20

Nov

How To Fix A Commercial Dishwasher That Won’t Clean Dishes?

You need clean dishes to serve your customers food, but your commercial dishwasher is showing problems and the dishes are not coming out clean. Your staff member will have to clean dishes manually when the kitchen runs out of clean dishes, which will increase the workload and slow down your service. Therefore, you must have it fixed by a commercial kitchen appliance repair expert quickly.

In case you want to do something yourself, here are some things to check if your commercial dishwasher won’t clean dishes.

Change The Detergent

A detergent makes it easier for water and the dishwasher to clean the dishware. However, some detergents may not go well with the dishes, types of stains, or the type of dishwasher you have while some detergents are outright bad.

So, your commercial dishwasher not cleaning dishes may be because of the detergent. Therefore, try changing the detergent and determine the right amount you need to add for each cycle.

A simpler way to choose a dishwashing detergent is to check out which detergents similar restaurants or canteens are using and use the same one if your dishwasher is also similar.

If you want to know which detergent is the best, it depends on various things. However, a good detergent should produce less foam, could break down dirt on the dishware, could remove scale, and must not be corrosive or have volatile substances.

You should make the decision factoring in your dishwasher whether it’s a high-temperature dishwasher or a low-temperature one. You will need a sanitizing chemical for low-temperature dishwashers while for high-temperature models, you don’t need any.

If you don’t want the slightest change in your food or drinks’ flavor, don’t use low-temperature sanitizers and use a high-temperature dishwasher.

Use Rinsing Aid

If the dishes come out comparatively clean, but you notice spots on them later, they may be due to hard water or mineral deposits on the dishware. You can add a rinsing aid in the final cycle to avoid these marks on the dishes, glasses, and other items.

A rinsing aid is 90% water and 10% other things like alcohol, citric acid, etc. It reduces the surface tension of water so it’s removed from the dishes more easily. As water is removed from the dishes before drying, the minerals that cause spots are also removed with water.

You should correctly determine how much rinsing aid to use depending on the dishwasher and the hardness of the water.

Install A Water Softening System

The last point was about removing mineral buildup on dishes that is caused by hard water. However, hard water also causes other problems even if you use a rinsing aid for resolving one problem.

Hard water reduces foam formation and thus reduces the cleaning ability of water even when detergent is used. This may be why your commercial dishwasher is not cleaning dishes well enough. You will need to use more detergent than usual and may have to increase the wash cycles to get clean dishes which will reduce the efficiency of the dishwasher and increase dishwashing costs.

A better method of fixing this problem is the installation of a water softener. It’s a type of water filter that gets rid of minerals from water which are responsible for scale buildup on dishes.

As you will use a water softener, your detergent will work better, your dishwasher will be more efficient, and you won’t need to use large amounts of rinsing aid.

Clean The Dishwasher

Hard water doesn’t only cause spots on dishes but also leaves white scales or limescale inside dishwashers and other appliances as well. This can clog critical parts of the dishwasher that help in cleaning the dishes.

So, whether you install a water softener or not, make sure you or your staff clean the dishwasher at the end of every business day. During the cleaning process, remove food particles, gunk, and debris from the dishwasher first before thoroughly rinsing and washing the interior of the dishwasher with warm water. Then, allow it to drain.

After this, clean the spray nozzles with white vinegar to reduce limescale buildup on them. Empty and clean the filter of your commercial dishwasher. Afterward, move to the wash and rinse arms of the dishwasher and clean them.

Regular cleaning and descaling a dishwasher are two different techniques. You must be cleaning your dishwasher every day as mentioned above while descaling should be done depending on the hardness of water in your facility and how quickly the limescale layer forms on the interior parts of the dishwasher.

For descaling a commercial dishwasher, follow these instructions:

  1. Fill your dishwasher with water.
  2. Mix the descaling product in the water.
  3. Let it be for one hour.
  4. After an hour, run a complete wash cycle.
  5. Check the dishwasher for limescale. If there is still limescale, repeat this process.
  6. Once you have checked that there is no limescale left, drain the dishwasher.
  7. Fill the dishwasher again for a final rinse cycle.
  8. Let it air dry.

Rinse The Dishes Before Putting Them In The Dishwasher

This is a common practice in most professional kitchens, but in case your staff is not doing it, instruct them to do so. Rinsing the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher makes cleaning easier for the dishwasher, the dishes come out squeaky clean, and the dishwasher doesn’t get too dirty too quickly.

When rinsing or handwashing the dishes before their wash cycle inside a dishwasher, don’t use a household detergent because it can lead to foam formation inside the dishwasher. This foam formation can affect the efficiency and washing capability of the dishwasher.

Clean The Spray Arm

You will be cleaning your dishwasher at the end of each day, but if your commercial dishwasher is not cleaning dishes and you want to try something yourself, clean the spray arm. It’s the component that spins and sprays water on the dishes. If it’s clogged, it will spray less or no water, so the dishes won’t be cleaned.

You can simply remove the spray arm from the dishwasher and manually clean it. If the dishwasher still doesn’t clean dishes and you notice it’s due to the spray arm, you will have to replace this component.

Check The Detergent Dispenser

The detergent dispenser is responsible for releasing detergent. A blocked or defective detergent dispenser will only lead to dirty dishes at the end of the wash cycle. So, turn off the dishwasher and check the detergent dispenser. Clean it and if it’s defective, have it replaced by getting help from an expert. Similarly, if your dishwasher has a rinse aid dispenser, check and clean it as well.

Moreover, you should also check other related components like the detergent dispenser’s door spring, the wax motor, and the bi-metal switch (older dishwashers).

Make Sure Your Dishwasher Is Filling Up With Water

During the wash cycle, the dishwasher must fill up with water. If it doesn’t, the dishes will be left dirty. This can be caused due to a faulty float, malfunctioning float switch, clogged or damaged inlet valve, or a bad door switch. Have an expert check these components.

Conclusion

The issue of a dishwasher not cleaning dishes can happen due to many factors. You should begin with smaller things like cleaning the dishwasher and then move to checking the components of the appliance. It’s better to leave this to a commercial dishwasher repairs Northern VA technician who will completely inspect the machine and perform repairs as required.

30

Oct

What Are The Causes Of Ice Buildup In A Walk-In Cooler?

Frost buildup inside a walk-in cooler can directly affect its performance and, if not fixed soon, it can result in damage to the vital components. So, you need a commercial appliances repair expert to inspect your walk-in cooler and determine why it’s freezing up. Here are some causes of ice buildup in walk-in coolers that will help you fix yours.

Causes Of Your Walk-In Cooler Freezing Up

Human Error

A common reason for walk-in coolers freezing up is the door is left open for too long. Why is this a problem? One of the things that triggers ice buildup inside a walk-in cooler is warm, humid air. When humid air enters the walk-in cooler, the refrigerator works harder to cool down the interior. In this attempt, the humid air turns to ice.

So, if the door of the walk-in cooler is open even for only 10 minutes, it will cause ice buildup. However, this does depend on the region where your facility is. If the air in your region is humid, icing will occur with only a few minutes of the door left open.

Usually, staff members follow the rules and keep the door closed and when they open it, they do it for a very short interval. However, during stocking the refrigerator, staff members might forget to keep the door closed or have to keep it open to bring many batches of food items inside the refrigerator.

So, instruct your staff to keep the door closed when stocking the food and bring all the food inside the walk-in cooler at once and then place it on shelves after that.

Moreover, to prevent the staff from leaving the refrigerator door open accidentally, install self-closing hinges or a door closer. Additionally, to keep the door from being open for too long in normal operations other than food stocking, instruct the employees to be sure of the items they need to take from the refrigerator or put inside it so they take less time when opening the refrigerator and performing the task.

Damaged Gasket

A walk-in cooler has gaskets in different places to keep two separate parts sealed. For example, the door has a gasket installed all over its ends so that when the door is closed, the gasket ensures that warm air doesn’t go inside or cold air doesn’t escape from the refrigerator.

Over time, these gaskets become loose, worn, or damaged. Due to this, even when the door is closed, the worn gasket doesn’t create a perfect seal. Warm, humid air keeps entering the walk-in cooler. This air turns into ice in any part of the interior and causes problems.

Faulty Door Mechanism

Gaskets wear with time, but sometimes, the door mechanism may be the culprit of ice buildup inside your commercial walk-in cooler. In some cases, the hinges become misaligned with time and allow some space that proves to be an entering point for warm air.

To check if the hinges are the cause of the problem, look for spaces near the top and bottom of the door.

Aging Or Damaged Insulation Panels

The inside walls of a walk-in cooler are covered with insulation panels. They keep the refrigerator cold by acting as a shield between the warm air outside and the cold air inside. These are sturdy panels, but they are not immune to damage and general wear and tear.

As these panels age more than 10 years, they start losing their insulation properties. This means they can’t keep the warm air outside as effectively as they did before. So, warm air keeps entering the walk-in cooler and turning into ice.

Moreover, due to improper maintenance or carelessness, these panels can be damaged during cleaning, stocking food items, or removing items. This also makes them considerably ineffective.

So, whenever, there is an ice buildup issue, have the insulation panels checked as well. Take note that when the insulation panels of your walk-in cooler are worn, your appliance is probably really old and you should consider replacing the appliance.

Issues With The Evaporator Coil

The evaporator coil is the component that makes your walk-in cooler or any refrigerator cold. The most common issue with evaporator coils is the icing up of the coils due to the issues mentioned above. When warm air enters the walk-in cooler, it can also reach the evaporator coils and its fans. And with time, it can freeze the evaporator coil or the fans.

In some cases, dust and debris buildup can lead to ice buildup in the evaporator coils because these coils make warm air cold. When they can’t due to dirty coils, condensation occurs more than usual leading to frozen coils.

Furthermore, the same will happen if the evaporator coils or their fans are faulty. Sometimes, the fans become faulty due to ice buildup that is because of the inflow of warm air inside the walk-in cooler. This warm air becomes ice. If this is formed on the fans, they won’t rotate, causing the evaporator coils to freeze which will lead to ineffective cooling of the walk-in cooler. This can spoil the inventory stored in the refrigerator.

Keep in mind that the evaporator coil fans can malfunction on their own as well and they will cause the same problem.

Thermostat Issues

In some other cases, evaporator coils become frozen due to thermostat issues. It could be that the thermostat is set to a temperature lower than the recommended settings which will lead to icing up of the evaporator coils.

Apart from that, if the thermostat is faulty, it might not sense the temperature correctly and may not signal the compressor to stop functioning at the right time. The walk-in cooler might start freezing everything or in the opposite case, the walk-in cooler might become too warm.

Malfunctioning Auto-Defrost Cycle

The defrost cycle removes ice from evaporator coils. These cycles are timed and occur periodically. When a defrost cycle is triggered, the compressor is turned off. Evaporator coils are installed with a small heater or heating element that begins functioning and removes ice formed on the coils. Keep in mind that a normal amount of ice formation on evaporator coils is fine and for removing it, the auto-defrost feature is installed.

However, if the defrost cycle doesn’t work or the heating element becomes faulty, the evaporator coils will remain iced up and lead to various problems like cooling issues.

Clogged Drain Line

It was mentioned in the last point that evaporator coils are defrosted. This means the ice on the coils becomes water. This water flows outside the refrigerator through the condensate or drain line. It can become clogged due to a lack of maintenance or something else obstructing the line.

Due to this, melted water from the evaporator coils and other parts of the walk-in cooler won’t be drained out. So, it will pool near the drain line. This water can freeze up.

If you see ice near the drain line only, then the drain line is either clogged or obstructed. So, clean the drain line.

Conclusion

Icing up of the interior of a walk-in cooler is not normal. It’s dangerous and can damage the evaporator coils, evaporator fans, and even the compressor. So, if you notice ice buildup in your commercial walk-in cooler, get assistance from a walk in cooler repair Fairfax technician.

18

Oct

A Commercial Deep Fryer Troubleshooting Guide

Commercial deep fryers are commonly used in restaurants and cafes. This means if they break down, you would want them fixed ASAP. The right way to fix your deep fryer is to hire a commercial appliances repair expert. However, if you or your staff want to try a few things, here are some ways to fix commercial deep fryer problems.

Commercial Deep Fryer Troubleshooting

Deep Fryer Burners Not Lighting

A problem that irritates many staff members and restaurant owners is the non-responsive burners of a deep fryer. The light pilot will be lit, but the burners won’t light.

Check The Gas Valve

If your commercial deep fryer burners are not lighting, the first thing to check is the gas valve. As the pilot light is on, the gas supply is on, but it may not be completely open. So, check the valve and make sure it’s fully open.

Sometimes, the gas valve is clogged. It might also be stuck so if the gas valve is not moving after applying force and rotating it in the right direction, let an expert have a look at it.

In case you don’t want to involve the gas valve and first want to make sure that it is responsible for your deep fryer burners not lighting, check other gas appliances. Are they lighting fine or do you notice low gas pressure? If the gas pressure is low, the gas valve should be checked. If you hire an expert, they may check the gas pipes as well.

Clean The Burner Orifice

The burner orifice can get clogged with debris and dust. This will close the small holes that allow gas out and light the burner. So, if your deep fryer burner is not lighting while the pilot light is on and you have checked the gas valve and gas pressure, clean the burner orifice. Use a stiff brush to unclog the burner orifice.

Set The Thermostat To A Higher Temperature

When the thermostat is set to a low temperature, that temperature will be reached quickly and the burner will be turned off. So, if your deep fryer burner won’t light, check if the temperature is set too low. Increase the temperature set on the thermostat to see if the burner turns on.

The Thermostat Requires Calibration

If you set the thermostat to a higher temperature and the burner doesn’t light, the thermostat requires calibration. A thermostat that’s not calibrated properly won’t correctly detect the temperature of the deep fryer. In turn, the burners might keep running when they shouldn’t or the burners won’t turn on when they should.

You should read the operator’s manual of your commercial deep fryer to know how you can calibrate its thermostat. You can also get an expert to calibrate it. They will also check the thermostat if it’s faulty or only needs calibration.

Faulty Thermostat

In case you calibrated the thermostat yourself or a staff member did it and the burner is still not lighting, the thermostat may be faulty. There is an easy method of testing the thermostat of a deep fryer using a multimeter.

Go to the back of the commercial deep fryer. You will see two terminals. Turn on the multimeter and set it to the ohms setting. After this, you need to connect the wire of the multimeter to each terminal of the deep fryer.

Check the reading on the multimeter screen. Infinity means the thermostat is fine. However, if you see a reading of zero or anything close to zero, the thermostat is faulty. Hire a professional to replace the thermostat.

Commercial Deep Fryer Has No Power

A no-power problem of a deep fryer is an electrical problem and is not related to the gas supply.

Check And Replace The Power Switch

Power switches of every restaurant appliance is used a lot so they can break over time. If a power switch is broken, the deep fryer won’t power on. Hire an expert to replace the power switch of your deep fryer.

Unplugged Or Broken Power Cord

A broken power cord won’t flow current to the deep fryer and even when the power switch is fine, the appliance won’t turn on. Check the power cord and plug it in. You should also try changing the power outlet and try another one. Plus, inspect the cord for noticeable damage, and if found, have it repaired or replaced by a professional.

Reset The Circuit Breaker

The cause of a commercial deep fryer not powering on could be a tripped circuit breaker. Access the breaker box of the building and flip it on. Sometimes, a breaker is tripped for no big reason, but in some cases, a tripped circuit breaker hints at an issue with the circuit breaker, power distribution to the circuit breaker, or the appliance.

Therefore, if you notice frequent tripping of the circuit breaker, have an electrician check the breaker box.

Commercial Deep Fryer Is Not Draining Oil

Removing old oil from the deep fryer is an important part of frying food that tastes delicious and fresh. So, if your deep fryer doesn’t let you drain old oil, you can’t fry anything in it.

The Oil Temperature Is High

Some deep fryers have the safety feature that they don’t let the user drain oil if the temperature of the oil is higher than a certain limit. Oil with a higher temperature is only safe inside the deep fryer. If hot oil is drained, it can damage the valve and the drain filter. Moreover, if the hot oil comes in contact with the user, it can cause burns.

Therefore, if your deep fryer is not draining oil and you just fried something and the oil is hot, let it cool down. When the oil is at room temperature, try draining the oil again.

Clogged Or Dirty Drain Filter

As you keep using the deep fryer and keep draining, the drain filter slowly becomes dirty and partially or completely clogged. It won’t drain oil in this situation. So, cleaning the drain filter should be one of the main deep fryer maintenance tasks for yourself or your staff.

To clean the drain filter of your deep fryer, you should empty the appliance first. Then, use warm water and a non-metallic brush to remove particles from the drain filter. Make sure to use a non-metallic brush because if you use a metallic brush, it can damage the drain filter or any other component of the deep fryer. If the drain filter is too clogged, you can also use dishwashing soap along with warm water.

Dirty Or Obstructed Drain Valve

You use the drain valve to drain the oil. If it’s obstructed or dirty, oil won’t pass through it and won’t drain. In case of partial block, oil will drain slowly, but if totally blocked or obstructed, oil won’t drain at all. Make sure the drain valve is open and completely clean.

Conclusion

Due to heavy daily usage in commercial settings, your commercial deep fryer will run into problems. With the above troubleshooting tips, you know what to check if your deep fryer burners won’t light, the fryer doesn’t power up, or if the deep fryer doesn’t drain. Some problems are easy to fix while some require an authorized deep fryer repair Alexandria expert to fix them.

29

Sep

Solved: Ice Cream Freezer Is Melting Ice Cream

No one wants to buy ice cream or gelato that appears to melt even in the ice cream display freezer. So, if your ice cream freezer is not keeping the ice cream frozen or there are crystals on the ice cream, it can directly impact your business. Therefore, you should get help from commercial appliances repair services. In case you want to try a few fixes yourself, here is what you can do.

Check The Power

Like other appliances, ice cream freezers also show a clear light indicator that it’s receiving power. So, no power is out of the equation. But if the power cord, the outlet, or any other wiring is malfunctioning, the unit might not receive power constantly.

The freezer will run fine for some time and due to the mentioned issues, the power might cut off for a few seconds only to resume again. This cycle might keep repeating. It can affect the performance of your ice cream display counter and the ice cream might start melting.

What to check? Inspect the power cord and the power outlet for damage. Make sure the power cord is firmly plugged into the power outlet, there is no visible damage on the cord, and the outlet is fine.

Temperature Settings

Many times, incorrect temperature settings are the culprit of ice maker issues. Check the temperature settings and make sure they are optimal. Keep in mind the outside temperature as well when setting the temperature.

However, the temperature control panel or the thermostat may be faulty if you’re setting the correct temperature and the ice cream is still melting inside the freezer. Hire an appliance repair expert for the inspection of the temperature control panel and other components of your ice cream display freezer.

Obstructed Vents

Gelato display freezers have vents inside the unit and on the exterior as well. Both these vents should be unobstructed.

The vents inside the ice cream freezer can get blocked by spillage or ignoring regular cleaning of the inside of the freezer. Due to this, the airflow is affected. You will notice that the ice cream display counter is not maintaining temperature as it was before. You might also see that the ice cream is melting even inside the freezer. So, make sure to keep the vents clean.

There are also vents on the exterior that are to remove heat from the coils of the ice cream freezer. These can get clogged by ignoring regular cleaning of the exterior of the appliance. Moreover, another reason is obstructed vents. If the ice cream display freezer is too close to a wall or an object is blocking the vents,  heat won’t be properly removed from the coils which will hinder the performance of the unit. The freezer won’t be cold enough and the ice cream will melt.

So, if your ice cream is showing problems, clean it daily, and make sure nothing is obstructing the vents of the freezer.

Don’t Store Ice Cream In The Ice Cream Display Freezer

If you have less space or feeling tired, you might want to leave the leftover ice cream in the ice cream display freezer till the next morning. But remember that ice cream display freezers are for displaying ice cream during business hours. They are not for storing ice cream or any other item.

If you don’t follow this advice and keep the ice cream freezer running even in the off-time, ice will build up and it will make it difficult for the freezer to maintain temperature. With temperature issues, the ice cream will melt even when inside the freezer.

To avoid this, remove everything from the ice cream freezer and store it in a freezer that you use for storing frozen items. Turn off the ice cream freezer so it defrosts. This should be done at the end of each day. If you can’t do this daily, do it at least once a week.

Some ice cream display freezers have storage freezers as well apart from the display freezer. If you have one of those, make sure to defrost the ice cream freezer once a month.

Clean The Freezer

We mentioned the importance of cleaning in an earlier point and how ignoring it can block the vents and negatively impact their performance. Let’s know how to clean your ice cream display freezer.

  1. Turn off the ice cream freezer, unplug it, and let it be for some time so its temperature reaches room temperature. Cleaning a freezer right away after turning it off can lead to cracks in various components.
  2. Remove any ice cream and keep it in a storage freezer.
  3. Take out all the removable shelves and other parts to clean them separately. Use a cleaner recommended by the manufacturer to avoid problems.
  4. Wipe the internal parts of the freezer.
  5. Clean the doors, especially the door seal.
  6. Dry the unit with a cloth or leave it to air dry overnight.
  7. Put the shelves back into the freezer.

This thorough cleaning is required usually once a month. However, don’t forget daily cleaning because it’s as important. Keep in mind that if your region is too humid, there’s a lot of food spillage, or there was a power outage that lasted for hours, you should clean the ice cream freezer more often.

Check The Doors

The doors of ice cream freezers are frequently used. Many times, the door may not be closed properly. It can allow warm air to reach the freezer and cold air to escape. Now, when the door is wide open for selling the ice cream, it’s for a short time, but if the door is left improperly closed, it may be for many minutes or hours. So, instruct your staff to close the door properly every time

In some cases, the door seals are worn and even when the staff member closes the door properly, it doesn’t seal and allows some air to escape. This can also be the reason your ice cream freezer is not maintaining the temperature well and melting the ice cream or crystals form on the ice ruining the softness of the ice cream. Have the door seal repaired or replaced by a professional.

Is The Fan Running?

If your ice cream freezer has a fan that blows hot air from the exterior vents of the ice cream freezer, check to make sure that it’s running. If not, clean the internal parts of the freezer. In case the fan doesn’t work, the fan motor may be blown.

Get The Whole Unit Inspected

If you checked the above-mentioned things and the ice cream freezer is still melting the ice cream, get the whole unit inspected. There could be low refrigerant levels, the unit may be overheating, or the compressor may be malfunctioning.

Many kinds of problems can occur and if your ice cream freezer is too old and requires repairs often, you may be better off replacing the unit instead of spending more money on replacing expensive components like the compressor.

Conclusion

As you can see an ice cream display freezer struggles to maintain the temperature or melts the ice cream due to many reasons. To save time, hire a ice cream freezer repair Springfield technician who can properly inspect your unit and fix the issue.

17

Sep

Commercial Gas Oven Won’t Start: 11 Fixes

Commercial appliances need care just like other appliances. If your commercial oven won’t start, usually the best bet is to hire a commercial appliances repair expert to fix it. However, we are here to give some solutions to your commercial gas oven issues.

Power Switch Is Off

This is the simplest cause of a commercial gas oven not starting. Check the power switch, if it’s off, turn it on so the oven powers up.

The Power Cord Is Not Plugged In

Speaking of simple causes of an appliance problem, an unplugged power cord could be the reason your commercial gas oven is not turning on. Plug in the power cord if not plugged in. If it’s plugged in, remove it, and plug it again firmly.

Power Switch Is Broken

The power switch could also be broken. If your oven is not starting up even when the power switch is on, it may be that the power switch is bad. However, there could be other reasons for this problem as well which we will cover after this. With usage, power switches wear out. They should be replaced by an oven repair expert.

Damaged Power Cord

A damaged power cord will fail to allow current to the oven. With a damaged power cord, the oven might not receive any power or it might receive power, but the oven shuts down suddenly.

Inspect the entire power cord after plugging it out. Look for bends, cracks, or worn insulation. Checking electric-powered items can be dangerous, so if you don’t find any visible problem, find an expert who can inspect the power cord and other parts of the oven.

Tripped Circuit Breaker

Any home or facility has a breaker box that has circuit breakers that distribute the electrical load and supply it to different parts of the facility. You should check the circuit breaker that powers the area or outlet where the commercial gas oven is located. If it’s turned off without anyone turning it off for a reason, it means the breaker is tripped.

A tripped circuit breaker could be a one-time instance or it may be a hint towards another problem. It’s better to get an electrician involved to check the breaker box and other related parts of the facility. However, if you think it’s a one-time incident, turn on the circuit breaker, and use the gas oven.

There is a way to spot that a tripped breaker is pointing toward another problem. It is when the circuit breaker trips frequently. This can be a result of an issue with the circuit breaker the gas oven, or any other appliance. So, a technician is required to determine the problem and fix it.

The Door Is Not Shut

Many commercial ovens are designed so they don’t turn on if the door is not shut. This feature is useful because in case the door is left open or not completely closed, the food won’t be cooked or baked as good because some heat will escape through the door. Moreover, it will also use up more gas to cook food resulting in low efficiency. Plus, an oven working when its door is open is a hazard, so it’s a safety feature as well.

Therefore, make sure that the door is closed completely. Better yet, open the door and shut it again carefully. If the gas oven doesn’t start, it could be a damaged gasket or microswitch. The gasket helps the door create a seal so no heat can escape the oven. On the other hand, an oven microswitch monitors the door and doesn’t let the oven power up when the door is open. Ovens usually have multiple microswitches. These components should be repaired or replaced by an expert only.

Some people consider an oven not starting if it turns on, but doesn’t heat at all. Let’s know some reasons for this issue.

Clogged Ignitor Or Burner

The ignitor is the part that uses electric power. When the oven needs to heat up or cook food, the ignitor heats up so the gas burner turns on. If the gas burner or the ignitor is clogged, you might see problems in the oven heating up. Hire a professional to clean the internal components of your commercial gas oven.

Faulty Ignitor

Speaking of the ignitor, another reason your oven is not heating at all could be a faulty ignitor. As it heats up to turn on the gas burner, when it won’t heat up due to a malfunction, the oven won’t heat. However, you should first check the power to the oven before concluding that the ignitor is bad.

A faulty gas oven ignitor can render an oven useless even though it’s quite affordable component and can be easily replaced by an expert. However, you should not delay the replacement if the ignitor is bad because a bad ignitor can lead to gas leaks. This is something you must avoid at all costs in a commercial kitchen where you have many gas and electric appliances.

No Or Insufficient Gas Supply

If your oven turns on, but the burner doesn’t work and the oven doesn’t heat up, you should also look for signs of a gas-related issue. It’s quite simple. No gas, no burner ignition. The ignitor will heat up, but the burner won’t turn on because of no or insufficient gas.

There is less chance of no gas because you may be running other gas appliances and if there were no gas, you would already know about it. However, you should still check the gas supply. More importantly, check out the gas connection that leads to the gas oven. There could be a leak or the connection could be damaged.

Any gas-related issue, especially if it’s a leak, should be fixed as soon as possible because it’s a fire hazard. if you to know other signs of a gas leak, there may be a hissing sound near the leaking area and a natural gas smell.

Thermocouple’s Position Might Not Be Right

The thermocouple is the component that closes the gas valve when it gets the signal that the pilot light is extinguished. It’s an important component for ensuring the safety of your oven and the health of people around it. If it’s not working correctly, the gas flow won’t cut off. It can cause serious problems.

This issue can be detected by an expert only who will tell you that the thermocouple needs to be adjusted.

Thermocouple Is Bad

As we explained a thermocouple plays a crucial role in opening and closing the gas valve, if it becomes faulty, your gas oven will not receive gas and won’t heat up. In the case of a faulty thermocouple, the only and easy way is to replace it. An appliance repair professional can easily detect a bad thermocouple and will tell you if you need to replace it.

Conclusion

You can try a few things if your commercial gas oven won’t start such as checking the power switch, the power cord, the circuit breaker, the gas supply, and a few other things. However, if you can’t detect the problem, trust a commercial gas oven repair Springfield technician to inspect the oven and the power supply, suggest fixes, and perform repairs or replacements.

26

Aug

Can You Fix Your Commercial Food Steamer Yourself?

Restaurants and other food-related businesses can get super busy at the peak hours. You can’t afford to delay the orders or the customers will leave dissatisfied. A commercial food steamer not working when required can directly affect customer satisfaction. So, you should not only rely on a commercial appliances repair expert but also train yourself or your staff to fix it if they can. Let’s know the common issues encountered with commercial steamers and which ones your staff can fix.

Commercial Steamer Won’t Turn On

Detecting why your commercial steamer is not turning on can be tricky, you can check these things before getting an expert involved.

Tripped Circuit

Circuit breakers are the safety features in houses and commercial buildings to protect the electric wiring and prevent fires or explosions. If current levels go high, power to the circuit is cut off for safety. So, due to a power surge or any problem with the steamer, the circuit breaker might trip.

This fix is easy and any of your staff members can perform it. All one needs to do is access the breaker box of the facility, spot the circuit breaker that supplies power to the steamer or the region of the building where the steamer is installed, and turn it on (if it’s off).

Power Cord And Outlets

Another thing you can check is the power cord and the outlets. Make sure there is no visible damage to the power cord and the cord is not kinked or tangled. Try any other power outlet as well to make sure the outlet is fine.

When To Consult Experts?

If the above two solutions don’t fix the commercial steamer not turning on issue, it can be a blown fuse, a faulty high-limit control, a bad water level control, or any other defective component. So, only let an expert check out your steamer so they can identify the cause of the steamer not working and fix it.

Moreover, if the circuit breaker was tripped and you turned it on, but it kept tripping continuously, then a bad circuit breaker could be to blame or there could be any other issue. You should leave this to an electrician.

Commercial Steamer Won’t Steam

Even if power to the steamer is fine, it might not steam which can make it useless until the issue is fixed.

Press The Turn On Switch

Get started by checking the turn on button/switch and make sure it’s pressed or turned on.

The Door Is Open

Some problems have easy fixes and if your commercial steamer is not steaming, you should also check the door. The unit only begins its work and produces steam if the door is properly shut.

Instruct your staff to check the door in case the steamer doesn’t steam. However, if the door gasket is damaged or the hinges are faulty, then you will need an expert for this.

Dirty Steam Generator

Lack of cleaning is one of the main reasons commercial steamers stop producing steam. With usage, lime and scale buildup occurs inside the steamer. It hinders the ability of the steamer to heat up and produce steam. Therefore, it’s essential to clean the steamer periodically.

Keeping the steamer clean is not only good for the performance of the steamer but also for the food quality as well. The remnants and whatnot in the steamer can impact the taste of the food. So, never ignore cleaning.

Daily cleaning includes wiping the steamer with a cloth after every cycle of steaming, and cleaning the entire appliance at the end of the day after emptying the water. Moreover, you should regularly inspect the steamer for loose covers and cracked seals to avoid quicker lime and scale buildup. After the daily cleaning, leave the door open for it to air dry.

Once a week, you should delime the steamer with vinegar or a specialized deliming solution. You should have an expert delime it first and let your staff members see how it’s done so they can carry this out themselves.

Water Supply Problems

What if the steamer is not producing steam because there is not enough water or no water in the reservoir? Instruct your staff to check the water supply of the facility and if there is an issue there. Then, move to the part where you will have to check if the steamer and the water supply hose are properly connected.

After checkmarking that, inspect the supply hose. It shouldn’t have any sharp bend or leaks. If there are tangles, remove them, and check the steamer again. However, in the case of leaks or a damaged hose, get an expert to repair or replace it.

Low Water Pressure

Even if the steamer is receiving water from the water supply, it might not be steaming due to the low water pressure. To determine the reason for low water pressure, first check the hose that’s connecting your steamer to the water supply. If there are kinks, remove them, but in the case of leaks, either use something to put on the leaking area or get the hose replaced.

Moreover, check the water pressure your facility is receiving. If it’s lower than 30 PSI, then there’s a problem. If you’re checking the water flow, then anything lower than 1.5 GPM is bad.

Commercial Steamer Overfills With Water

Another issue with steamers is the opposite of no steam or not filling with water, it’s the steamer overfilling with water.

The Steamer Is Not Level

In case your steamer starts overfilling with water, instruct your staff to check if the unit is level. It could also be that the surface where the steamer is placed is not level.

High Water Pressure

The next thing you can check yourself or by your staff is the water pressure. If the water pressure in your facility is higher than 60 PSI, the steamer will overfill with water. In that case, discuss it with your water supply company.

Control Display Problems

If your commercial steamer has a control display, it can also show different types of problems.

Blanked Control Display With No Indicator Light

When the control display is completely blank and you can’t even see the indicator light turned on, the unit is probably not receiving power. So, check the power cord if it’s plugged in and also inspect it for damages. Plus, make sure the circuit breaker isn’t tripped. Then, check the power on the switch of the steamer.

The Control Display Is Blank But The Indicator Light Is Turned On

If the indicator light is on and you can’t see anything on the control display, this is something that should only be fixed by an expert because it could be faulty internal components like the transformer or the control board itself.

The Control Display Shows “ERR”

This usually denotes that the programming for SHO or H2O is changed and it’s not correct. Try to reset the control board by referring to the user manual or hiring an expert.

Conclusion

If your commercial steamer breaks down at busy hours, you can use the above-mentioned tips to fix some of the issues. However, make sure to hire a commercial steamer repair Fairfax technician if you can’t detect the problem or want to get the unit fixed by an expert.

11

Aug

Commercial Garbage Disposal Troubleshooting

A garbage disposal ensures your facility’s plumbing doesn’t clog every other day. It also helps you stay compliant with your local and federal food waste management laws. Therefore, if it breaks down, waste management can become a problem. You can summon a commercial appliances repair service to fix the garbage disposal. However, you can also train your staff to handle some of the problems themselves. Use this guide.

Fix A Commercial Garbage Disposal That Won’t Start

Power Cord And Outlet Issues

A common cause of disposers not working is no electrical supply. The unit is not receiving power to turn on. You should check the power cord and the outlet where the cord is plugged in. Make sure the power cord is plugged in firmly. If the unit doesn’t start, remove the power cord from the outlet and plug it into another one to see if there’s something wrong with the outlet.

In case the outlet is fine, inspect the power cord as well because it could be damaged. However, the cause of no power is commonly a loosely attached power cord or a faulty outlet.

Circuit Breaker

Once you have made sure the power cord and outlet are not causing the issue, it could be the circuit breaker. An electrical problem in an appliance usually means an emergency situation for its circuit breaker and it trips to prevent any electrical problems. So, check the circuit breaker. If it’s tripped (turned off), turn it on and try to start your commercial garbage disposal.

However, if your garbage disposer keeps tripping the circuit breaker, it may be due to another problem like a jammed shredding plate, worn out motor bearing, old unit, circuit breaker overload, or poor wiring.

The last two issues are electrical problems of the facility while others are related to the garbage disposal. Therefore, hire experts who can inspect both the electrical issues of your place and also check the appliance.

Tripped Internal Circuit Breaker Of The Unit

Commercial and household garbage disposals have their own circuit breaker as well that turns off the appliance when it’s jammed, there’s a power surge, or for any other reason to keep the appliance and its components safe.

Once this internal circuit breaker is tripped, the garbage disposer won’t start even when it’s receiving power. To turn on the unit again, you will need to press the reset button. The reset button is commonly placed at the bottom of garbage disposals.

However, if you suspect a problem that tripped the internal circuit breaker, then you should not push the reset button and consult an expert instead.

Jammed Disposer

A disposer is jammed when it won’t grind the food, but you will hear the humming sound of the machine. When this happens, the unit is usually turned off by the safety settings of the garbage disposal and the internal circuit breaker turns off the machine.

If the appliance is not turned off when it’s jammed, the motor of the garbage disposal will burn out. Keep in mind that the motor is one of the essential parts of a garbage disposal and the replacement of the motor will cost a small fortune.

Sometimes, the facility’s circuit breaker will be tripped due to a disposer jam so check out the breaker panel of the place as well if your garbage disposal won’t turn on.

The essential part of this practice is that you should not turn on the machine before fixing the jam. Else, the disposer will keep on tripping the reset button or circuit breaker. And if it doesn’t, the disposal’s motor will burn out.

Fix A Jammed Commercial Garbage Disposal

A jammed garbage disposal is caused by a food item or any other foreign object stuck between the shredder and the impeller. So, remove the object causing the jam and start using the garbage disposal again.

  1. Remove power to the disposer by turning off the circuit breaker.
  2. You will need to use an offset wrench for this. Insert it into the flywheel hole to reach the bottom of the disposer.
  3. When you reach the bottom, rotate the flywheel clockwise with the wrench. This will remove the stuck object from the flywheel.
  4. If the object is somewhere higher inside the unit, you can use pliers to remove the object.
  5. Once the object is removed, restore power to the unit and also push the reset button because the jam may have tripped the internal circuit breaker.
  6. Pour some water into the unit and turn the power button on and off to wash the unit. Repeat this quick on and off process one more time to ensure that the remnants of the obstruction are removed.

Fix A Leaking Commercial Garbage Disposal

A leak is also a common issue with commercial garbage disposers. You should perform the fix by checking the location of the leak.

Sink Flange Leak

Garbage disposal leaking from the sink flange is due to usage. This is not a major problem because it can be easily fixed by applying plumber’s putty between the sink flange and the sink. This will renew the seal and prevent leaks.

Dishwasher Connection Leak

If your garbage disposal and dishwasher are connected, there can be another type of leak at the dishwasher connection. This is the hose that flows wastewater from the dishwasher to the disposer.

To fix this leak, all you need to do is tighten the hose clamp of the dishwasher that is connected to the disposer. However, if the connection still leaks water after tightening, it means the hose has a leak. Replace the hose entirely to bid goodbye to leaks.

Drain Pipe Leak

The drain pipe is the pipe that carries wastewater from the disposer to the drain trap. When the gasket seal becomes old, it tends to leak water and create a mess.

Firstly, you should ensure that the bolts fastened to the drain pipe are tight. If not, tighten them. However, if tightening them doesn’t stop the leak, you should replace the gasket seal that is between the pipe and the disposer. While you’re at it, consider replacing the drain pipe as well if required.

Leaking Bottom Of The Disposal

A leak coming from the bottom of a commercial garbage disposal is an alarming sign. It hints that an internal seal of the unit is damaged. This usually means that you will need to replace the entire garbage disposal which can cost you a lot of money.

So, before making that decision, hire an expert to inspect your unit and make sure that nothing can’t be done to fix the issue without a replacement. However, if your disposer is old enough, a replacement is a better option because an older unit becomes high maintenance and you need to spend more money on it to keep it functional.

So, if your commercial garbage disposal is leaking and it’s 10 years old, you should bite the bullet and replace the entire unit.

Conclusion

A commercial garbage disposal can run into various problems. The most common ones are the unit not turning on and some parts of the appliance leaking. If you find yourself dealing with an issue that is difficult to fix, don’t try it yourself and get the services of authorized commercial garbage disposal repair Alexandria technicians.

27

Jul

Fixed: Commercial Refrigerator Is Not Reaching The Set Temperature

A commercial refrigerator that doesn’t maintain the temperature or doesn’t reach the temperature can spoil the food stored inside it. To avoid this situation, inspect your commercial fridge regularly and get the services of a commercial refrigerators repairs professional. You can also learn more about why your commercial refrigerator is not reaching the temperature by giving this guide a read.

Inspect The Power Source

Try a simple technique fix. Turn it off, wait for 30 seconds, and then turn on the refrigerator. Some issues are fixed with this method. Plus, check the power source of the refrigerator and the power cord. Make sure it’s plugged in correctly and the outlet is functional.

Moreover, if there is an extension cord used for powering the refrigerator, remove it and plug it into an outlet directly.

Check The Location Of The Refrigerator

Move on to check the placement of your commercial refrigerator. Any fridge should not be placed too close to the wall because it will restrict the ventilation and the refrigeration process of the appliance. Ensure there is at least 2 inches of clearance between the walls and the sides of the commercial refrigerator.

Furthermore, the temperature of the place where the refrigerator is located also impacts its cooling ability. Usually, if the placement of the refrigerator is in a hot place with poor ventilation, it won’t be a surprise if the commercial refrigerator struggles to reach the cooling temperature. In that case, change the location of your commercial refrigerator.

Clean The Condenser Coils

Condenser coils help in removing the warm temperature of the refrigerant that is inside the coils. They are placed at the exterior of a commercial refrigerator to effectively remove heat. In that, they receive dust, dirt, and other contaminants from the air that stick to the coils.

With the buildup of dust on condenser coils, the capability of them removing heat decreases. This results in the refrigerator not cooling properly or not maintaining the temperature inside.

Therefore, clean the condenser coils regularly to prevent this problem. The cleaning process of the condenser coils is easy and your staff can easily carry it out.

  1. Remove the power cord of the commercial refrigerator from the outlet.
  2. Move all the items stored in the unit to another refrigerator if this process sounds longer to you depending on what type of food is stored in your refrigerator.
  3. Locate the coils. They may be at the bottom front of the refrigerator or at the back.
  4. Remove the cover if any and use a stiff brush to gently clean the coils.
  5. Then, vacuum the coils.
  6. Put the cover back and turn on the refrigerator.

Check The Doors

Many problems related to the doors can lead to a commercial refrigerator not maintaining the temperature.

Firstly, check if the doors are closed properly. During the usage, if a staff member or a customer (if the refrigerator is accessible to customers) opens the door and doesn’t close it completely, it will affect its temperature because warm air will keep coming in.

Then, check the usage of the refrigerator. If the doors are opened and closed too many times in a short time, this will also impact the cooling process of the refrigerator. Hot air from the outside will sneak in every time the refrigerator is opened. Due to the sheer frequency of the opens, the refrigerator will take much more time in reaching the temperature or won’t reach the temperature at all.

After clearing the above suspicion, check the door gaskets. These are installed on the entire part of the door that connects to the fridge when it’s closed. The gaskets ensure no air leaks from or get into the refrigerator.

With usage, these gaskets become worn and stiff. Cool air may leak or warm air may get into the refrigerator leading to temperature issues. Hire an expert to replace the door gaskets as a long-term solution to this problem.

Look For Thermostat Issues

The thermostat in a commercial refrigerator takes care of temperature regulation. If it’s not working due to any reason, your refrigerator may become too cold or too warm. In short, it won’t reach your desired set temperature it won’t signal the control board at the correct time to cool the interior or stop cooling.

In some instances, the thermostat is not faulty but only blocked by food items. Sometimes, the vents are blocked by inventory. So, locate the thermostat to check if it’s blocked by anything.

Then, use can place a thermometer inside the refrigerator to check if the thermostat is faulty. If you see a difference between the readings of both devices, the thermostat is malfunctioning. Hire an expert who can check the thermostat. They may calibrate the thermostat or replace it.

Usage Habits

Commercial refrigerators are heavily used in restaurants and other food facilities. So, you should also look out for usage practices because some habits can impart adverse effects on the effectiveness of your commercial fridge.

For instance, it’s easier to just put hot food inside the refrigerator when the staff is dealing with a lot at peak hours. This will put more pressure on the refrigerator because it will have to cool a hot food item that is quickly changing the internal temperature of the fridge.

Moreover, hot food inside the refrigerator produces condensation that can damage the components of the unit.

Condenser Fan

Commercial freezers and refrigerators also feature a condenser fan. It’s located near the condenser coils and the compressor and cools these two important components which become hot during the cooling process. The fans circulate air and remove excess heat from the coils and the compressor to keep them functioning well.

So, check the fan. If it’s not rotating, clean it up and remove obstructions that may be stopping it from rotating. If the fan doesn’t work, then the fan motor may be failed. An expert will be required to check the fan motor and replace it if needed.

Check The Compressor

A compressor is a critical component for refrigerators. The cooling process starts when the thermostat signals the control board to turn on the compressor. The refrigerator then cools the interior and when the correct temperature is reached the thermostat again signals the control board to turn off the compressor.

But if the compressor is faulty, it will not properly run and the refrigerator won’t be cooled properly.

If you think that the compressor of your commercial refrigerator is malfunctioning, look for these signs:

  • Your refrigerator runs constantly and never turns off cooling.
  • The refrigerator doesn’t cool properly and doesn’t reach the temperature.
  • The fan runs but the refrigerator doesn’t get cold.
  • It trips the circuit breaker often.
  • The unit makes more noise than usual.
  • The power bill is crawling up.

Find any two signs relevant to your refrigerator. Have your commercial refrigerator inspected by an expert. Compressors of commercial refrigerators are expensive. Therefore, many experts first replace the compressor start relay because sometimes, it’s the culprit. If the new start relay doesn’t fix the issues, then they go ahead with compressor replacement.

Conclusion

Commercial refrigerators can run into problems with usage. If it’s not cooling, check the above-mentioned things. Allow a commercial freezer repairs Springfield expert to check the fridge and fix the cooling issue.

08

Jul

Why Is My Commercial Ice Maker Producing Soft Or Murky Ice?

Ice dispensers are essential appliances for commercial kitchens, restaurants, and cafes. If it stops making ice or the ice quality is poor or murky, it can affect your business. This is why you should be quick in case any problems occur with your ice maker and consult a commercial appliances repair expert. If you want to fix the ice dispenser yourself that is making poor quality or soft ice, here are the common causes of this problem.

Bad Water Quality

The quality of water directly impacts the quality of ice. If you’re not using any kind of water filter for treating the water, it may be the culprit of soft or murky ice coming out of your commercial ice maker.

Hard water, which is a common issue in the US, can slowly cause huge damage to your ice maker and its ice production capacity and quality.

How Hard Water Wreaks Havoc On Your Ice Maker?

Hard water contains excess amounts of minerals like calcium and magnesium. These minerals cause scale buildup everywhere the water flows through.

This scale is responsible for the malfunctioning of various ice maker components such as the water inlet valves and water drain valves. It can cause the valves to stay open or stay closed. For instance, if the water inlet valve becomes stuck open with excess scale buildup, the ice machine will overflow with water. This can lead to the machine overflowing with ice or water leakage from the ice maker.

Similarly, if the dump valve becomes stuck open, the ice maker will keep draining water. In turn, the ice maker won’t make enough ice and the ice that will be produced won’t be of the right size or may be of poor quality.

In another case, if the water inlet valve becomes stuck closed due to scale buildup, the ice maker will trip and show the error message that there is not enough water. It won’t produce ice.

On the other hand, if limescale buildup causes the dump valve to stuck closed, the machine will keep working but will become extremely dirty in a short amount of time. This can cause many kinds of problems with the components and the ice produced will be soft or murky.

Moreover, scale buildup from hard water limits the operations of other parts of your commercial ice maker as well. For example; some ice machines have an ice thickness probe that regulates the thickness of the ice cubes. When a layer of limescale is formed on this probe, it can’t perform correctly and the ice thickness becomes irregulated.

Therefore, if your commercial ice maker is producing poor quality or murky ice, you should make sure that you’re using a water filter that not only filters out minerals but also impurities and microorganisms from the water. Because ice is also considered a food item and must be hygienic, so using a water filter is for the best of your ice maker as well as your food business.

Dirty Or Broken Water Filter

Water filters can be built in the commercial ice maker or your facility may have its own water filter. Whichever method you use for water filtration, make sure that the water filter is clean and working at its optimal condition.

Because if the water filter is dirty or broken, hard water issues will occur as we have explained in the earlier point. To avoid this, inspect the water filter. If it only requires cleaning, have it cleaned. However, if it’s broken, consult an expert so they can determine whether you should repair or replace it.

Keep in mind that even after the cleaning, repair, or replacement of the water filter, you should not begin using the ice maker. The appliance must be thoroughly cleaned first because if you detected an issue with the water filter after noticing murky ice, then the ice maker is already dirty. So, clean all the internal parts of the machine before starting its usage.

The Ice Machine Is Dirty

Even if you have a water filter and it’s clean and functional, your ice maker will collect a mild amount of scale buildup. However, if the ice maker is not cleaned at the end of every day, this mild amount can transform into a thick layer of scale that will cause problems.

So, if your ice maker is dispensing ice that is soft or murky, it’s a sign that you need to clean the ice machine. You should also consider cleaning your commercial ice maker if it’s not releasing ice or harvesting slowly.

Ice Thickness Problems

If the ice is shallow, soft, or incomplete, these can be the causes of this problem.

Ice Thickness Probe Issues

Many commercial ice makers feature an ice thickness probe that controls the thickness and shape of the ice. If it goes out of adjustment, the ice maker won’t produce ice of the correct thickness. The ice produced may be too thick, too thin, or incomplete.

For the readjustment of the ice thickness probe, check out the operation manual of your commercial ice maker. However, if it’s hard to adjust, consult an expert.

Additionally, if the ice is too thick or too thin, you should also inspect the water filter from which the water is flowing to the ice maker. A dirty or faulty water filter won’t filter out minerals that will build up on the thickness probe. With this buildup, the probe will lose its capacity to regulate the thickness of the ice.

Similarly, if you’re not using a water filter, it may be the reason for the shallow ice. Plus, get the ice maker cleaned as well.

Water Level Is Not Right

When the water level inside an ice maker is too high or too low, it impacts the thickness of the ice. You should first clean the ice maker because if the water inlet valve is stuck open or closed, this issue can be caused.

After this, check the operation of the water inlet valve because it may be faulty. Have an expert check out the valves. Moreover, request the expert to adjust the water level probe as well.

The Ice Maker Is Not On A Level Surface

Ice problems like soft, shallow, or incomplete ice can be due to the surface where the ice maker is placed. If the machine is not level, the ice produced may be of poor quality. Another sign that the machine is not in a level position is that the ice machine leaks water.

Check the floor under the ice maker. If it’s not even, move the appliance to another location. It can also be that any lower part of the machine is damaged that is preventing it from standing flat and straight.

Low Water Pressure

The ice thickness, shape, and quality depend on the water quality and quantity. If the water pressure is low in your facility, the formed ice may be soft, shallow, or incomplete. You may also notice low production of ice or no production of ice.

So, check out the water pressure in your place. If it’s low, connect with the utility company to make arrangements.

Conclusion

A commercial ice maker producing soft, murky, too thick, or too thin ice is a common problem. Clean the ice maker and the water filter and then get in touch with commercial ice maker repair Northern VA services for an inspection.

21

Jun

Why Is My Walk-In Cooler Not Cooling?

Walk-in coolers are essential machines for restaurants, cafeterias, and food businesses. However, they are usually not noticeable until they develop problems. If your walk-in refrigerator is not cooling, it can spoil the inventory stored in it so you must act fast and consult commercial refrigerator services.

If you’re curious why your walk-in refrigerator is not cooling, here are the causes.

Incorrect Temperature Settings

This is a simple and easy-to-fix cause of a walk-in freezer not cooling. Check the temperature settings of your appliance and make sure they are correct. This is because a commercial facility is a busy place and many workers and staff members use a walk-in cooler.

Sometimes, the settings can be changed accidentally or someone changes the settings intentionally but fails to input the correct temperature.

Thermostat Problems

Most walk-in coolers and commercial refrigerators have an electromechanical thermostat. It includes a temperature sensor and an electric contractor. It works similarly to other thermostats. When the temperature rises to the set degree, the thermostat signals the compressor to start functioning. When the temperature is lowered to set the number, the compressor is turned off.

If your walk-in cooler is not cooling, the issue can be with the settings of the thermostat or the sensor or the thermostat itself is malfunctioning.

We discussed earlier incorrect temperature settings. But revisiting is essential keeping an electromechanical thermostat in mind. They have cut-in and cut-out settings.

Cut-in means the settings when the compressor should turn on and cut-on denotes the settings or temperature when the compressor is sent a signal to turn off. The temperature differential should be optimal. If it’s not, the compressor may turn off too early or keep working for too long. It can lead to temperature inconsistencies and damage to the components of the unit.

Have the settings checked by an expert who can ensure that they are correct. If the settings are fine, then the issue could be with the sensor or the thermostat. Only a technician should replace a temperature sensor or thermostat of a walk-in refrigerator.

The Door Gasket Is Worn

Another simple issue is the door not closing properly. Usually, the doors of the walk-in cooler shut perfectly but if the unit is older or if the upkeep is poor, the gasket will not seal the door. In turn, warm air from the outside with get into the unit, and the cool air will escape from the tiny spaces left by the worn gasket.

So, the unit will either not appear cool enough or the compressor will work longer to cool the unit. In the first case, you have a sign of a problem right away, but in the second case, the problem will not be easy to detect. However, the overworking of the compressor will lead to damage to the compressor and other components.

Let an appliance repair technician inspect the door gasket and suggest a fix. Sometimes, the door gasket is fixable, but a long-term solution is the replacement of the gasket.

Blocked Condenser

Walk-in coolers have a condenser on the roof or above the unit. A condenser turns the refrigerant from gas to liquid. In this process, the heat absorbed by the refrigerant is released outside. So, the condenser enables the refrigerant to throw heat outside. If the condenser is blocked, the heat won’t be released properly and the unit won’t work properly.

So, if your walk-in cooler is not cooling, check out the condenser and make sure it’s not obstructed by anything – not even a wall. Moreover, clean the condenser as well because dust and debris can cause invisible obstructions as well.

Condenser And Evaporator Fan

The condenser fan aids in dissipating heat from the condenser coils and keeping the compressor cool. If the condenser fan is not working, check the fan for obstructions that may be stopping it from rotating and clean the fan. If it’s still not working, the fan motor may be faulty.

An evaporator fan helps in blowing cold air into the cooler. If it’s not working, you should check it as well. First, for obstructions, and then inspect the motor. However, this inspection should be carried out by an expert who can not only check out the said components but also inspect other parts as well to fix the issue.

Damaged Insulation Panels

Walk-in coolers have insulation panels on the walls of the unit that aid in maintaining the temperature inside the unit. But these panels don’t last the entire life of the walk-in cooler so you need to check them if your commercial refrigerator is not cooling.

There are multiple types of insulation panels for walk-in coolers and the lifespan of each depends on the mean temperature of the unit, moisture, and ice.

You should take note of the condition of the insulation panels if they have been on for 10 years. A sign of damaged insulation panels is leaking. But if you want to be sure, hire an expert to check out the panels and if they are past their lifespan, replace them.

Water Leaks

We have already mentioned that insulation damage can lead to leaks, but there are other causes of leaks also that may be the reason your walk-in cool won’t cool. Worn gaskets lead to puddles of water near the unit as well. Moreover, improper installation can cause leaks too.

Plus, check the drain lines of the unit because a blocked drain line will leave no escape for the water so it will stay on the floor of the cooler or leak through the door if the door is opened frequently.

Bear in mind that water leaks not only indicate that something is wrong that you should fix, but they also give way to mold and mildew growth. You don’t want a health inspector to see this. So, find the cause of the leaks and fix it and then properly clean the unit as well.

Frozen Evaporator Coils

Firstly, mild frost on the evaporator coils is considered normal for walk-in coolers but not for residential refrigerators. However, if the buildup layer of ice is thick, it shows that the defrost cycle is not functioning or any other problem is causing this.

The freezing of the coils will restrict the heat transfer process. The compressor is overworked to produce more pressure for a better heat transfer rate. Moreover, if the ice buildup is extreme, the compressor might run all the time.

In this process, the walk-in cooler will consume more power, and the risk of damage to any components increases.

Older Unit

A walk-in cooler that is too old will break down often. For instance; if you replaced the insulation panels and thought that the unit won’t need any other repair in some time, you will notice leaks in the unit. So, you will need to have it repaired again.

Therefore, if your walk-in cooler is struggling to cool and it’s older than 15 years, then you should consider the replacement of the entire unit instead of a repair.

Conclusion

The common causes of a walk-in cooler not cooling are incorrect settings, damaged gasket, thermostat issues, obstructed compressor, fan motor malfunctions, and old age of the unit. Hire a walk in cooler repair Fairfax technician to fix this problem.