Coolrooms lack basic features when they’re initially constructed. Certainly, the modular panels interlock superbly and the powered refrigeration unit works efficiently, but everything else feels, well, unfinished. Coolroom accessories and parts (spares) address this concern. Better yet, they transform the empty space, give it purpose as a high-functioning storage area that can handle any temperature-sensitive commodity. It all begins with energy conservation.
Sealing Accessories
Tough polymers produce airtight seals that stop energy leakage. The existing rubber seals are probably up to the job, but they will wear as time has its way. Additionally, icy buildups have a habit of forming behind seals until they distend. Supplementary gaskets reinforce an already formidable thermal barrier. As for replacement parts, door linings and frame gaskets should always be kept in stock just in case a fitted seal becomes defective.
Furnishing Benefits
The furnishings we’re referring to aren’t decorative. They’re utilitarian items, so some knowledge of the application or storage medium is required before shelves can be installed. Wire shelving is preferred when packaged food requires an organized storage medium, for the epoxy-covered grids used in these open storage units maximize airflow. Similarly, glass-fronted cabinets are the best option for the pharmaceutics industry.
Spare Parts Deliberation
Parts fail over time. An overhead light bulb or fluorescent tube ages and blinks off, but the problem is quickly fixed by keeping a box of replacements handy in a nearby storeroom. Coolroom accessories and parts strategies adopt a comparable approach. Doors, as one example, place mechanical stress on handles and hinges, so spare parts should be available in case a faulty door hampers access. Worse yet, a gap may develop, one that compromises seal integrity, so door parts rank highly in this scenario.
Miscellaneous Trimmings
Energy audits dictate the terms of this situation, with the user playing a significant role in both cause and solution. If the cause of an energy spike is a door continually opening and closing, the accessory of choice is likely to be a plastic curtain or a pair of solid sheets of thick plastic. Additional dial thermostats also fit into this monitoring model, with localized temperature measurements placing the supplementary gauges in prominent locations around the sealed chamber.
A safety net is established when coolroom accessories and parts (spares and otherwise) are accessible. Competent service engineers use this methodology to equip walk-in units with augmented functions or simply to ensure the cooler can be repaired as soon as it begins to show signs of a breakdown.
Sound maintenance methodologies keep freezers and coolrooms in perfect working order, but there’s a hierarchy to the housekeeping work that takes care of this special enclosure. Primarily, a reliable containment area is required, so the chilled space requires insulation and a seal. Door latches enforce this environment, but they rely on mechanical principles, on a mechanism that could fail. Not to worry, maintenance engineers check doors for fastener issues.
Assessing Causes
A well-maintained latching mechanism exhibits a mechanically-assured reliability factor. It snaps home and locks the door against a pliable seal that lines the door frame. A properly operated door snugly compresses this seal when it closes so that it becomes airtight. Unfortunately, mistreatment issues are common. A staff member maybe smacks the clasping handle, or perhaps age gets the better of the door due to constant foot traffic. As a result, the fastener loosens and becomes fatigued. Whatever the reason, seal compression is lost, and energy soon follows.
Spring-Loaded Door Clasps
Again, this is a cause-and-effect scenario. Constant use or abuse is rendering spring force impotent. The coil of metal no longer possesses enough kinetic energy to drive home the door, or the spring has moved slightly so that it’s creating misalignment problems. Gapping occurs around the edges of the door, which leaves the cubicle unable to function at peak efficiency. The result here is a cooling unit that runs all day long as it attempts to compensate for lost energy. Misalignment errors quickly submit to knowledgeable engineers and a few turns of an adjustment screw.
Check Latches Regularly
A fully sealed internal atmosphere is a critical part of freezer technology. Certainly, the refrigeration gear will operate when hairline gaps crop up due to a poorly operating door latch, but air is escaping the enclosure. Energy losses are about to soar. And, beyond financial concerns, matters are about to escalate as the active equipment wears out while it tries its best to keep the temperature low enough to preserve the contained perishable stock. In short, there’s a bottomless hole in the system, one that is shortening the life of the equipment and endangering the safe containment of a formally hygienic containment area.
Maintenance plans check springs and moving parts in door latches. Lubrication is applied, if necessary, and proper tension is established so that the door mates tightly against its matching door seal. In conclusion, the internal atmosphere is reliably governed by a mechanical door handle, a latching fastener that seals as efficiently as it permits admittance.
C&M Coolrooms can create a custom solution for your specific needs. Talk to one of team members today.
