If you run a restaurant, butcher shop or a catering business, we are sure walk-in freezers are part and parcel of your operations.

Walk-in freezers are an essential part of many businesses, particularly ones that require storage of food products. Not to mention, walk-in freezers can also help you preserve the quality of the products.

But just like everything else within a commercial establishment, your walk-in freezer is susceptible to issues. This can hugely affect the entire operations of your business, and cause extended downtime. One common problem that walk-in freezers can experience is the icing problem. Icing issues can dramatically impact the cooling and storage functions of walk-in freezers, which is why those in the commercial sector should be aware of the causes as well as guidance on how to prevent them.

Causes of icing issues

There are a myriad of reasons icing issues arise within walk-in freezers. One well known cause is allowing frequent warm and humid air to travel inside the walk-in freezers. Usually, the various compartments of walk-in freezers have effective sealing that can prevent warm air from entering. However, if these components start to lose its sealing functionality, then expect some build-up of ice inside the walk-in freezer. Some components to look at for defects are walk-in door, hinges, door closers and gaskets. 

Aside from damaged, worn-out or broken walk-in freezer components; warm, humid air can also enter the walk-in freezers if some staff members  have accidentally left the door open for extended periods of time. It can also happen during the restocking process, which forces the door to be open.

Another reason is the the presence of a faulty pressure relief port. This can also contribute to the build-up of ice inside the walk-in freezers. Heated pressure relief ports are manufactured to prevent the build-up of pressure inside these freezers. Other possible reasons for icing issues in walk-in freezers include lack of proper insulation, fan delay relay failure or even a clogged drain line.

How can prevent icing issues

There are ways to prevent these issues from occuring. In fact, icing issues can be prevented with a few precautionary measures. 

• One excellent way of preventing icing issues is to carry out maintenance checks, inspections and regularised assessments. Scanning the door hardware, gaskets, drains, insulation panels, and other significant components can assist you in identifying if some are already faulty.
• We also recommend installingl air curtains or vinyl strip curtains. Doing so can stop humid and warm air from entering the walk-in freezers.
• Running a defrost cycle regularly can likewise avoid icing problems, unnecessary repairs, and excessive energy expenses.

Are you wanting to know more about icing-related problems ? Then we invite you to contact our team right away. Our team at Allfield provide commercial refrigeration repairs services.  Our team will cater to your needs by offering a full range of commercial and industrial coolrooms, freezer rooms, blast freezers, and controlled environments for your supermarket, store, labratory, restaurant or butcher shop.  We look forward to assisting you with your request.