What Is A Commercial Walk-In Cooler kitchen.services/types-of-commercial-walk-in-cooler/ July 12, 2021
In a top-notch food store or a big restaurant, ever wonder what are those big refrigeratorlike machines that carry divergent sets of drinks and foods within them like a room? Those are walk-in coolers. The basic purpose of a walk-in cooler is to preserve big chunks of food that are prone to perish at room temperature. Unlike the refrigerator, the walk-in cooler has an enormous structure that you could actually walk into it in order to get food out or store it in the cooler. Usually, walk-in coolers are made with metals alongside panels of foam insulation. It is slightly different than a regular refrigerator because many different panels configurations and cam options are available in it which in the case of the refrigerator are unthinkable. As modern kitchen services, we often face questions like what exactly a commercial walkin cooler is and what are its benefits and types. Upon doing research we are writing this one-time guide for you to walk-in coolers.
Types Of Commercial Walk-In Cooler
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Prefabricated Walk-In Cooler Built-In Walk-In Cooler To store shards of food and beverages a walk-in cooler is the best solution. To maintain the standard and versatility of the product many companies focused on Prefabricated coolers. It’s a type of walk-in cooler that is prebuilt with standard dimensions and configuration options. And the other type is a built-in cooler that is built specifically on requirements. Like if you need a walk-in cooler for your food store and you want it for a specific place with limited customization options then a built-in cooler is very much suited to you. Now let’s talk about the components of a walk-in cooler. Panels The skin of a walk-in cooler is made up of aluminum, stainless steel, or sometimes galvanized steel. Its merely like a refrigerator constructed of foam insulation between steel materials mentioned above. The insulation foam used in walk-in coolers is 4 inches thick to prevent environmental factors thus making it efficient against temperature loss and energy consumption. The insulation foam is highly dense known as polyurethane that has a high R-value. Door In a walk-in cooler, the door is frequently used thereby it has to be strong and tight sealed to bear the usage up to a higher degree. The door of a walk-in cooler should have adjustable hinges to ensure a tight seal for quality energy saving. The self-closing doors are more preferable to the ordinary door because you don’t have to worry about closing it all the time when you go through it or out of it. Self-closing doors are available both in prefabricated walk-in coolers and built-in walk-in coolers. Floor In a fancy restaurant, a walk-in cooler is more often used as compared to the food stores. The floor is dependable on your requirement and anticipated traffic. Most of the time the floor of a walk-in cooler is made up of smooth aluminum that is satisfactory with minimal 2/7
traffic but if you have tremendous usage like a restaurant then you should go for a heavyduty floor. Many manufacturers are giving advanced flooring options as per customer’s requirements. Although many companies don’t offer the walk-in cooler with floor however if you go with a floor walk-in cooler then the outcome would be more reliable and neat as compared to the ones which don’t have floor option, it helps in terms of proper isolation which is advantageous against losing temperature and environmental factors.
Walk-InKitchen RangeRefrigerationSystems
The placement of your refrigeration system depends on several factors, such as the size of your space, and building requirements so you can utilize the performance at its maximum. There are three mounting options for your refrigeration system: top mount, side mount, and remote. No matter which option you choose, it is recommended to have a qualified technician come to install your refrigeration system to ensure it is installed properly either it’s a prefabricated system or a built-in walk-in cooler. Top-Mount: Top-mounted refrigeration systems are self-contained and pre-assembled, so these units are ready to go out of the box with standardized customization capacities. Some manufacturers design the refrigeration systems to be flush to the interior so that the evaporator coil doesn’t infringe on the usable interior space of the walk-in in most cases. When used on indoor walk-ins, heat is discharged from the compressor, which can create added stress on your HVAC to prevent the heat from causing any damage to the interior of the walk-in cooler. Side Mount: Side mount systems have many similarities to top-mounted systems, but are bolted onto the sidewall of the walk-in. Side mount is an option when you have a low ceiling that won’t fit a top mount. However, because of the location of the system, interior shelf space can be reduced due to the location of the evaporator coil. However, the functionalities are the same along with heat discharging from the compressor to avoid heat damages but the only difference is of structural concern.
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Remote: Remote systems are less expensive than the top or side-mounted systems. They are designed to sit outside of the building, which helps in situations where space is needed for ventilation of your walk-in refrigerator. A remote walk-in is also served as a top and side mount refrigerator system moreover the difference is it doesn’t occupy any unnecessary space and ventilation is placed outside the building.
Things To Consider Before Buying A Walk-In Cooler In addition to what we’ve already discussed above, there are some important considerations to make when choosing a walk-in refrigerator or walk-in freezer given below. Freezer or Refrigerator: The first thing you need to know is whether you will need a walk-in refrigerator or a walk-in freezer because they both are different things. It all depends on whether you rely mostly on fresh ingredients like a restaurant or the frozen ingredients like a food store. Walk-in coolers hold below 41 degrees Fahrenheit, while walk-in freezers hold around 0 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have the room and need solutions for both fresh and frozen foods, most manufacturers will carry two-compartment walk-ins that allow you to have one section as a cooler and the other as a freezer like an ordinary refrigerator system but in walk-in form. Indoor or Outdoor: It’s very important to understand that there is a difference between an indoor and an outdoor walk-in, they are usually differentiated by the manufacturer as well. If using in an outdoor application, then the walk-in will come with panels for a roof for isolation purposes which of course will mean that you will most likely pay more for an outdoor walk-in. However, outdoor models will typically have thicker insulation as compared to indoor walk-ins as well as an outdoor roof sealing kit to keep the unit protected from the elements and environmental concerns. Size: One of the first things you need to decide on when purchasing a walk-in cooler or freezer is what size box do you need? This will depend on several factors, given below the table can serve as a general guideline. Operation Type
Number of Walk-Ins
Total Square Feet
Fast Food Restaurant
1
90 – 120
Small Table Service Restaurant
1
120 – 150
Medium Restaurant or Small Institution
2
180 – 240
Large Restaurant or Medium Institution
3
240 – 400
Large Institution
3
400 – 600
Large Hotel, Restaurant, or Institution, with a Complex Menu and Catering Facilities
4
600 – 900
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However, you can customize the size if you are going off a built-in walk-in system that is supposed to install as per given specific details. Cooling: For a walk-in to operate effectively and efficiently you need to ensure that it has enough space to allow for proper air circulation (In and Out). Your walk-in should have a minimum of 1 inch of space between the exterior of the walk-in and the walls and ceilings of your building to allow the proper exhaustion. If using a top-mounted compressor, a minimum of 2 inches of space should be allowed from the top of the compressor and the ceiling recommended by the technicians. Installation: When dealing with a large piece of equipment such as a walk-in, you will need to make sure that your space is ready when the unit is delivered for a quick and smooth installation. Make sure that your technician is an expert in the installation of the cooler. Clear the space before the delivery day so that the cooler reached the selected place easily. Warranty: We don’t like to think about it but sometimes equipment fails because of many random reasons. Having a strong warranty for your walk-in should absolutely be considered before you purchase to avoid problems in the future. Manufacturer warranties vary, so be sure you know what the warranty is before you buy to prevent yourself from any headache. Maintenance: Cleaning your walk-in cooler or freezer is relatively easy just like the regular refrigerator. Most manufacturers recommend cleaning simply with warm soapy water using a damp, not wet, mop. In addition to surface cleaning, you should clean your condenser a minimum of once every three months. Avoid using hard items to clean stuff because it could damage the skin. The efficiency of the condensing unit depends on unrestricted airflow through the condenser. Make sure you clean the walk-in with soft items and have sophisticated room for air circulation.
A Commercial Walk-In Cooler – Frequently asked questions What are the accessories of a commercial walk-in cooler? You can use the following accessories for your walk-in cooler. Strip Curtains
If your operation requires frequent opening and closing of your walk-in door like in a restaurant then strip curtains are an ultimate solution for maintaining the temperature and save energy. Strip curtains are strips of PVC vinyl that hang just in front of your door. They block cold air from escaping the walk-in and avoid outer air to come in, keeping your refrigerated or frozen product safe. Shelving
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Incorporating shelving inside your walk-in will only increase the available square footage of the unit. Shelving units keep food off of the floor and allow air to circulate around the product like the ordinary refrigerator except it creates a whole lot of room inside the cooler. Does my walk-in cooler or freezer need a floor? Walk-in coolers do best installed on a level concrete floor. If your walk-in is installed on a wooden floor you must install an insulated floor along with it. Some health department require specific finishes for your walk-in’s flooring so it is best to check with local health codes before installation. How to decide the size of my Walk in Cooler? Walk-in refrigerators and freezers are much larger than reach-ins. The smallest units, sometimes called step-in units, typically occupy 15 cu. ft. while the customizable walk-ins can go as large as 400,000 sq. ft. A useful way to measure how big of a walk-in you need is to look at how much food you need to store. The rule of thumb is every 1 sq. ft. of storage space can fit approximately 28 lbs. of solid food. If you have 50 lbs. of chicken to store, you’ll need to set aside around 1.8 cu. ft. of space in your walk-in for that. Can I build my own walk-in cooler or freezer? It may seem like a good way to save money by not having to pay for labor but we do not recommend building your own walk-in. It is not easy to install a walk-in if you have never done it before and you may not install it up to your local health departments required codes. Save yourself the trouble and have a professional install your walk-in. How and when to clean Walk in Cooler condensing unit? Once a month, shut the power off to the walk-in cooler condensing unit. You can now safely vacuum all of the dust and debris which may have accumulated. Reversing the air flow of a shop-vac or using compressed air to blow dust away tends to be more effective than vacuuming the walk in cooler alone. When should I change the door seals of my Walk in Cooler? The seals should be pliable and make a tight seal against the cabinet. If they should tear or become brittle with age, you might consider having them replaced. Generally you’ll need to do this once a year, mainly depends upon your usage. How do I know my walk in cooler needs repair? Following are the warning signs of a malfunctioning commercial cooler, Wet Floors Strange Odors Temperature Fluctuation Hot or Noisy motor
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If you witness any of the above signs, you need to get your Walk in Cooler checked before it costs you a fortune. How to control Walk in Cooler Odor? Commercial walk-in coolers and freezers are a closed environment, so some odor is expected. Really bad smells or odors that linger after a complete cleanout are the ones you need to be concerned about. The first step is to walk in and take a visual inventory. Best case, you’ll find a spill that has been left undetected. A simple cleanup and a bowl of charcoal briquettes, baking soda, or fresh ground coffee may be all it takes to bring your walk-in back to normal. Worst case, you have a bigger issue caused by germs and bacteria; one that could possibly contaminate your inventory.
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