Category: Appliances

5 Benefits of Hiring a Commercial Refrigeration Professional

If you own a business, you know how much you rely upon your appliances to make it operate smoothly. If you own any type of food service business, commercial refrigeration is an absolutely critical component to the overall success of your organization. The significance of your commercial refrigeration appliances such as freezers, coolers, walk-in coolers, walk-in freezers and ice machines cannot be understated if you are in the food industry. If you are dealing with a faulty freezer, here are 5 benefits of hiring a commercial refrigeration professional for your company.

5 Benefits of Hiring a Commercial Refrigeration Professional

Commercial refrigeration equipment includes any appliance that provides cooling or freezing storage for your company’s perishable goods. Commercial refrigeration includes a wide variety of both refrigerators and freezers, including walk-in units, reach-in units and commercial refrigeration display cases.

Keeping your refrigeration units running optimally protects a vital asset of your company – the perishable goods that you rely upon for income and profit. Although the food service industry can be hectic and fast paced, you can control how well your commercial refrigeration works and how dependable it is by having your appliances inspected regularly by a Commercial Refrigeration expert, like those at Altemp Mechanical.

Routine maintenance should be performed at least twice per year by a professional in order to assure that your commercial refrigeration units are functioning at optimal levels, properly sanitized and also saving you money by not ramping up electrical costs.

A thorough plan performed by a service company should be scheduled twice per year and include the following:

– Pressure Cleaning Condenser Coils, including degreasing

– Pressure Cleaning of Drain Lines

– Monitor Temperature & Cycling

– Check Refrigerant Level

– Check Condenser and Evaporator Fan Motors & Blades

– Wiring and Compressor Electrical Connection Verification

– Unit Thermometer Verification

– Ice Machines should be completely dismantled and thoroughly cleaned.

– Acid descale solution should be flushed through the water circuit.

The other reason you need to keep your refrigeration equipment in top operating condition through regular commercial refrigeration service is because of the energy costs related to operating it. For most restaurants and small grocers, the energy costs related to operating their commercial refrigeration equipment make up a large part of their overhead. When your equipment is operating inefficiently due to lack of proper commercial refrigeration service, then your energy costs can go up significantly.

Here are 5 benefits of hiring a commercial refrigeration professional for your business:

1. Service, selling, installation and maintenance of all major brand freezers, coolers, walk-in coolers and freezers, ice machines, and more.

2. Our professionals provide outstanding and unparalleled experience in all areas of commercial refrigeration.

3. We understand the importance of maintaining optimal freshness and cooling temperatures for your food perishables and how critical those items are to the financial success of your business.

4. Altemp works closely with your individual business to develop a customized maintenance plan to assure that your commercial cooling products are always operating at their very best, assuring that it’s one less thing for you to worry about.

5. Altemp provides a one-year labor warranty on all services and products provided by our company.

The Real History of Air Conditioners

Americans frequently use air conditioners to combat dangerous heat levels and maintain a healthy balance of moisture in their homes during the summer months. While air conditioning is today regarded as a common convenience, the development of this cooling device has a long and storied history. Read on to discover more about he real history of air conditioners.

The Real History of Air Conditioners

Before Modern Air Conditioning

Prior to the invention of the air conditioner, people dealt with hot and muggy weather in many original and creative ways that go far beyond what one might consider. Attempts to regulate cooler air in hot climates have existed for a very long time, but only recently become fairly standard in American homes.

Ancient Romans are noted for using the famous aqueduct systems of their city to circulate cold water throughout the walls of their homes. The emperor Elagabalus built a mountain of snow into his garden to keep himself cooled off during the hot summer months.

The 1800s

As the Roman empire declined, these type of extravagances were non-existent and the concept of air conditioning wasn’t revisited again until around the 1800s by engineers in the United States. In the time periods between the fall of the Roman empire and the advancement of America, people used common cooling devices, such as fans, palms and eventually electric and rotary fans. Homes were built in order to face away from the heat of the sun and reduce the enormous amount of heat that would build up within houses and buildings during these time periods.

The invention of electricity truly spearheaded the advancement of air conditioning. It allowed for rotating and oscillating fans, and spurred the imagination of engineers across America.

1900s

Willis Carrier is credited with inventing the very first air-conditioning system in 1902.
His unit utilized water-cooled coils to send cold air throughout spaces, for the purpose of controlling humidity at a printing plant where he was employed.

Carrier continued to tinker and toil with modifications to this unit, and finally invented an air conditioner that greatly reduced the size of the air conditioning unit in 1922. Businesses were the primary purchasers of these units, and patrons would frequently visit those places on humid and hot days in order to seek reprieve from oppressive heat.

Today’s Air Conditioning:

During the 1930s, air conditioning was quite standard to stores and offices. Home air conditioning units didn’t really begin to be utilized until the 1990s, and by 2010, it was approximated that 85% of homes in the United States had some type of air conditioning unit in their houses. The real history of air conditioners, as we know them today, is really limited to the last 150 years.

4 Signs You Need to Replace Your Furnace or Air Conditioner

One of the biggest dangers in a home is using, or at least trying to use, a broken heating or cooling system. Below we discuss some of the biggest red flags that should alert you when you need a new furnace or air conditioner. With the gas that is used to keep these units running, it is for the safety of your home, family members, and neighbors that you replace your furnace or A/C unit when it has reached its end. Watch for these signs you need to replace your furnace or air conditioner this season.

4 Signs You Need To Replace Your Furnace or Air Conditioner

Your yellow pilot light turns on.

A yellow pilot light indicates that there is something wrong with the gas combination in your furnace. This can mean that your furnace is releasing gas, such as carbon monoxide. The ideal color of your pilot light is blue/purple. If you are seeing a yellow flame, then something is certainly not right.

Your electrical bill increases.

Paying attention to the amount you spend on your electrical bill will help you determine if your furnace or air conditioning units are working as efficiently as they should be. Your bill will vary throughout the year because you make your units work harder to keep your home a comfortable temperate during different seasons throughout the year. Noticing an abnormally high bill is a red flag that your furnace needs to be replaced or repaired.

You hear unfamiliar noises.

It is likely that you will constantly have some noise coming from your furnace. When the noise is consistently out of the ordinary, you will want to look into it. Hearing noises that can only be described as whining, banging, or groaning could mean that you need to make some repairs to the furnace. It could be a loose belt, a problem with the ignition, or a replacement of another part. Listening for issues with your furnace is just as important as seeing them.

Your Furnace or air conditioner requires frequent repairs.

One tried and true sign that your air conditioner or furnace needs replacing is if they are in need of constant repair. Pouring money into these units little by little can add up quickly, especially if you need to repair them often. The average life of an A/C unit is roughly around 10 years, whereas a furnace can usually last between 12-15 years. If your air conditioner or furnace is getting old, it might be time to quit nickel and diming the repairs and just replace the units altogether.

Keeping your home safe from potential serious issues with your furnace or your air conditioning unit is very important. Checking the pilot light, listening for unfamiliar sounds, and watching your electric bill are all great signs you need to replace your furnace or air conditioner. When your A/C unit or furnace are nearing their life expectancy, start thinking about getting them replaced instead of pouring money into countless repairs. This will keep your family safe and allow you to keep your home at a comfortable temperature.

Why Furnace Repair Is So Important in Minnesota

A non-functioning furnace in the winter is simply not an option during the sub-zero temps that we experience here in Minneapolis. Getting your furnace checked each year is vital to surviving the freezing weather. If you own a storefront business, being prepared for the inevitable will give you the advantage over others that may have furnace malfunctioning issues during the winter months. It’s much better to go into the winter season knowing that your furnace is good to go before it is required to work with full effort. Read on to learn why furnace repair is so important in Minnesota and prepare yourself for the upcoming season.

Why Furnace Repair Is So Important in Minnesota

Being prepared means performing a yearly inspection of your furnace. Many things can cause your furnace to malfunction. Taking advantage of this annual service for your heating unit may uncover small issues before they become big problems. If your unit needs minor repairs, it is much less expensive to fix the issue right away instead of waiting until it turns into a serious situation. This will cost you much more money and will likely leave your home cold in the middle of our harsh Minnesota winter. Having this inspection done in the offseason months will allow your service professional time to order parts if needed. This will give you time to get everything in order before you need to use your furnace in full force. The last thing you want in the middle of winter is to have a broken furnace leaving you stuck in the cold.

A regular inspection of your furnace will give you the opportunity to check on the efficiency of it. If properly maintained, furnaces can last up to 20 years. Hire a professional to clean, check connections and keep all of the moving parts properly lubricated. During the inspection, your heating professional will check the system’s controls to ensure that your furnace is operating at its maximum efficiency.

Contacting a home improvement professional who will visit your home to perform an annual furnace inspection is not only a good idea; it’s essential for the safety and efficiency of your home heating. Understanding why furnace repair is so important in Minnesota will set you up for a healthy and long life with a warm home or place of business. This will ultimately save you money and the stress of having furnace failure in the dead of winter.

To have a professional handle your Minnesota furnace repair, please give Altemp Mechanical Inc. a call. We offer emergency services to make sure that your heating system will be fixed right when you need it. Contact us at 651-275-9111.