Why Is My Walk-in Freezer Completely Frozen?

Ice buildup is one of the most common problems with commercial walk-in freezers in Hennepin County, MN. If you have icing issues with your commercial freezer, it could have a significant negative impact on the efficiency of the unit’s operation, and could also affect the freshness and quality of any food stored in the freezer due to the excess level of humidity present.

To properly address the problem, it’s important to know why commercial freezers experience icing and what you can do to prevent it from occurring.

Why icing happens

The most common cause of icing in commercial freezers is an overabundance of warmer, humid air getting into the freezer.

There are a variety of ways in which warm air can enter the freezer. You might have an improper seal due to old or damaged gaskets. If you aren’t able to get a good seal at the door, outside air can easily enter the freezer at any time and cause a variety of problems, including icing. You might also have faulty hinges on the door, or door closers that need to be replaced. Finally, the way your employees use the freezer could also be at fault. If they’re leaving freezer doors open while restocking items, this will let in large amounts of warm, humid air that could cause troubles in the system and contribute to icing.

If the ice is mostly built up around the evaporator coil, this could be indicative of a problem with the fan delay relay. Only an experienced commercial refrigeration technician will be able to identify and resolve this problem, but it’s at least something to watch for so you know when to call in a professional.

Ice can also develop near the drain if you have a clogged drain line. Over time, clogs will result in pooling of water that will freeze up inside the freezer.

Finally, if you have insulation panels that are accumulating ice, this is a sign that the panels are getting old and may need to be replaced. This is most likely to be an issue on freezers that are a decade old or more. Those panels will lose efficiency over time and could result in icing problems and increased energy consumption (and thus larger utility costs).

Preventing icing

The best thing you can do to prevent icing from becoming a large-scale issue is to regularly conduct thorough inspections of seals, gaskets, door hardware, drains and insulation panels, and perform the necessary repairs to your commercial freezer in Hennepin County, MN. You should also make sure all employees who use the freezer understand that they are not to keep the door open for an extended period of time, including during restocking.

Make it a point to regularly run defrost cycles in the freezer, which will also help you to avoid a buildup of ice inside the unit.

To learn more about the steps you can take to improve the lifespan of your walk-in commercial freezer and how you can prevent icing from becoming a recurring issue, reach out to Air Climate Control, Inc. today to speak with an experienced commercial refrigeration contractor in Hennepin County, MN.

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