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

Walk in Coolers: Insulated Floor vs. "Floorless"

Should I buy an insulated floor for my walk in cooler?

No insulated floor will be necessary if you are placing the walk in cooler on a cement slab, at ground level, with no basement or crawl space underneath.

You will need to provide insulation for any walk in cooler placed over a basement, second story, or crawl space. If there is warmer air underneath, condensation will form—the refrigeration will pull heat out of the flooring. The condensation will damage the floor material and space below. If you need to provide protection, you may do so either above or underneath your walk in cooler. Here are a few of your options:

1. The floor of your walk in cooler can be insulated from underneath. Any air leaks will still lead to condensation, so this must be done very carefully. The underside of the flooring is often blocked by obstructions, so this method is frequently impossible. If the flooring is made of an absorbent material, it will need to be protected with sheet vinyl (or a different moisture barrier).

2. You can purchase an insulated floor for your walk in cooler. This will isolate the refrigerated space and prevent any problems with heat transfer. You will also pick up an additional 15% in energy savings on average. A disadvantage will be a 4" step-up into the walk in cooler. An optional floor ramp can be ordered. Nonetheless, disadvantages will seem minor when compared to the expense of correcting any structural damage to a building.

3. Some customers prefer to build their own insulated platform for their walk in cooler. Foam board can be purchased at building centers. Care must be taken to cross-stack the sheets of insulation to eliminate any seams or gaps in the material.

Other floor material questions…

1. Concrete with vinyl or ceramic tile: acceptable for a "floorless" walk in cooler.

2. Concrete with carpeting: do not install a "floorless" walk in cooler on top of carpeting as the high humidity levels will create mildew and odor. Simply cut the carpeting around the exterior of the walk in cooler and remove it. If you wish to save the carpeting or your landlord prevents you from cutting the carpeting, order the SRC reinforced insulated floor for your walk in cooler.

3. Concrete with hardwood: it's recommended you order the SRC reinforced insulated floor for your walk in cooler to protect the beautiful finish from the high humidity conditions.

Exceptions (Important!)...

If the walk in cooler is in a hot warehouse, garage, or outdoors on a non-insulated slab, consider ordering the SRC reinforced insulated floor for your walk in cooler. The energy savings alone can help pay back the cost of the reinforced insulated floor.

Other questions?

If you have a reach in cooler, beverage cooler, keg cooler, beer cave, walk in freezer, floral display cooler, etc., the above information may be slightly different. Please call SRC Refrigeration with any questions! 800-521-0398

Why Aren't my Walk in Cooler Panels Properly Locking Together?

The locking mechanisms for our modular walk in cooler panels are referred to as “cam-locks.” One side of the panel will have at least two male cams (hook), and these connect to an adjacent panel whose edge has the female cams (pin). The male hook is designed to engage the female pin when the 5/16" cam wrench (provided) is turned clockwise. The pivot for the arm is oddly shaped—as the wrench is tightened, the arm will pull inwards, securing a tight panel-to-panel seal.

Occasionally you will find a male fastener with the hook assembly extended and loose. You will be unable to engage the locking mechanism or lock the walk in cooler panels together. All you need to do is re-cock the locking arm. Insert the cam wrench into the cam mechanism and twist the wrench counter-clockwise until you feel resistance. Continue to turn the wrench until you feel the arm bottom out. The hook will now be fully retracted and in position for normal assembly. Your walk in cooler panels should lock together just fine now!

Coordinating Freight and Unloading Your Walk in Cooler Equipment

We will provide you with tracking numbers (“Pro numbers”) and phone numbers of the delivery terminals prior to delivery. There may be as many as four separate shipments to coordinate since you have purchased equipment factory direct. If you have purchased your walk in cooler equipment on a “self-install” basis, you will be responsible to coordinate these delivery times with the individual carriers. If you have any questions regarding this, please don't hesitate to call us!

It would be best for all walk in cooler equipment to be delivered on the same day—common carrier drivers are not required to unload your shipment, and you will need plenty of man power! A minimum of four people are recommended to unload your walk in cooler equipment (two in the truck, and two on the ground).

IMPORTANT: NOTE ANY DAMAGE OR MISSING ITEMS ON THE FREIGHT BILL AS YOU ACCEPT DELIVERY.

The best way to unload your walk in cooler is to unwrap it on the truck and remove each panel one at a time, carefully inspecting it. Your shipment leaves our factory in perfect condition—following this, the freight carrier assumes guardianship until the time of delivery, at which time ownership is passed to you. Should you sign acceptance of a delivery free and clear of damage, it will be very difficult for you to claim damage at a later time. Of course we will do our best to assist you in filing claims if necessary, but it is your responsibility to perform a thorough inspection of your walk in cooler equipment.

Our modular construction allows for easy handling; even the largest walk in coolers can be brought inside through standard doorways. A full size wall panel weighs approximately 65 pounds. There is a 4” extension piece at the top of all wall panels (“ceiling valance”). Walk in cooler panels should not be carried by or stored on this valance extension or damage can result. If your walk in cooler includes an insulated floor, there will also be a valance at the bottom of the panel. To avoid scratches, lift each panel off the pallet—don’t slide them across each other.

Indoor compressors can weigh upwards of one-hundred pounds; outdoor compressors weigh several times this amount. If your order includes glass doors, these crates can be awkward and heavy as well. This is another reason to have adequate personnel on hand for delivery.