How to Make Commercial Refrigerators More Energy Efficient

How to Make Commercial Refrigerators More Energy Efficient

We don’t need to tell you how important commercial refrigerators are to a business. If you run a restaurant, hotel, bar or any kind of food and hospitality business, you rely heavily on commercial refrigeration. Unfortunately, commercial refrigeration can be expensive to run, and more so to repair when you have a breakdown. As such, the best practice is to increase the energy efficiency of your refrigerators day to day and maintain them properly to prevent costly catastrophes. You don’t want to be a restaurant with fridges full of spoiled food because you forgot to service your equipment! Here’s how to make commercial refrigerators more energy efficient: 

Check Refrigerator Seals 

The most common complaint with commercial refrigerators is faulty gaskets or door seals. They are usually the first thing to start acting faulty and they sap an unbelievable amount of energy. Leaky seals allow warm air into the refrigerator and so the machine works double-time to keep its contents cool. This uses a lot more energy than normal and compromises the integrity of the fridge contents. 

Space for Airflow 

Commercial refrigerators are pretty big, usually, so we know that things get cramped sometimes. Depending on the size of your space, it might be a bit of a squeeze. But, you must ensure that there is space around the fridge for proper airflow, as this allows the exchange coils to function properly. Without enough space, you’ll waste a lot of energy and potentially damage your equipment. We recommend at least one to two inches on either side of the fridge and behind it. 

Clean Your Coils 

You can make commercial refrigerators more energy efficient by keeping the coils free of dust and clean at all times. When your coils are clean, they transfer heat more efficiently and so expend less energy. This keeps your energy costs low and your fridge, fully operational. 

You should clean your refrigerator regularly, too, to optimise performance. Here are some tips for cleaning a commercial ice machine to get you started. 

Control Anti-Sweat Heaters 

Anti-sweat heaters are commonly used in commercial refrigerators to prevent condensation and keep the glass doors of the refrigerator clear. What you don’t want, however, is to have them turned on permanently. This drastically increases your energy bill for no reason at all. The glass doors only have to be clear of condensation when customers or staff need to look through them, during your business hours. Make commercial refrigerators more effieicnt by installing controls to automatically turn the anti-sweat heaters on and off for business hours only. Alternatively, implement a daily turn on and turn off action and designate it to a trusted employee(s). 

Maintain Your Commercial Refrigerators 

You can make commercial refrigerators more energy efficient by implementing a preventative maintenance plan. Preventative maintenance is important because it keeps your machine running at optimum, extends the lifespan of your equipment, and reduces the risk of unexpected costly breakdowns. You don’t want to turn up for work one day with a faulty fridge, spoiled product, and days of disrupted business. The cost is just too high. Rather invest in preventative maintenance and make your money back in extended uptime. 

If you need any help keeping our commercial refrigerators in working order or making them more energy-efficient, give us a call. We are commercial refrigeration experts in Mansfield, Queensland servicing a wide range of clients throughout the state. We also cater to the beverage dispensing and ice machine markets for commercial venues! Check out our website for more information about our products and services.