Industrial and commercial sized walk-in refrigerators and freezers are powerful and need to be repaired by licensed technicians. That being said, there are often issues with walk-in refrigerators that can be easily fixed by the owner. At the very least, you might be able improve the efficiency of your refrigerator with a few simple maintenance jobs. This article explains how you can service the evaporator unit on an commercial sized refrigerator or freezer.

Finding the Evaporator

First of all, you need to find the evaporator. Of course, the location will depend on the make and model of your refrigerator. That being said, it should be one of the main panels that you access from the inside of your refrigerator. Yes, this does mean that you need to work from the inside of the refrigerator or freezer. Of course, if your unit is broken because of a malfunctioning evaporator, this won't be an issue. Otherwise, dress warm for the job!

Remove the Access Panel and Get to Work

Most access panels for evaporators can be removed without any tools. You might need a small screwdriver to pop the panel off. You will easily be able to identify the evaporator. It is shaped like a pyramid and has copper coils that twist and turn around the frame. However, you might not be able to actually see the coils if they are frosted over or extremely dusty. Dust is a serious problem that you want to take care of.

You want to clean any and all of dust off the coils. This dust can be seriously hampering the heat transfer process that your evaporator is supposed to take care of. It is important to note that the copper coils on your evaporator are fragile, bendable, and can be punctured. You need to delicately clean around them without bending or puncturing them. First, try vacuuming out most of the loose dust using a hose vacuum. Since there will probably be moisture within the system, a lot of the dust will be stuck to the copper. Try delicately wiping this off, or use a small scrub brush to knock it away.

Evaporator maintenance might not completely fix your problem if you're refrigerator or freezer is not getting cold. But, it can improve the long term functionality of your unit. If your evaporator is is working properly, your entire system is bound to be more efficient. For more help or information, contact companies like Golden State Commercial Equipment Repair.