Commercial Refrigerator Life Expectancy & How You can Make it Last.
If you work in the hospitality industry, keeping your appliances running well is key. Your commercial refrigeration unit is especially important. You might wonder, “How long will my commercial refrigeration unit last?”
Commercial refrigerators typically last about 10–15 years. With proper care, you can extend their life to 20 years. Keeping your commercial refrigerator clean and well-maintained helps it last longer. This article explains how different factors affect your refrigerator’s life. We’ll also show you how to keep your unit working well for years.
Most commercial refrigerators last between 10 to 15 years. Several things determine how long your unit will last. These include the quality of the unit and how you maintain it. How well refrigerators are designed greatly affects their lifespan. Following proper care guidelines can help your refrigerator last much longer.
Don’t cut corners when buying a commercial refrigerator. Choose a brand known for quality materials and good performance. This choice can save you money over time. If you buy a cheap commercial refrigerator, you’ll face problems. You’ll get higher utility bills and need frequent repairs. You’ll also need to repair or replace parts often. The unit won’t last 10 years, giving you a shorter average lifespan.
How well you maintain your refrigerator affects how long it lasts. Poor care can cut your commercial refrigerator’s life in half. This can lead to your refrigerator dying or needing to be replaced sooner than expected.
Your refrigerator’s compressor keeps it running. It pushes cool air in and warm air out. Touch the compressor to check it. If it feels hot to the touch, it needs repair. A hot compressor often means there’s an issue with its coils. The coils insulate the fridge and motor.
One key part of refrigerator maintenance is cleaning the coils monthly. If you skip this step, your unit becomes less efficient. Eventually, the compressor will fail. Experts recommend having your commercial refrigerator checked twice a year. A professional should clean it too. This, plus your own maintenance routine, will help your refrigerator work better.
Keep dust and debris away from important parts. This includes the compressor, compressor fans, cooling fins, and coils. Dirt buildup makes your unit work harder and poorly. Large dust buildup can also cause fires. This happens because the compressor gets hot when working harder. Dust can catch fire. During professional service visits, technicians use air compressors to clean thoroughly. This keeps your unit dust-free.
Your refrigerator’s vents help air move around. This prevents food from freezing. It also stops bacteria from spoiling food. Keep vents clean by not placing food directly in front of them. Food particles can get into the vents and block them. This makes air circulation poor. If the vents get dirty, clean them with a soft wipe.
A clean and organized refrigerator works better and lasts longer. When you can find items quickly, the refrigerator door stays closed. This prevents energy loss. Make sure vents are free of crumbs and debris.
Check for water buildup in the drain area and at the bottom of the fridge. If water builds up, you might have a clogged drain hose. Clean these hoses well so water can flow freely.
If your commercial refrigerator suddenly works poorly, check the door seal. The rubber gasket seals the refrigerator door to the body when closed. If the door seal is damaged or dirty, cold air leaks out.
Look at the doors for molded or torn rubber seals. If you find damage, clean or replace the seals. This will restore your refrigerator’s cooling power. This applies to all types of commercial refrigerators. This includes French door and side-by-side refrigerator models.
Frost builds up inside your refrigeration unit. The automatic defrost turns on and melts this frost into water. The water flows through the unit to an outside exit. If there’s no drain or evaporation pan under your commercial refrigerator, you’ll have a mess.
A condensate evaporation pan (Evap Pan) collects the water in a tray. This isn’t just any tray that needs constant emptying. The condensate tray has a heating element. It dries the water as it drips from the unit.
Keeping your unit free from water stops mold and mildew growth. Molds and mildews affect fresh foods. They also hurt your refrigerator’s function and performance. They can clog moving parts. This makes the refrigerator work harder. You need to maintain the condensate evaporation tray properly. Follow its care guidelines to keep it working well.
The condensate evaporation pan helps extend your commercial refrigeration unit’s life. So it’s important to care for the condensate pan properly. This means cleaning, maintenance, and fixing problems.
Check your condensate evaporation pan often. Make sure water is evaporating as it should. Clean the pan at least once a month. Use a stainless steel cleaner. This prevents mineral and slime buildup that can stop the unit from working.
Don’t use harsh cleaners on the stainless steel condensate evaporation unit. Avoid cleaners with ammonia or bleach. These chemicals can damage the stainless steel protective coating.
If you have problems with your condensate pan, check your owner’s manual. You can also contact the manufacturer for help. Have a professional check your condensate evaporation pan when they inspect your refrigerator. Always unplug the condensate pan before doing any maintenance.
A commercial refrigerator costs a lot of money. Any business that prepares food needs one. Get the most from your investment by following these steps:
How long your commercial refrigerator lasts depends on two things. The product’s quality and how you care for it matter most.
A high-quality commercial refrigerator can easily last 10 years. With proper maintenance, it may last twice as long. Some units last up to 12 years. Good care prevents food spoils due to a failing unit. It also means you won’t need to replace your fridge too early.
Understanding refrigerator lifespans helps you plan better. Following tips from the Department of Energy can extend your appliance’s life. Remember to clean the coils regularly. Make this part of your maintenance routine.
High humidity levels are the biggest problem for open-air refrigeration systems. Even small amounts of moisture can hurt cold storage areas. This happens through condensation, slip hazards, and coil freezing. Moisture buildup causes more serious problems in cold storage than in dry storage. This is because cold storage buildings are sealed tightly. Understanding Humidity and
Commercial Refrigerator Life Expectancy & How You can Make it Last. If you work in the hospitality industry, keeping your appliances running well is key. Your commercial refrigeration unit is especially important. You might wonder, “How long will my commercial refrigeration unit last?” Commercial refrigerators typically last about 10–15 years. With proper care, you can
A commercial refrigerator unit is essential to your establishment, cooling all your beverages and ingredients to perfection. That’s why it’s necessary to perform routine Commercial Refrigeration Maintenance on your unit between regular service visits. The size of the pan in the commercial refrigerator is determined by how much water is created during the defrost cycle.
