Commercial refrigerators and freezers can be responsible for up to 85% of energy expenses for supermarkets, cafes, restaurants, bakeries and many other businesses in the food industry.
Efficient refrigerators and freezers can save you money through lower energy consumption and are more environmentally friendly through lower electricity consumption, waste and CO2 emissions.
Are your cooling appliances costing you too much money? Check off the following recommendations to make sure you’re running as efficiently as possible:
At the entry point
- Check seals, gaskets and auto closers to make sure they are in good working condition. Leaks can result in energy waste and spoiled food.
- Shut the door! Don’t leave doors open longer than necessary and ensure that stocking up takes place as quickly as possible.
Manage stock
- Don’t overload. Fridges and freezers run less efficiently when overstocked.
- Every 1°C of cooling costs you money. Set the temperature correctly for the stored products.
- Switch it off! If your fridge contains non-perishable products, such as drinks, turn it off overnight.
Installation
- Keep units away from heat sources, including direct sunlight and draughts.
- Give it space. Make sure the refrigeration system has enough space around it to ensure good airflow over the heat exchange coils, fans, motors, and belts.
- Install LED motion sensor lighting in walk-in units.
- Give open refrigeration cases a good night’s sleep with night curtains to retain cold air when they are not in use.
Maintain regularly
- Clean the evaporator and condenser coils, and check for missing unplugged nozzles or filters.
- Check the entire piping system for leaks, especially joints, seals, valves and glands.
- Take a look at the refrigerant sight glass. Bubbles in the sight glass often means a system is leaking.
- Repair any vibrating pipe work, it could cause a leak over time.
- Ice on the floor and/or walls of cold rooms indicates excessive air is entering the unit, which causes defrosting and safety issues.