Kitchen Equipment Spotlight: How to Maintain a Commercial Freezer
January 21, 2019Your commercial freezer can be a lifeline for your restaurant. Safe food storage is vital, and a high-quality freezer is essential kitchen equipment.
However, a freezer is only as good as the maintenance that goes into it. Without proper care, your freezer will become inefficient, fail to hold the right temperature, or perhaps break entirely.
Whether you’ve chosen an excellent quality used freezer or a new unit, here’s what you need to know to keep it running well for years.
Keep the Freezer Organized
Organization is not a nuts-and-bolts tip, but it’s just as important as any physical maintenance.
If you don’t have an organized freezer, you’re probably wasting energy. Unused corners and uneven packing makes your freezer’s coils and motor work far too hard.
Also, if you don’t have a good system for bringing out frozen food in a timely manner, you could end up with food waste, mold, and other problems. Without great organization, there’s no way to know what should be brought out next.
Of course, as a freezer is used throughout the night and through the week, it will quickly get disorganized and cluttered. Make sure you include cleaning up and resetting the freezer in your closing protocol so that this important kitchen equipment is ready for the next day.
Clean the Freezer Regularly
You should clean the shelves, walls, and floor daily or weekly. All spills need to be cleaned right away, and it’s important not to use harsh chemicals. Chemicals can damage the metal or seals of the freezer, causing it to fail and need repairs much sooner.
Every six months the coils of your freezer should be cleaned. This is not usually difficult. You simply need an employee to clean them with soapy water and a bristle brush.
This will help your freezer maintain the right temperature over time. It also this kitchen equipment last longer.
Check for Leaks and Cracks Regularly
Having a freezer technician come in and inspect the unit every six months can give you a lot of peace of mind.
Here are some things to do at least twice a year:
- Check lines for condensation
- Clean fan blades and check motor
- Check insulation integrity
- Look for air leaks in cracks, holes, and seals
- Ensure electrical connections are secure
- Clear drain lines
- Calibrate thermometers
- Check ice filters and clean all ice maker components
You can afford to have this kitchen equipment break down. Taking preventative steps now will save you a ton of time, money, and headaches later!
Upgrade Your Kitchen Equipment If Needed
Even with the very best maintenance, no freezer will last forever. Eventually, it will need to be replaced. You might also find that you need additional kitchen equipment if you’re expanding or remodeling your kitchen.
If you want some quotes on the equipment you need or help with layout and arrangements, we are here to help. Tipton Equipment has been serving Little Rock restaurants for many years. Contact us for more information today!
4 Money-Saving Strategies You Can Use in Your Restaurant NOW
Running a restaurant is one of the most interesting and lucrative businesses one can engage in with the right money-saving strategies. However, it also poses to be one of the most difficult. Many factors have to be put into consideration in order to make sure that...
Businesses that Should be Selling Frozen Beverages in 2017
Adding a frozen beverage machine to your slate of money-making channels is great way to drum up additional sales. Since there is low overhead cost associated with selling frozen beverages, whether it is an FCB (Frozen Carbonated Beverage) or FUB (Frozen Uncarbonated...
Start Preparing Your Restaurant for Summer!
As a restaurant owner, you may have noticed that weather has affects the number of customers that walk through your door. It is widely understood, for example, that rain drives customers indoors as they seek shelter from the storm. Snowstorms, of course, discourage...
Create a Memorable Dining Experience with the Right Flatware
According to Will Rogers, “you will never get a second chance to make a first impression.” In a restaurant, flatware is a small but essential part of making a great impression. Flatware is a particularly important design element because customers won’t just look it;...
Cleaning Your Commercial Deep Fryer Made Easy
A commercial deep fryer requires daily cleaning to keep the appliance in perfect working condition. However, cleaning the restaurant’s deep fryer is one of the most dreaded tasks for many restaurant workers. Who could blame them? The process of cleaning a deep fryer...
The Top Chefs Use Cast Iron. Do You?
From pots to pans, restaurant cookware has been made out of all kinds of materials. What kind do you use? It’s time for you to use cast iron. Cast iron cookware has many benefits. Let’s take a look at why you need to be using cast iron in your professional kitchen....
How to Crash the Dine and Dash
Any business that sells physical products is subject to the occasional theft. So do restaurants, but it's just called dine and dash. Those who dine and dash take advantage of the fact that they receive their purchase before they pay, rather than after. In many...
Preparing for Your Restaurant’s Grand Opening
Starting a restaurant is an adventure, especially with the Grand Opening. There will have been months of planning, preparation, purchasing and hiring for your grand opening. When you finally have everything ready, your grand opening is a big deal. If everything is...
Guide to Buying the Perfect Knives
Knives are arguably one of the most important tools in any kitchen. Your chefs are the heartbeat of your restaurant and they deserve quality knives that ease the task of cooking great food. When buying the perfect knives for your chefs, keep in mind that the most...
Equipment Buying Tips for Restaurant Owners
If you own a restaurant or you’re starting a new one, you will need the right equipment. It is important to choose quality equipment that will not only get the job done well but also cost you less in the long run. However, it can be hard to know where to start. Here...
5 Decor Ideas for an Inviting Restaurant Feel
Great food and customer service are important parts of the equation that keeps customers coming, but the restaurant experience is not just about the food. The best restaurants cater to every aspect of a customer’s experience. The right ambiance is a must. This means...
5 Tips for an Ergonomically Sound Restaurant
The physical environment of your restaurant should not only be appealing to customers but also be comfortable and safe for your employees. Due to the repetitive motions that characterize the job description of restaurant employees, there is a potential for...
How to Make Your Silverware Sparkle and Shine
No one wants to eat off of dirty or tarnished silverware. While it’s easy to clean silverware of leftover food, the tarnishing will still linger unless you take steps to make your silverware shine. To make the best impression on your guests, your silverware should not...
Top 6 Movies for Restaurant Owners
The movies that connect with us on a personal level are the ones that linger in our memories forever, especially when it deals with food and the drama in a commercial kitchen. Achieving that level of intimacy in the fictional world of movies is easier said than done....