Expensive investments like a walk-in freezer are significant assets in some businesses, especially in the restaurant industry. However, there will come a time that replacement is inevitable.
Here are four warning signs that tell you your walk-in freezer needs replacement.
- Ballooning utility bills
If you’re wondering why your utility bills continuously rise over time, it could be your walk-in freezer’s diminishing efficiency. As equipment ages, its performance is reduced. The refrigeration equipment loses energy efficiency and elements of the cold storage envelope loses thermal performance. That loss of thermal performance can allow substantial heat to enter your cooler. Your cooler, in turn, works harder to compensate for the lower energy and thermal efficiency to cool to the set temperature whenever it detects a temperature rise. In doing this, your walk-in uses extra energy to cool its content, which results in a dramatic spike in your utility bills.
- Building-up of frost
When you frequently defrost your unit to get rid of unwanted ice build-up on the evaporator coil, it could mean that your unit is damaged. Frost forms when there is an excess accumulation of moisture inside your freezer (or cooler). The leading cause of the excess humidity is when air infiltrates into your freezer through bad door and panel seals, which allows air outside to go inside of your walk-in. Not to mention, the entry of outside air also decreases your freezer’s efficiency as it introduces warm/humid air inside your unit.
- Leaking unit
When you have broken seals on various parts of your unit, wash down/cleaning water can escape through those open parts, accumulate, and form puddles or ice. The worst part about this is that moisture promotes the growth of mold and mildew, which produces toxic spores that are hazardous to human health. The scenario turns worse if your walk-in houses food, which might get contaminated by the spores.
- Fluctuating temperatures
Fluctuating temperatures are good indicators of hidden damages in your unit. Your freezer will work twice or thrice as hard to counteract the heat gain. In doing so, your utility bills skyrocket because your freezer’s compressors work more to reduce the rising temperature. Remember to calibrate your unit’s thermostat to get an accurate reading.
Conclusion
When you continuously run an inefficient walk-in, you might end up paying for inflated utility bills that should have been used to purchase a new model. The replacement walk-in can help protect your pocket book from unnecessary surges in your utility bills because of using inefficient equipment.
At the first sign of any of the mentioned signs, you should immediately invest in replacing your walk-ins. You can save money in the long run too. A newer custom walk-in freezer helps protect you from costly repairs that will drain your money before you even had the chance to notice.
Are you in need of a new walk-in cooler? Visit our website to learn more.
