My Walk in Cooler is Blowing Warm Air!

Yikes! Your walk in cooler certainly shouldn't be blowing warm air. To begin, visually inspect the evaporator coil. Are the fins iced over?

If they are iced over, then either shut the walk in cooler down completely, or make a temperature adjustment to the warmest position (this shortens the defrost time). Leave the unit alone until the evaporator coil is completely free of ice—this may take a while if the build-up was heavy. Never attempt to manually defrost or remove built-up ice by hand or with tools as it could easily cause a refrigerant leak! Once clear, reset the temperature control to the correct range (38 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit).

If the evaporator coil is not iced over, or if the icing occurs again, place a service call to determine and correct the cause of the problem.

If the problem is temporary, the unit may have just been in a defrost period. Just to be safe, the settings on the defrost timer should be reviewed and adjusted if necessary.

More importantly, make sure you keep up to date on performing routine maintenance on your walk in cooler. There are some good tips in our post "How to Clean Your Walk in Cooler (5 Guidelines)"!

How to Clean Your Walk in Cooler (5 Steps!)

Normal maintenance on our walk in coolers is very easy. Well-maintained walk in coolers will experience very few mechanical failures, run efficiently, and last for a long time. It pays to uphold a regular cleaning schedule for your walk in cooler. You can determine how often your walk in cooler needs to be cleaned by the amount of use and how dusty the environment is. To begin with, though, we've complied five major guidelines that will help keep your walk in cooler running as efficiently as possible...

MONTHLY:

1. Clean the condenser coil of your condensing unit. First of all, it is considerably safer if you shut off the circuit breaker while you clean. A good way to clean your condensing unit is with a shop-vac (pictured to the left). Not only can you vacuum the surface, but also you can reverse the flow of air to blow deeply imbedded dust out from the center of the coil—blow it out from both directions as best you can. You can then wipe off the housing and compressor with a damp rag. This simple maintenance is the single most important thing you can do for your walk in cooler.

2. Clean the interior of your walk in cooler. Avoid using harsh cleaners that can damage the painted finish over time. Mild soap and water will normally be sufficient, especially if done on a regular basis. Hard water stains can be cleaned with a mixture of white vinegar and water; bleach and water can be used to clean mildew and mold. If you notice any of the caulk seals coming loose, pull them free. You can pick up small tubes of silicone at any hardware store to reseal the joint.

3. Check to make sure that the doors are sealing tightly to your walk in cooler. A visual inspection is all that is normally needed. You should be able to close the door on a dollar bill, and feel resistance when you pull the bill back out. If you need help adjusting your walk in cooler doors, read here!

ANNUALLY:

4. Clean your evaporator coil. Unfortunately, this is a lengthy process, but it is extremely important. Evaporator cleaning solutions are sold at refrigeration wholesalers by the bottle. They are specially formulated to clean the type of sediment that can collect over time in evaporators, and are also very easy to use (specific directions will be on the bottle). To begin, turn off the power to your walk in cooler. The drain tube should be disconnected, and the bottom pan of the evaporator coil can then be unscrewed and removed. Clean and disinfect the inside of the pan and follow the package directions to clean the copper tubing and fins of the coil itself. If you are uncomfortable with these procedures, you can always schedule a preventative maintenance service call with a refrigeration technician.

5. Clean your walk in cooler door gaskets (pictured to the right) with a soft cloth, soap, and water. Repair any small tears with a clear silicone adhesive. To keep them soft and pliable, wipe them down with a vinyl preservative, commonly sold at automotive supply stores. If a gasket should tear beyond repair, it’s worth being replaced—without a gasket, there will be significantly more wear and tear on your walk in cooler’s compressor.

Servicing Your Walk in Cooler

Like all equipment, refrigeration systems can malfunction. If that happens, we understand you need assistance quickly. We know it can be very stressful when your product is no longer staying cold! Who should you call first? Well, that depends...

If within initial 90 day labor period (factory installs only):

Your first call should be to SRC at our toll-free number: 800-521-0398. Our service department will determine if a service call is required and make the arrangements for you. If the failure is over the weekend or during a holiday and you can't wait to contact us, you can call our installers directly. If the repair falls under our equipment warranty, you will be reimbursed for the straight-time service charges incurred. You will only be responsible for the premium overtime amounts. Make sure you call our service department to inform us of the problem when normal business hours resume.

Beyond the labor warranty period:

Since you will be responsible for the labor portion of the repair, you are free to call any service provider you would like (as well as the original installers). You can also call SRC’s service department and we will gladly coordinate the call for you. If the technician determines that a part or component is defective and you are still within the one-year parts warranty, please have them contact our service department for replacement parts. Compressor motors are covered for a five-year period. Once again, have your technician contact us for instructions.

If you are unsure about your current warranty coverage:

Please call SRC’s service department. We will be happy to pull your job file and explain your existing coverage.

Emerson Climate Technologies Introduces Electronic Unit Controller for Refrigeration Condensing Units

SRC buys quite a few condensing units from Emerson Climate Technologies. They are a business segment of Emerson, one of the world's leading providers of heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration solutions for residential, industrial, and commercial applications. The group combines best-in-class technology with proven engineering, design, distribution, educational, and monitoring services to provide customized, integrated climate-control solutions for customers worldwide. They recently came out with a new product, and I wanted to post it here! READ THE FULL NEWS STORY HERE.

Controller Simplifies Setup While Decreasing Number of Costly Callbacks and Time-Intensive Repairs for Contractors

ST. LOUIS, July 25, 2011 – Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc., a business of Emerson (NYSE: EMR) is pleased to announce the launch of its new Electronic Unit Controller for Copeland® condensing units with low pressure controls. The first-of-its-kind unit controller represents Emerson’s continuing commitment to enhance condensing unit and commercial refrigeration system performance with innovative technology.

Emerson’s Electronic Unit Controller is an integrated electronic pressure control solution to replace traditional mechanical low-pressure control switches, while enabling a smarter condensing unit.  Electronic pressure-sensing accuracy maintains a tighter low-pressure control tolerance than mechanical controls to help decrease costly callbacks, while the easy-to use LED interface allows field setup time to be reduced to less than one minute.   “The Electronic Unit Controller from Emerson was easy to install and set,” said Dan Whitten, General Manager of Rosetown Central Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Ltd. “Our technician was very impressed by the accuracy of the pressure readings compared to his service gauges.” In addition to providing precise control, the Electronic Unit Controller features built-in system protection to prevent costly compressor failure and improve operator uptime.

To help contractors more quickly and accurately troubleshoot and diagnose field issues, the Electronic Unit Controller shows current suction pressure, plus stores alarm occurrence codes, discharge temperature trips, and service run time information, all displayed on a large, easy-to-read LED panel.  The controller also features smart fan cycling control through mid-coil temperature sensing on all dual-fan units.

For more information on the Electronic Unit Controller available from Emerson Climate Technologies, read here!

New Refrigeration Condenser from Heatcraft Helps Supermarkets

One of SRC Refrigeration's main suppliers of refrigeration and refrigeration products is Heatcraft. Heatcraft manufactures evaporators, condensers, and other top-quality refrigeration products for their five market-leading brands: Bohn, Larkin, Climate Control, Chandler and InterLink. Many products are custom-built so they can satisfy the individual customer's needs. No wonder they sell to more than 70 countries worldwide!

The news story I wanted to share is actually from late May, but still plenty relevant and cool (pun intended)...

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA – MAY 18, 2011 – Heatcraft Refrigeration Products, a leader in commercial refrigeration, introduces its new air-cooled condenser featuring microchannel coil technology. This latest refrigeration solution includes an environmentally friendly design that lowers refrigerant charge by more than 70 percent, helping grocers significantly reduce their impact on the environment and save operating costs.

“In today’s marketplace, supermarkets want more than just a well-made piece of equipment,” said Subodh Sharma, Marketing Director for Heatcraft North America. “They want quality refrigeration solutions that can help decrease energy consumption and provide cost savings. Our new air-cooled condenser was developed with these business goals in mind.”

Equipped with a variable speed EC motor that helps maximize energy efficiency, the new condenser also includes an all-aluminum microchannel coil design that offers improved corrosion resistance for a longer-lasting, more durable product – even in coastal environments. It also features an innovative sound reduction technology that lowers sound pressure by more than 50 percent, resulting in a quieter product.

READ MORE HERE...

A comparison: SRC's walk in coolers VS. competition

To sum it up with two pictures and a few words...

Email from a Happy Customer: Calvin Borisuk from PureCal Produce

A few days ago, Steve Lemieux, president of SRC Refrigeration, received an email message from one of his customers. Calvin Borisuk purchased a warehouse cooler for the new store he's opening in Lexington, SC, called PureCal Produce. It's always nice to hear back from customers, and I attained permission to post the email he sent us. Calvin also attached pictures of his walk in cooler installation--which he completed himself! It's a very big project to take on, but as Calvin wrote, he saved quite a lot of money by doing so.

Calvin writes,

"As you may recall, I am just starting this company, and this purchase was one of our most significant equipment purchases, so I researched it for months to do my level best to make the 'right' decision. And I can say from start to finish, I am very confident my purchase from SRC was the RIGHT decision. From our initial conversations, through the many revisions of design and complexities of equipment selection, you proved yourself to be a very competent business leader who was not just concerned for your bottom line but also that of the client as well. I truly appreciated your patience and professionalism through the design, selection and decision making process.

Also, I would be remiss if I didn't express my appreciation for your staff. Tiffney VanConant and Betty Squier were most helpful and gracious. I spoke with both of them regarding payment, shipping coordination, and a few bumps that came up and both of them were friendly, patient and always willing to help. In addition, I spoke with Allan Jett during installation and start up and he acted in like kind.  It was a pleasure dealing with each of them and they should be proud of the work they do. I am not sure if you hold team meetings or not, but if you do, feel free to use this letter as an opportunity to recognize these folks and to encourage the rest of your team. I know full well that it is easy for folks to go day by day and not think the work they do matters and I want your team to know that what they all do does.

Lastly, I have attached a few photos of the cooler construction process (my apologies for the quality… I am not a techy by any means) and please feel free to use me as a reference for any other customers who may be a little hesitant about building their own cooler. It wasn't easy but it was simple and straight forward. With a little mechanical know how and A LOT of hard work we had the cooler from truck to operational in 5 days and saved about $10-12,000 in the process.

Thanks again and best of luck to you and your team."

Here are a couple pictures of the walk in cooler installation... (MORE PICTURES HERE)

Thank you again Calvin! We are very happy you're pleased with your purchase, and hope to do more business with you in the future!

For more information about industrial warehouse walk in coolers, read here.

Where Can I Find a Good Refrigeration Man?

The key for long-term dependability is insuring your initial installation is done properly—finding a good refrigeration contractor is important. Following a high quality installation, routine service and maintenance will keep your walk in cooler running at maximum efficiency.

Best places to check:

1) Contact other businesses in your area that use refrigeration equipment. Examples would be floral wholesalers / floral shops, restaurants, bakeries, drug stores, convenient stores, and gas station mini marts. These places are guaranteed to have walk in coolers (or walk in freezers) and refrigeration systems.

2) Larger cities have refrigeration wholesalers that can help. Check the phone directory: "Refrigeration Equipment - Parts & Supplies". These wholesalers only sell to other refrigeration contractors. You can ask them for a few references that would be good for your specific area of business.

3) Call SRC Refrigeration (800-521-0398). We keep an extensive list of contractors we have used over the years. We would be happy to check and see if we can offer a recommendation in your local area. Just call our service department during normal business hours (Monday – Friday, 7:30AM – 5:30PM).

Do I want a large or small company?

Both large and small companies offer different advantages—however, ultimately, the most important aspect is the individual service they can provide your business. Do your research on different companies and see if other customers seem to indicate they are customer oriented. For SRC's personal opinion: We tend to work with smaller contractors. In our experience, since they are owner-operators, they are generally more attentive and customer oriented.

Be prepared…

If your walk in cooler does require service, it's best to have office procedures in place so your staff immediately knows what to do. Display the service company name and phone number in a spot that can be easily retrieved.

Anthony's Energy Calculator

SRC Refrigeration does a lot of business with Anthony, one of the world's leading manufacturers of refrigerator and freezer doors, lighting systems, and display equipment. While browsing Anthony's home page today, I noticed there was a link to an "Energy Calculator" near  the bottom.

When you click on it, you'll find you can calculate a comparison between different walk in cooler door models—not only for annual operating cost, but for annual energy usage... and your energy savings! It's quite a nifty tool if you're in the market for buying a walk in cooler or freezer door (especially if you have a tight budget!). By using their comparison tool, you'll have a better idea which model is right for you—and can get the best value for your money. Check it out!

ANTHONY'S ENERGY CALCULATOR

Why should you choose SRC Refrigeration?

That’s a good question… here are some answers in the three areas that matter most to our customers.

Our Company

We are privately owned and financially rock solid with experienced employees that have been here for years—dependability is one of our strengths. We have no-hassle warranties and the satisfaction of personal one-to-one service that’s missing all too frequently in business today.

Since 1980, we have sold over 15,500 units to date. SRC Refrigeration has earned a reputation as THE refrigeration specialists. As a custom manufacturer of high-quality walk in / reach in coolers and freezers, we have become the preferred choice of contractors/resellers, food service establishments, convenience/gas/grocery stores, industrial/cold storage warehouses, and floral shops across the nation.

We are proud of our facility, our greatly advanced manufacturing equipment, our innovative processes, and our team of devoted industry veterans. This combination permits us to continually set industry standards in design, quality, and service, as referenced by over 60% of our clients returning to us time and time again.

We specialize in providing the exact product based on your needs; custom walk in coolers and freezers (and all other components) are NOT more expensive at SRC. As you contrast features and services from our company to others, ask yourself, “Who offers the best value?” We believe it will be SRC. But if price is still a concern, please contact us. We will try to work with you; we will explain why we are the best value for your satisfaction. We could also match the competitor’s price.

Our People

Our sales professionals are not commissioned employees; unlike our competitors, we put your needs above ours. Our success is built upon delivering old fashioned personal attention and taking the time to understand your needs. We will help you find a cost effective solution and exceed your expectations.

We value your time. Our in-house design and engineering resources focus on your project promptly to get answers and information in your hands the same day. From start to finish, the SRC team is dedicated to making your buying experience smooth and efficient regardless of your industry or profession.

We can always suggest a local refrigeration contractor from our trusted network of independent licensed contractors for whatever maintenance or service you need.

Our Product 

For over thirty years, quality and innovation have been our touchstones. Many of our competitors never touch what they sell—instead, they are strictly sales offices posing as manufacturers. Because we are the actual manufacturers of our walk in coolers and freezers (and everything else), we retain full control over the design, manufacturing, and quality control processes.

Every walk in cooler or freezer we build is custom, so the choices at SRC are honestly limitless—we guarantee it is the best choice for your application. We won’t try to steer you into a “cookie-cutter” product just to move inventory, and we do not charge extra for customizing a product that fits your precise needs! All of our refrigeration systems are engineered to provide years of dependability with many of our products still operating after decades of use.

Our PPC© (Premium Panel Construction) provides you with the advantages of full 4” thick fabricated panels with 100% solid insulation. We eliminate the "old style" 3½” thick wood perimeter framing still used by our competitors—instead, our method bonds solid foam to heavy gauge white-baked enamel metal skins. This manufacturing technique attains higher R-values while supplying all the necessary strength for your walk in cooler.

We offer green products such as high R-value, eco-friendly insulation, energy efficient glass display doors, EC and PSC motors, as well as the latest approved refrigerant.

We understand how essential it is to prevent avoidable errors in walk in coolers and freezers. All of our products undergo a final QC check and manager approval prior to packaging and are pre-assembled before departing our facility for fit and finish.

We can provide the fast lead times to match the growing business industry today—opportunities move fast! Our advantage is the control we have over production. When asked for fast shipment, we don’t have to check with the real manufacturer (unlike some companies) …or make empty promises just to book your walk in cooler / freezer / refrigeration order.

We can deliver the shortest lead times in the industry since we work with a multi-source network of raw material and equipment vendors. We’re proud of our punctual shipping schedule; we have a proven track record of helping our clients receive their walk in coolers and freezers right on schedule.

Solving Challenges

As a custom manufacturer, we have been able to find solutions to our customers’ refrigeration equipment challenges, such as:

Challenge: I’ve never installed a walk in cooler or freezer before. I know you provide instructions, what happens if I have questions?

SRC Solution: We have a 15 year Installation/Service Manager on staff to handle questions and troubleshoot any difficulties you make experience during the install.

Result: An install that is easier than expected due to easy-to-follow instructions and the added assurance of knowing factory support was only a call away.

Challenge: Is there an easy way to save ALL the necessary paperwork related to this equipment so at a later date it can easily be retrieved?

SRC Solution: To guarantee accuracy before, during, and after the sale, every job receives a pocket folder containing ALL paperwork for your records. These items include: Original Sales Agreement, Acknowledgement, Computer Drawings (layout and fabrication), Electrical Schedule, Installation Manual, Product Warranty Certificates, and Final Invoice.

Result: If any warranty issues arise, your documents are easy to locate and we can quickly assist you.