The Power Indicator Light Doesn’t Turn On

When you turn on the unit, the power indicator light also turns on. If it doesn’t, the issue could be:

Just A Broken Power Indicator Light

If your unit is working fine, but the power indicator light doesn’t turn on, then you may have already determined that it’s just a broken power indicator light. Even if that’s the case, you should not ignore the problem.

A power indicator light is a basic feature in every commercial steamer because it’s a critical one. It shows you visually whether the unit is on or off. If there is no visual clue of the state of the unit, it can lead to accidents. So, have an expert fix the issue before it causes trouble to you or any staff member.

The Steamer Is Not Receiving Power

If your steamer is not turning on at all, the first thing to do is to ensure that the steamer is connected to a power source. Check its power cord and reconnect it to the power outlet if possible. Sometimes, power outlets are blown so look for any signs of that.

If the steamer doesn’t turn on after checking the power cord and the power outlet, then it may be an issue with the circuit breaker. A circuit breaker is an electrical component that allows power to a certain part of a facility. There are many circuit breakers in a breaker box. They work individually so that if an electrical problem occurs in one part of the facility or one circuit breaker, it doesn’t lead to a power failure of the entire facility.

So, locate the breaker box and check the circuit breaker that is responsible for allowing power to the part of the facility where you have the steamer installed. If it’s off turn it on. If it doesn’t turn on or it turns on but trips again, contact an expert.

Broken Controls

If you see that the circuit breaker is not the issue and the steamer is receiving power, then the controls may be broken. A broken steamer control is not a big issue and can be fixed by an expert quite quickly, but it still can cause delays in food preparation. So, call in an expert ASAP to avoid delays.

The Steam Generator Of The Steamer Doesn’t Fill With Water

There are multiple types of steamers like induction steamers, boiler steamers, boilerless steamers, and others. One of the types uses steam generators for producing steam. A common issue in these units is the steam generator not filling with water.

Check The Water Supply

The first thing to check when there is any water-related issue with any appliance is the water valve. Check if the valve of the water line connected to the steamer is on.

Clogged Line Strainer

A Line strainer is usually present at the base of the steamer which keeps solids and particles from entering the steam generator. Over time, it can get clogged. As this keeps happening, you might notice that the steam generator has started taking more time to fill and at one point, it might not fill with water at all. To avoid these problems, regular cleaning of the line strainer is suggested.

Clogged External Filter

External filters are also used for blocking solids and big enough particles that can be trapped in the filter. Check your external filter as well and clean it.

Shorted Water Sensor

There is also a water sensor that is used to keep a certain level of water for the steam generator. With usage, the water sensor shorts due to scale buildup on it. This renders it useless. Due to this, it can’t detect the water levels so either the steam generator won’t fill with water or it will overflow with water. In any case, that’s a problem.

The solution is easy if you know how to descale a water sensor. While you’re at it, descale other parts of the commercial steamer as well.

Broken Solenoid Valve

Problems with solenoid valves can cause water-filling issues. There can be multiple solenoid valves for various tasks so have an expert inspect the unit and fix the solenoid if it’s causing the problem.

Broken Controls

The issue could be as simple as broken water controls. If everything is fine, then the controls may be the culprit.

Too Much Steam Is Coming Out Of The Drain

Commercial steamers are made in a way that condensates the steam when they drain. This keeps the kitchen area from becoming a place filled with clouds of steam. Moreover, this also prevents the steamer’s door from getting smacked open by the steam. So, which part is usually responsible for this problem? The answer is the condensate valve or, simply, the condenser.

The condenser is there to spray water on the drain pipe when the steam is leaving. This condensates the steam which means the steam turns to water for easy draining. So, look for these problems:

Hot Water Supply Is Connected To The Condenser

The condenser requires cold water to efficiently eliminate steam by spraying it on the steam and turning it into water. However, if there is a hot water supply connected to the condenser, the condensation process will be affected. There will still be steam leaving the drain.

No Water Supply

You should also check if the water connection is open to the condenser because if there’s no water, then the condenser can’t spray anything on the steam. Therefore, after checking the water connection valves, also look for any clogs or leaks preventing water from entering the steamer and the condenser.

Clogged Water Strainer

If you haven’t checked the water strainer already, then take a look because it can get clogged and requires regular cleaning. Otherwise, the water supply to the steam will be halted.

Broken Condenser Valve

If everything with the water supply is fine, then the condenser itself may be faulty. Mostly, scale can build up on the condenser blocking its sprayer. However, it’s difficult to check yourself so you should call in a technician to check the condenser and other parts to know why your commercial steamer is draining a huge amount of steam.

Broken thermostat

Thermostat problems are also linked to too much steam production so consult an expert for its inspection.

Conclusion

Commercial steamer problems can be difficult to fix if you don’t know their causes and solutions. We have covered a few problems that usually arise. To avoid problems and accidents, always hire an authorized commercial steamer repair Fairfax technician for maintenance and repairs.

30

Jun

Commercial Refrigerator Is Freezing Up: Fixes And More Tips

Commercial refrigerators are designed to store and keep food items fresh. Restaurants, hospitals, and the entire hospitality industry utilize commercial refrigerators to serve hundreds of if not thousands of customers on a daily basis. This means they need to be working in perfect condition to keep things moving for which you should consult commercial refrigerator services for inspections and repairs.

However, commercial refrigerators are prone to freezing up. We will discuss how to fix that along with some other relevant information that will help you protect your investment.

Causes And Fixes For A Commercial Refrigerator That’s Freezing Up

Incorrect Temperature

If your commercial refrigerator is freezing up, the first thing you need to do is check the temperature. It might be that someone has accidentally changed its settings. Commercial kitchens tend to be extremely busy places. This means it is highly likely that someone accidentally touched the knobs causing the temperature to either go up or down.

Furthermore, humidity has a lot to do with the performance of the units as well. Modern commercial refrigerators are loaded with smart features that constantly keep track of the temperature and humidity while adjusting the temperature inside accordingly.

So, if you have a new unit or recently got it serviced by a professional, you will need to check its thermostat’s calibration. It might be that the calibration was lost when the unit was serviced.

Worn Gasket

Commercial and household refrigerators come with seals and gaskets that prevent the outdoor air from mixing with the indoor air. These seals and gaskets are usually made of rubber and plastic that can wear with time. You might have noticed a gasket made of rubber installed on the inside of the door when you open it.

As the door is closed, the gasket forms a seal that keeps cool air from escaping. Since commercial refrigerators are opened and closed multiple times daily, the seals and gaskets will need replacement sometime in the future. However, worn-out seals and gaskets will also show some signs & symptoms that you will need to keep a close eye on.

For instance, cracks and damage are one thing but air escaping from the unit is another thing. If your commercial refrigerator is freezing up, it might be that the seals and gaskets are allowing the outside air to enter. The temperature difference might lead to freezing.

Furthermore, it could also spoil the food items inside. Therefore, you must take a look at the condition of the gaskets and seals more carefully. If they are hard or seem worn, you will need to replace the door gasket.

Dirty Coils

Commercial refrigerators comprise several different components. These components work together as a team to store and keep the food items fresh. One of the most important components inside a commercial refrigerator tends to be evaporator and condenser coils.

These coils help dissipate heat. With time, dust and other debris accumulate on them. This hinders the operation of the coils to dissipate heat. As a result, the coils tend to overheat and damage. The problem with coils is that if they need replacement, you might have to move the items into another refrigerator or temporarily close the business for a day or two.

On the other hand, coils tend to be expensive as well. This means you need to be extra careful when it comes to maintenance.

The Thermostat Is Defective

As mentioned earlier, modern commercial refrigerators come with in-built smart thermostats. But, if you own an older unit and have installed an aftermarket thermostat, it might be that either its batteries need replacement or the thermostat itself has malfunctioned.

So, you should try replacing the batteries. If that doesn’t work out, you will need to replace the thermostat. A faulty thermostat will not be able to communicate with the unit properly. It might cause the refrigerator to overcool, which might lead to freezing.

How To Maintain A Commercial Refrigerator?

Now that we have discussed the potential reasons why your commercial refrigerator might be freezing up, it is time to focus on some important tips that will help you avoid that in the first place and keep the unit running flawlessly.

Clean The Inside And The Outside

Many business owners make the mistake of ignoring to clean the inside of the refrigerator during maintenance and routine cleaning. Your commercial refrigerator will need a deep clean at least once every 3 to 4 months. This means you will have to remove all the items in the interior and wash them separately.

You can use a soft cloth, brush, and a cleaning agent to thoroughly clean the unit. If you do not have access to a cleaning solution, you can make a mixture of vinegar and warm water. Once everything has been washed and cleaned, you will wait for the items to dry up before placing them inside again.

And, make sure to wipe the outer body of the unit as well. This is because employees will use greasy and oily hands while opening and closing the doors. Such factors lead to accumulations that directly or indirectly can impact the lifespan of the unit.

Clean The Condenser Coils

As mentioned earlier, condenser and evaporator coils play an important role in the normal functioning of the unit. As they help dissipate heat, it is equally important that you thoroughly clean them as well to help the heat escape. But, make sure that the unit is turned off and the coils are cool.

Then again, use a soft cloth, brush, and a cleaning agent to remove any stubborn accumulations. And, while you are at it, look for any cracks or damage.

Replace The Filter

Commercial refrigerators come with filters too. With time, the filters can become clogged with dust and dirt particles. This will prevent the air in the unit from ventilating properly. To make sure that does not happen, you will need to clean the air filter at least once a month.

Plus, too much dust and grease can also damage the air filter. So, if you notice any damage or cracks in the filter, make sure you replace them.

Schedule Professional Maintenance

While keeping a check on your commercial refrigerator is a must, you should also consider scheduling professional maintenance. There are a lot of other things about commercial refrigerators that need to be looked at for them to run effortlessly.

Also, professional maintenance is not only about cleaning. It helps with timely repairs and replacements that could otherwise cost you a lot more in terms of customers. For instance, refrigerant leaks and other such issues can only be solved by an expert.

Therefore, opting for professional maintenance is an investment. You will be paying to avoid complications that may unexpectedly or unexpectedly take place in the future.

Conclusion

It is quite normal for commercial refrigerators to freeze up. But it should not happen frequently and should not be ignored. The above tips will help you in both avoiding and fixing that combined with the help of an expert. As mentioned earlier, schedule professional maintenance to avoid problems and to carry out commercial refrigerators repairs Alexandria as they are detected. Such factors go a long way when it comes to ensuring your expensive kitchen appliances are protected.

21

Jun

How To Remove Bad Smell From A Commercial Garbage Disposal?

What is that smell? Foul, dirty, and downright putrid. It’s probably your garbage disposal. If you have a commercial food business, a garbage disposal is an essential appliance. Apart from its scheduled maintenance by commercial kitchen appliance repair services, you should perform regular cleaning and use these tips to eliminate that stink from your commercial garbage disposal.

Ways To Get Rid Of Unpleasant Commercial Garbage Disposal Smell

Don’t Put Everything In The Garbage Disposal

When working in a restaurant and dealing with food waste, you want to get rid of everything quickly. However, amidst this rush, don’t put everything in that commercial garbage disposal because you still need to put a lot in the trash bags.

You can put in food scraps, fruit pits, a small amount of vegetable scraps, corn cabs, cooked meat, leftover food without or with small bones, and ice in the disposal. However, you should be careful and don’t put in large amounts of vegetable peels and eggshells. It’s a myth that eggshells remove odor or sharpen the blades of the garbage disposal. But if there are a few eggshells, it may be fine to put them in the disposal.

Other things you should not put in the disposal are grease, oil, oyster shells, corn husk, large bones, and any other non-food items like spoons and forks. Make sure to separate these non-food things from the dishes before because sometimes, a spoon can accidentally fall into the disposal which can damage the appliance.

Following this advice will help you reduce the stench and also keep your commercial garbage disposal from breaking down on you when you need it the most.

Run The Disposal Longer

It’s a common and good advice shared by many kitchen experts and plumbers that you should always run your disposal longer. When you sense that the garbage disposal has done its thing, don’t turn it off right away and keep it running for another 10-30 seconds.

Use Natural Deodorizers

If you want to keep your commercial garbage disposal fresh at all times, then natural deodorizers are here to save the day. There are plenty of things you can find in your kitchen that will turn into a garbage disposal freshener. Here are some of them.

Vinegar

Vinegar might be pungent in smell, but that’s exactly what you need to kill the mold and fungus that’s causing the weird funky smells in the first place. What you want to do is take an ice cube tray and fill it up with vinegar.

If you want, you can even add in a couple of drops of essential oils, like lemon and tea tree, to give the vinegar cubes a wonderful and fresh scent. Freeze them and once you’re ready to use them, throw a couple in the garbage disposal and call it a day.

Baking Soda

The next kitchen/pantry essential that can double up as an amazing deodorizer is baking soda. If you didn’t know about the smelly shoe hack, then you’re missing out on the odor-repelling power of baking soda.

All you need for this is some baking soda and either some lemon juice or vinegar. Mix the two, until you get a wet sand-like consistency. Once that’s done, shape the baking soda mixture into small balls and freeze them. Once they’re hardened, put a couple in the disposal and you’ll smell the difference for yourself.

Lemon

Lemon is also a wonderful antibacterial and refreshing agent that has a fresh and clean scent. You can use dried-up, cut-up lemons and put them in the garbage disposal.

You can also use lemon peel and stick it in the disposal and you’ll love the fresh and clean fragrance it emanates. You won’t ever smell that awful stench again with lemon, and that’s a fact.

Lavender

Lavender smells great and this is exactly why you need to put it in your commercial garbage disposal. If you want, you can use the baking soda hack with a bit of dried-up lavender and make refreshing fragrance bombs with it for your garbage disposal.

If that’s too much work, then all you need is dried-up lavender. Take some twine, wrap it around a bunch of lavender flowers, and put it in the disposal. If you want, you can also put a few drops of orange or lemon essential oils and that’s going to turn your garbage disposal from stinky to fragrant in no time.

Salt And Ice

It’s another easy method of removing garbage disposal odor. Salt will remove the smell coming from the disposal while ice will help remove some of the build-up stuck on the blades and other parts of the disposal. As it can also sharpen the blades of your disposal, this will help you minimize the rate of food waste getting stuck in the disposal.

Put a few ice cubes in the disposal followed by a few spoons of salt and turn the disposal on for a bit.

Use Deodorizing Products

If natural is not the way to go for you, then there are a plethora of products that you can buy from your local supermarket to combat that stink. There are lots of chemical deodorizers that do a wonderful job of sealing the stench and making it go away for good.

The only thing that you need to keep in mind is the fact that you should use them up quickly, so you’ll need a bulk stock of that, especially if you’re running a commercial food business and your garbage disposal is used continuously.

Clean The Disposal

Even the thing you use for grinding food waste needs cleaning. Why? Because as a garbage disposal breaks up food waste, some bits and pieces of food are not broken down or drained well. They get stuck in or near the garbage disposal. This food usually causes the smell that you want to get rid of.

As you use garbage disposal for disposing of loads of food waste generated by your busy commercial kitchen, you should make a routine to clean the garbage disposal at the end of the work day. You will only thank yourself in the future for doing this extra bit of work and your garbage disposal will not only look clean but smell fresh too.

What If The Smell Doesn’t Go Away After Using A Cleaning Method?

So, you cleaned the garbage disposal and used lemon slices in the end as well so get rid of the smell, but the bad odor is still there? It’s a common problem, so you have to keep repeating the cleaning method you think is working or use another method. However, the new method should also be tried multiple times.

In some cases, there is food waste in parts of the disposal or pipes that are hard to clean. For this, you should use the help of a disposal repair expert or a plumber to remove the disposal or the pipe and clean it thoroughly.

Conclusion

Bad smell can not only be off-putting for people, but it can also find its way into other places, so instead of having to live with it, get rid of it to make your surroundings smell fresh again. In case, you need deep cleaning or the deposal needs an inspection, consult commercial garbage disposal repair Northern VA services.

30

May

How To Take Care Of Your Bakery Equipment?

Something smells amazing! That’s the sign of a good and running bakery, but do you know what else is necessary to keep the bakery on its feet, besides the yummy baked goods? Smooth-running bakery equipment. And that’s only possible if you take proper care of it by keeping it clean and consulting commercial appliances repair services when required. Here is everything you need to know about maintaining bakery equipment.

Bakery Equipment Maintenance Tips

Every Appliance Is Different

A bakery doesn’t just run on one or two appliances. There are a lot of machines that a bakery needs to run smoothly. Aside from the usual baking ovens, mixers, blenders, extruders, and conveyor belts, there are also refrigerators, freezers, and other storage items that are crucial for every baker starting commercially.

Now, all of these machines have different maintenance requirements, cleaning instructions, and precautions. This is why you need to make sure that you read every machine’s instruction manual thoroughly and go through the steps of maintaining each.

This will lead to better performance of the appliances in the future and you will know exactly what to do and what to avoid doing with every equipment. It can be hard to keep track of these things, but you will get the hang of it, once you start taking things one by one. This little bit will ensure that your equipment stays in pristine condition and also lasts longer.

Don’t Ignore Scheduled Maintenance

If you don’t want your bakery equipment to break down on you, then you should never ignore scheduled maintenance. This one is a lifesaver because it’s during maintenance any hidden issue can be spotted and fixed before it becomes anything bigger and costly.

If you tend to forget things or have a hard time keeping track of the equipment, then you can pencil in maintenance days for each machine and then have an expert take a look at them.

Don’t Wait Too Long

This one ties in with the previous one, but it’s extremely important to take note of. You don’t want to wait too long or until the machine completely stops working to get it maintained. Usually, monthly maintenance of each equipment is enough to keep things smooth sailing and it’s also doable, no matter how busy or packed your schedule is.

Make it a habit to maintain the equipment before anything goes wrong. It’s frustrating and, if you don’t have backup, then it can put everything to a halt. So, save yourself from misery and act well before time.

Keep Everything Clean

It can be tempting to leave the machine as it is, as soon as you’re done with work, but you don’t want to do that. The equipment might be dirty, there might be wet and dry debris all over and you really should clean it if you don’t want it to break down on you in the future. Moreover, using dirty appliances will negatively impact the food’s quality and it’s also unhygienic.

So, as soon as you’re done with mixing, blending, kneading, baking in the oven, whatever it is, make it a habit to clean the equipment, by dismantling it and washing it properly. This will not only make the equipment last long, but it’s also going to be one less task to take care of, the next day.

Choosing The Right Cleaners

You might think that bakery equipment can be cleaned by any and every cleaner under the sun, however, that’s not true. Equipment also reacts harshly to abrasive cleaners and you can end up damaging your machines rather than getting them cleaned. So, avoid anything with non-recommended chemicals, harsh acids, reactive ingredients, and more.

As for cleaning equipment, make sure to not use abrasive cleaning pads as those can scratch the equipment and you don’t want that. Use something soft and use a bit of elbow grease to remove the grime and dirt.

Take Care Of Electric Sockets

Almost every bakery equipment is powered by electricity and it’s a vital thing that you need to take care of when you’re elbows deep in cleaning your bakery equipment. Exposing the electrical sockets to water, moisture, or even chemical cleaners can damage the circuit and you can end up ruining a perfectly good appliance.

So, whenever you’re cleaning the equipment, even if it is a simple wash, you want to protect the sockets by either wrapping the wire and exposed circuit in plastic or turning off the equipment before even thinking about cleaning it. Also, you want to let the machine cool down before you wash it, otherwise it’s an accident waiting to happen.

Look Out For Rust

Another thing that is a key indicator of bakery equipment getting old and worn is the appearance of rust. This is more common in machines with grooves and attachments that are hard to clean and reach. This can cause rust to accumulate over time and it can lead to a lot of problems.

Normally, rust can occur when you leave the equipment wet or don’t clean it properly. This is why it’s recommended that you take good care of the equipment and clean and dry it properly, otherwise you’re asking for trouble.

Warm Water Is Your Best Friend

Debris and dried-up food can be really hard to remove unless you go to town scrubbing the equipment. So, instead of working hard and breaking a sweat, why not work smart and let science do the work for you?

Well, warm water is here to make your equipment sparkle like brand new. If there are stubborn food crumbs that won’t tear themselves away from the equipment, then you can use warm water to gently scrape the crumbs off and you’ll be good to go. The mildly hot water will loosen the crumbs and cleanup will be much easier. For extra help, you can mix baking soda in warm water.

Dust & Grime – How To Deal With Them?

Dust and grime is the norm in bakery equipment, but you need to know how to clean them effectively to get rid of every speck. Dust is usually dry, so you’ll need a dry washcloth to clean it. Afterwards, you can wipe the equipment down with a wet washcloth and that’s pretty much it.

As for grime, use a wet washcloth to wipe it away, and then use a dry washcloth to get rid of any wet streaks.

A Test Run

This is the last, most important step of maintaining your bakery equipment. After going through the cleaning and wiping process, you’ll want to give it a test run to see if everything is working perfectly or not.

First, rearrange the entire equipment as the manual instructs, then make sure that everything is dry and clean. Check the electrical sockets once more and plug the machine on. This is the point when you want to double-check that everything is secured and there aren’t any loose parts. Power up the equipment and see if it runs smoothly. If it does, perfect!

Conclusion

If you want your bakery to be a smashing success, then you need to ensure that the supply of delectable morsels never runs out. That’s possible through maintaining your equipment on time. So, do so and never hesitate to get help from commercial kitchen appliance repair Northern VA technician if an issue arises.

20

May

Commercial Ice Maker Installation: What To Know?

If you’re a restaurant or commercial food business, then one of the things you need in your kitchen is a reliable ice machine. But, to use it, you need to know how to install it in the first place. It must be installed by ice dispenser repair and installation services. However, if you’re interested to know what to consider and know before and during the installation, follow below.

Commercial Ice Machine Installation Guide

Get The Right Type Of Ice Maker

Before even thinking about installing an ice maker in your commercial kitchen, you need to figure out which type you need. There is not a one-size-fits-all policy with commercial ice makers. You need to evaluate what type of ice maker is the best for you.

There are three types of ice makers available based on the condenser that you can choose from:

Air-Cooled Condensers

Probably the most common type of commercial ice machines available, the air-cooled condenser uses air as a cooling agent for the refrigerant in the evaporator coils. The gust of circulated air cools the refrigerant so that it proceeds with the refrigeration process. The only downside is that a circulation system for the cool air is necessary for installation.

Water-Cooled Condensers

A water-cooled condenser uses water, instead of air, to circulate the cool the refrigerant. These condensers are a bit bigger than your average air-cooled condensers and they need a lot of space with water storage systems too, so that can be a problem.

Remote Condensers

Remote condenser ice machines aren’t as noisy as the first two options even though it also uses air to cool the coils. Why? Because the condenser is installed separately from the rest of the assembly kind of like an AC system. It is the most expensive one from the lot, but it’s amazing if you want something that will last you a long time.

How Much Ice Do You Need?

Now that the figuring out of the ice maker is out of the way, you can move on to the next step and that is to know how much ice you need daily. Every commercial kitchen is different, so you’ll have a specific quantity of ice that you need to keep the kitchen going. This is calculated and then you can get the right capacity for your ice maker.

It’s better to get down with these numbers as soon as possible, otherwise, you might invest in too small or too big of an ice maker and that’s not smart.

Do You Have The Space?

The next order of importance is the availability of space. Sure, a commercial kitchen is much bigger than a household kitchen, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t take dimensions seriously.

You need to measure the space where your ice maker will be installed and match that up with the size and dimensions of the ice machine you want to get. You should choose the right type and size. It should be a perfect fit. The last thing you need is to make your kitchen cramped with an ice maker that won’t fit.

So, take some time out and get the measurements right from the get-go and you won’t have to suffer the consequences later. An ice maker is a huge investment for your kitchen, so might as well get it right.

Check The Water Supply

You know this already but let’s have it one more time. An ice maker works on the mechanism of freezing water in no time and making ice cubes or slabs in less time than it would take a normal freezer. So, for an ice maker to work, you need to put in water.

An ice maker is attached to a water supply system for uninterrupted water supply so that you can get ice on demand. If you don’t have a foolproof water system already, then it might be time to upgrade it to something that will help the ice maker run smoothly.

Figure Out A Drainage System

Drainage of excess water is also important when using an ice maker. So, before you install the main assembly, you need to ensure that there is a proper drain pipe for the water to safely discharge. There shouldn’t be any leaks or puddles of water near the ice maker assembly because that’s like an accident waiting to happen.

If you don’t have a designated drainage spot already, then you might need to get one made or install the ice maker somewhere near an existing drain. So, think this through before you install the ice machine.

Electrical Connections

An ice maker works on electricity. That’s a no-brainer, but what’s not is the fact that you need to have a safe and robust connection that will allow the smooth operation of the assembly. Ice makers use a lot of electricity, so if the present electrical connections are a bit worse for wear, then you might want to get them fixed and ready for the load of an ice machine in every sense of the word.

The last thing you need is your ice maker breaking down on you because of a bad electrical supply or damaged outlets. So, make sure that it isn’t an issue.

Level It Up

You can’t just fit an ice maker anywhere and call it a day. There is a lot of leveling and stabilizing that goes into the installation of an ice maker that’s crucial for its efficient performance. Since the ice maker will stay put wherever it’s installed for a long time, you need to make sure that you’re leveling it right.

If the assembly is crooked, then it might cause water to leak out, the functions to work haphazardly and ultimately the assembly can malfunction. So, to avoid this train wreck, take some time out and level the assembly correctly. Start by making sure that the floor is not uneven.

Test Run

You’ve finally installed the behemoth of an ice maker in your kitchen, but before you can dust your hands off and call it a night, it’s time to give the assembly a test run to ensure that everything is working properly and that there aren’t any leaks, loose fixtures, or connections that need a look over.

Fill the assembly slot with water and turn the ice maker on. You want to check the electrical connections, the drainage, and the overall performance of the ice maker during this time. If all is good, then you can use it like normal as many times as you want.

Maintain, Maintain, Maintain

Installing the ice machine isn’t the only tedious thing. You also need to make it a priority to maintain it well. Always keep an eye on the condenser to ensure that it’s running smoothly. Check the frost of the system as well and thaw it out, if it is hindering the performance of the machine.

Plus, check the electrical connections and voltage from time to time, just for your peace of mind. Moreover, make sure to clean it regularly including the external parts of the unit. Looking after these things now will pay off in the future.

Conclusion

Getting solid ice cubes in a matter of minutes! A commercial ice maker is truly a godsend in the kitchen because you need ice for a lot of things. But a proper installation and regular maintenance is required to ensure it doesn’t breakdown on you. For that, consult a commercial ice maker repair Springfield expert.