Everyone knows you’re not supposed to leave your walk-in cooler door open. But did you know even five seconds is too long? The length of time that a walk-in cooler door is open affects the system’s cycle and overall efficiency, often increasing energy costs. Understanding how a walk-in cooler’s cycle works can help protect your cooler from unnecessary disruption and unwarranted repairs.
Walk-In Cooler Basics
You may be surprised, but walk-in coolers are more similar to a window air conditioning unit than they are to your refrigerator at home. Walk-in coolers actively generate cold air as needed, maintaining the temperature set on the thermostat. Like an AC unit, this is achieved with fans and a condenser, with the condenser unit cycling on and off to maintain the temp.
So, every time someone opens the walk-in cooler door, the cold air escapes and hot air enters. The cooler’s temperature then rises, causing the condenser unit to engage and begin a new cooling cycle. Leaving the cooler door open or opening it more often than necessary forces your refrigeration to work harder, leading to lost efficiency and more electricity consumption.
Protecting Your Walk-In Coolers
Other than limiting the time a walk-in cooler door is opened, there are additional tips to help minimize the impact of a door opening. Strip curtains are a quick and inexpensive option that can reduce the amount of air that’s lost upon each entry and exit. However, even with these deterrents, air may still escape. The best approach is to train personnel to enter the walk-in cooler only when necessary and to be cognizant of keeping the door closed. These simple precautions alone will enable temperatures to remain stable, decrease unnecessary cooling cycles and protect your wallet from increased energy costs.
KPS Global® Is Here to Help
A walk-in cooler or freezer door often takes the most amount of abuse. If the door is not sealing or is icing or showing condensation, then minimizing the time a door is open won’t help. Replacing a walk-in cooler or freezer door is easy. KPS Global’s made-to-order swing doors and door face frames are available to ship within seven to ten business days from approval. All doors are custom-made with a variety of finishes, and include all the needed components to replace the existing door, including wiring, heated sweeps, latches, trims and closures. When deciding on a new door, determine:
- If it’s for a cooler or freezer
- If a left or right hinge is needed
- The wall thickness required
- The measurement of the clear opening
- What options you’d like: Viewport, Kickplates, Jamb Guards, Finishes
Replacement doors can be made for any brand walk-in. KPS Global is the industry-leading manufacturer of walk-in coolers and freezers and replacement doors. KPSG offers field surveys and installation in addition to aftermarket parts for your walk-in doors including hinges, latches, closers and more. To learn more about KPS Global’s replacement walk-in cooler doors, click here.
