Most refrigerators and walk-in closets seem virtually indestructible and trouble-free, but you’ll get a longer life from yours if you follow these safety and maintenance tips. Clean door gaskets and hinges regularly. Rubber door gaskets can rot more easily if covered in food or dirt, weakening their sealing properties. They can be safely cleaned with a solution of baking soda and warm water. The hinges can be rubbed with a little petroleum jelly to keep them working well. Dirty coils make the refrigerator hotter, shortening the life of the compressor motor. They should be cleaned every 90 days, preferably with an industrial vacuum cleaner.

Walkable floors can be cleaned with a damp mop, but should never be hosed down. Too much water can get into the joints between the floor panels and damage the insulation. A refrigerator works only as well as the air that is allowed to circulate around its contents. It does not help to put the food containers together so that there is not an inch of free space around them. Also try to prevent containers (especially cardboard ones) from touching the cabinet walls. They can freeze and stick to walls, damaging both the product and the wall. Use a good rotation system: First in, first out (FIFO) is preferable. Or put colored dots on food packages, a different color for each day of the week, so everyone in your kitchen knows how long each item has been in the refrigerator.

COOLERS AND FREEZERS WALKS

A portable cooler is just what its name implies: a cooler big enough to fit in. It can be as small as a closet or as large as a good-sized room, but its main purpose is to provide refrigerated storage for large amounts of food in a central area. Experts suggest that your operation requires a walk-in visit when your refrigeration needs exceed 80 cubic feet, or if you serve more than 250 meals per day. Again, you’ll need to determine how much you need to store, what container sizes the storage space should accommodate, and the maximum number of products you’ll want to keep on hand. The only way to use the entrance space wisely is to equip it with shelves, arranged in sections. Exactly how many square feet do you need? The simplest formula is to estimate 1 to 1.5 cubic feet of storage space for each meal you serve each day. Another basic calculation: Take the total number of linear feet of shelving you have decided you will need (A) and divide by the number of shelves (B) you can fit in each section.

This will give you the number of linear feet per section (C). To this number (C), add 40 to 50 percent (1.40 or 1.50) to cover “overflow” volume increases, wasted space, and bulky items or loose products. This will give you an estimate of the total linear footage (D) needed. However, linear footage is not enough. Because the shelves are three-dimensional, you need to calculate the square footage. Therefore, multiply (D) by the depth of each shelf (E) to get the total number of square feet (F). Finally, double the figure (F) to make up for the hallway space. Approximately half of the cold room space is corridor space. Another popular formula is to calculate that for every 28 to 30 pounds of food you store, you will need 1 cubic foot of space. When you get that figure, multiply it by 2.5. (The 2.5 factor means that only 40 percent of your dressing room will be used as storage space; the other 60 percent is aisles and space between products.)

The result is the size of the cold storage area you will need. For a walk-in freezer, simply divide your refrigerator space by two. Larger kitchens, serving more than 400 meals a day, may need up to three refrigerators for different temperature needs: one for fruits and vegetables (41 degrees Fahrenheit), one for meat and fish (33 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit), and one for dairy products (32 to 41 degrees Fahrenheit). The walk-in is most often used to store bulk food. Because this often means moving carts or dollies in and out, the floor must be level with the kitchen floor.

This leveling is achieved through the use of slats (called screeds) that are applied to the floor. Refrigerators do not come as a single unit; are built on site. The walls, ceilings and floors are made of individual panels. Wall panels must be insulated with a R-30 rating, which means 4 inches thick. They come in various lengths and widths, with 12-by-12-inch corner panels at 90-degree angles. They can be as short as 71-2 feet or as high as 131-2 feet. The most common type of insulation within panels is polyurethane, and the exterior walls of the panels can be made of stainless steel, vinyl, or aluminum. Stainless steel is the most expensive and aluminum, because it is the least expensive, is the most popular option. If the dressing room is an outdoor installation, aluminum is the most weather resistant.

The installer will ensure that the unit has interior lighting. Dressing room floor panels are similar to wall panels. Load capacities of 600 pounds per square foot are the norm, but if you plan to store very heavy items (like kegs of beer), a reinforced floor can be purchased with a load capacity of up to 1000 pounds per square foot. The refrigeration system of a walk-in is a more complex installation than a standard refrigerator, mainly because it is much larger. It is best to let the professionals match the system (and its power requirements) with the dimensions of the walk-in and its projected use, but it is important to note that a walk-in that is accessed frequently during the day will require a compressor with more power to maintain its internal temperature than one that is rarely accessed.

A 9-square-foot walk-in would need at least a 2-horsepower compressor. The condensing unit is located on top of the walk-in (directly above the evaporator) or up to 25 feet away, with lines connecting it to the walk-in. The latter, for obvious reasons, is known as a remote system and is required for larger than normal condensing units with capacities up to 7.5 horsepower. In a remote system, the refrigerant must be added at the time of installation. For smaller walk-ins, there is also a plumbing setup called a quick coupler system, which is shipped from the factory fully charged with refrigerant. This definitely simplifies installation. However, you may need the added power of a remote system if your kitchen has any of these drains in cab cooling capacity: frequent door opening, glass display doors, multiple doors per compartment, or one temperature kitchen environment close to 90 degrees. Fahrenheit.

Modern walk-in closets sometimes offer a frozen food section in addition to the usual refrigerator space. There are pros and cons to this concept. You can ease the load on the freezer, because it is already located inside a cold air gap; But it also cannot avoid reducing the overall usable space, because it requires a separate door. You can also order your walk-in closet with a separate reach section that has its own door and shelves. Although this can save the cost of purchasing a separate scope, some reviewers claim that a walk-in is not designed to do scope work, such as storing desserts without a cover. Do you really want them in the same environment as lettuce cartons and other bulk storage items? There may be cleanliness or food quality factors to consider.

The doors should open outward, not into the refrigerator itself. The standard door opening is 34 by 78 inches. Several characteristics of the door are important for the correct operation of the door. These include: A heavy duty door closer. Door hinges with automatic lifting and automatic closing. If the door can be opened beyond a 90 degree angle, the cam will hold it open. A high-strength stainless steel threshold. It is installed on the galvanized channel of the door frame. A pull-type door handle, with cylinder door lock and space to use a separate padlock if necessary. Pressure sensitive vents, which prevent vacuum build-up when opening and closing the door. An interior safety release so that no one can be (accidentally or otherwise) locked inside the cooler.

Other smart walk-in features that can be ordered include: A thermometer (designed for outdoor use, but mounted inside the cooler) with a range of 40 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. A monitoring and recording system that maintains a printout of the refrigeration temperature or downloads to a computer. Full-length glass door panels (such as those in supermarkets and convenience stores), sometimes called merchandising doors, either hinged or sliding. High resistance plastic strip curtains on the inside of the door. (One manufacturer claims 40 percent energy savings with this feature.)

A foot pedal, which allows you to open the door by pressing a pedal or lever with your foot when both hands are occupied. Three-way interior lighting, which can be turned on from outside or inside the fridge, with an indicator light on outside. Inside, the light itself should be a vapor-proof bulb with an unbreakable globe and shield. When space is at a premium, consider whether it is practical to install a walk-in outdoor unit. This is an inexpensive way to add space without increasing the size of your kitchen, and you can purchase ready-to-use freestanding structures with electrical and cooling systems installed. They come in standard sizes from 8 to 12 feet wide and up to 50 feet long, in 1 foot increments.

They vary in height from 7.5 to 9.5 feet. Look for a unit with a weather-resistant sloped roof, a weather hood, and a fully insulated floor. Outdoor walk-in closets cost about half the price of installing an indoor kitchen walk-in closet, so this is a money-saving idea if it works in your location. If your demands for walk-in space are seasonal, consider renting a refrigerated trailer, available in most metro areas on a weekly or monthly basis. They can provide 2000 instant cubic feet of additional storage space, which can be maintained at any temperature from 40 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. They use basic three-phase electricity of 60 amps and 230 volts. Ask if the lease includes hookup on your site and service if something goes wrong.