If it’s not broken, don’t fix it — right? As a factory-certified HVAC and Refrigeration company, we would kindly disagree. If your refrigerator or freezer breaks, you’ll end up throwing away tons of food and have to deal with the inconvenience of being placed on a waiting list for the necessary repairs or replacement. If you’re a restaurant or business that functions as well as your refrigeration system does, then you’re in even hotter water.
Service Emperor HVAC & Refrigeration is Pooler’s choice for commercial refrigeration. We can help you get your systems up and running, or we can help find you the best replacement possible and install it within a timely manner. If you have an idea of whether your fridge or freezer is on the fritz, this can save you tons of money — these 5 tips will tell you if it’s time to give our refrigeration company a call.
1- Strange or Loud Noises
Like all HVAC systems and appliances, a refrigerator or freezer is working at its best when you don’t have to think twice about it. While the occasional noise is common, if your appliance is getting louder over time or is making strange clunking noises, or if the noise level is constant, it’s a good idea to contact our refrigeration service company.
2- Feels Hot
As your fridge or freezer is running, it will naturally feel a little bit warm, particularly by the motor. This might be surprising, but refrigerators don’t actually cool things down — they’re designed to remove the heat from the air inside of the box. If you feel your refrigerator or freezer and it’s hot to the touch, that’s a sign that something is off. If you have a large amount of dust build up around the condenser coil of your cooler or freezer, this could cause massive damage to the system and shorten the lifespan of your equipment. A regular quarterly maintenance check-up on your system will help prolong the life of your equipment!
3- Food Isn’t Cold
Your food should always be cold when you take it out of the fridge or freezer. Specifically, refrigerators should be set to 40°F or below and freezers should be set to 0°F or below. When your food isn’t cold after spending a good chunk of time (30-60 min) in the fridge, you should do the following. a) Make sure your fridge temp is set accordingly. And b) if it is, throw the food away and call our refrigeration company.
If your thermostat is set to the correct temp, but you don’t think your cooler is quite cold enough, you can pick up and install a simple room thermometer can give you an idea of the freezer or cooler’s temps. These thermometers are not extremely accurate, but they will give a ballpark idea of the temps. If there is a drastic difference between the two temperatures, schedule a service call with us asap!
4- Frost Buildup
This is a sure sign that something’s amiss with your freezer or refrigerator. Be sure that you are not blocking the indoor fans or coil because this can cause the system to freeze up extremely fast! If you spot frost buildup on the floor, walls, or ceiling of your freezer, it’s time to contact a refrigeration company to get the necessary repairs underway.
5- Leaking Water
Similarly to frost buildup, if your fridge is leaking water anywhere, you’ll definitely want to get it looked at. Avoiding the repairs now could result in several thousands of dollars later for a replacement if the problem goes untreated.
Refrigerators and freezers are the kind of thing where problems often seem minor enough that you can get by without repairs. People put containers in their fridge to catch the leaking water, or even put up signs on the walk-in at work, reminding employees that it’s too hot to touch. When you ignore these issues, they can result in bigger expenses later.
Don’t risk it when you run into refrigeration issues. Save yourself time, business, and money by calling Service Emperor HVAC & Refrigeration. If you need a new piece of equipment, feel free to start browsing here… we are more than happy to install any brand you decide on, and can answer any questions you may have about them.