Blast Chillers 101:Kako izbjeći komercijalni popravak rashladnih uređaja

'Samo ja i moj brzi hladnjak'

Ako upravljate bilo kojom vrstom usluge posluživanja hrane, vaš brzi hladnjak vaš je najbolji prijatelj...ili barem jedan od najkritičnijih dijelova komercijalne rashladne opreme. Povećava produktivnost vaše kuhinje dopuštajući vam da napravite veće serije i proizvedete više proizvoda tijekom sporih razdoblja. Smanjuje otpad jer više ne morate svakodnevno bacati ostatke. Ono što je najvažnije, čuva okus, miris, boju, teksturu i hranjive tvari u vašoj hrani, poboljšavajući kvalitetu onoga što poslužujete. Korištenje uređaja za brzo hlađenje može čak smanjiti vašu zakonsku odgovornost osiguravajući da se vašom hranom rukuje u skladu s propisima o sigurnosti hrane.

Najbolji dio je to što vaš brzi rashladni uređaj traži vrlo malo zauzvrat. Ove jedinice su vrlo pouzdane i lako mogu trajati 15 do 20 godina. Sve što trebate učiniti je jednostavno čišćenje i održavanje. Što više možete tražiti od jednog komada opreme?

Očistite i dezinficirajte površine.

Svakodnevno čišćenje i dezinfekcija površina vašeg uređaja za brzo hlađenje ključno je za održavanje kvalitete hrane. Ako dođe do prolijevanja, odmah ga očistite sapunom i toplom vodom. The longer it sits, the harder it will be to remove. Don’t use any abrasive materials or harsh chemicals to clean a blast chiller, since they can cause damage and even corrosion. If your unit does not have ultraviolet sterilization lights, you can occasionally use a mild bleach solution to disinfect surfaces. You can also periodically polish the exterior with a stainless steel polish. But be sure to avoid use of water on the control panel; use only a slightly damp, soft cloth to clean any electronic components.

Keep the air flow clear.

The air intake and exhaust of your commercial refrigeration equipment need to be in a well-ventilated area. If the air flow to the cooling components is impeded, your blast chiller has to work harder to cool your food, reducing the life of your unit and using more electricity in the process. Do not stack boxes, supplies or other equipment around the unit so that air flow is blocked. Also, be sure to regularly dust the air intake and the exhaust so that your blast chiller can operate as efficiently as possible.

Clean door gaskets.

Depending on the usage of your equipment, the door gaskets need to be cleaned about once a week. Again, don’t use anything abrasive, corrosive, or sharp. Just a soft cloth and warm, soapy water will do the trick. As you are cleaning, make sure the gasket is sealing properly and is not damaged. If your blast chiller’s door does not seal properly, cold air will leak out, causing the unit to work harder and use more energy. If the gasket is badly damaged, the unit may not reach the correct operating temperature, which means the quality and safety of your food can be affected.

De-ice and clean the coils.

The condenser coils are among the most critical components of the blast chiller. They circulate the refrigerant that cools the interior of the unit. As your food is chilling, humidity is removed and condensation can freeze on the coils. It’s imperative to de-ice the coils so that air flow is not restricted. At least once a day, remove the ice accumulation by running your unit on de-ice mode and leaving the door open. In addition, you should also periodically clean the coils by first disconnecting the power, and then using a stiff brush or vacuum to remove any dust and debris from the coils.

Tips for maximum performance.

In order to ensure your blast chiller operates effectively, try these 3 tips:

• Before putting the first load into the chiller, remove residual heat by pre-chilling for 30 minutes.
  Avoid stacking trays or containers which can increase chilling time significantly.
  Covering food increases the cooling time by as much as 30 percent.

Make it a priority!

If you make it a priority to take care of these tasks on a regular basis, you can count on your blast chiller to provide worry-free service for years to come. Don’t have the time or staff to maintain your NYC commercial refrigeration equipment? No problem. Often, HVAC companies like Arista offer specialty commercial refrigeration services that can be combined with your traditional preventative maintenance program to help keep your restaurant running efficiently from the kitchen to the dining room.

If you’re looking to transition to a full service HVAC and commercial refrigeration company that can help you keep your kitchen running optimally, grab a copy of our free guide to Contract Confidence:Transitioning to a New HVAC Service Provider, or download our guide to making sense of refrigeration preventative maintenance contracts.