Commercial refrigerators play a crucial role in commercial kitchens when it comes to storing several types of food items to be prepared for serving customers. Since these machines work 24/7, it is common for them to experience ice buildup but do you need commercial refrigerators repair technician for it? We are going to discuss why ice buildup takes place and what you can do to prevent it in the future.
Why And How Does Ice Build Up Occur?
There is no single reason why ice buildup occurs, instead several. The first being moisture infiltration. It is the most common culprit causing ice buildup in commercial refrigerators. Moisture infiltration takes place due to the introduction of a warm product, poor sealing equipment, or excessive door openings.
Once the moisture infiltrates the room, it mixes with cold air and turns to water vapors. These water vapors then travel or migrate to the coldest point in the room and accumulate to form ice. Another reason for ice buildup is an older defrost cycle. Newer commercial refrigerators are very smart in the sense that they will instantly turn on the defrost cycle as soon as they detect ice buildup.
However, if your commercial refrigerator has an older defrost cycle, it is not going to be much effective or efficient. The reason is that these refrigerators control their defrost cycle based on time or temperature. So, even if the defrost cycle manages to remove ice from the coil, the defrost termination model will kick in too quickly will cause the fans to start and moisture will be blown across the room, finding its way on the ceilings and walls and will turn to ice.
Furthermore, if you have opened the freezer and come across a slightly cloudy interior, then it means that the fogging effect is taking place. The reason behind this effect is that the resistance heaters’ surface heats up and can raise the temperature up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
As a result, the dripping water lands on hot surfaces and immediately evaporates, creating fog in the room. The fog while exiting the coil condenses leading to the formation of water droplets that are dispersed throughout the room. And once the droplets freeze, the ice will begin to form which will make it a lot harder to clean up and possibly freezeburn the food stored inside.
How To Remove Ice Buildup?
Removing ice buildup in a commercial refrigerator can be a slightly complicated task but not impossible. The best way to remove ice buildup is by turning off the refrigerator and allowing the ice to melt. If the ice buildup is thick and you do not have enough time to spare, you can simply turn off the machine and scrape the ice using your hand or a tool. Make sure that you do not use any sharp objects as they might damage the components.
How To Prevent Ice Buildup?
You know they are right when they say, prevention is better than cure and the same is the case here as well. As mentioned previously, removing ice buildup will put the refrigerator out of commission, which can be damaging to your business.
So, the best way to prevent any further ice build-ups is by maintaining the refrigerator. Commercial refrigerators require as much maintenance as other appliances and machines in your kitchen. Therefore, you should make sure it is offered proper maintenance by a professional too.
Commercial refrigerators consist of filters and are prone to blockages and several other problems. The good news is that more than half of the problems can be prevented if the refrigerator is looked after. Therefore, you should consult the user’s manual and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
At the same time, you should also train your employees to look after the unit on a weekly basis. Developing a maintenance schedule will go a long way in ensuring that your refrigerator performs at its peak for years to come.
Final Word
In the end, ice buildup is not something you should panic about. Simply follow the tips mentioned above and make sure your refrigerator is thoroughly maintained and cleaned once or twice annually by commercial refrigerator services Alexandria to avoid breakdowns and expensive replacements.
