Whether you’re a small, independent café operating in your local community, or a large chain restaurant or cocktail bar, a commercial bar fridge can benefit your business in many ways.
From helping you reduce your carbon footprint and save money on your energy bills to saving precious floorspace and keeping your customers happy – they’re an incredibly worthy investment.
With proper maintenance, bar fridges can last for years. But how exactly do you look after them?
In this post, our commercial refrigeration experts at J&M Refrigeration share our top bar fridge maintenance tips so that you can make the most of your system.
Clean your unit regularly
Like any other commercial refrigeration unit, bar fridges need to be cleaned regularly.
At least once a week, you should remove the contents of your bar fridge – disposing of any expired items – and use a damp cloth with a mild cleaning detergent to clean the inside.
Pay close attention to the gaskets and door seals, as well as the condenser and evaporator coils, as dirty coils cause your equipment to work harder which only leads to a more expensive energy bill and, potentially, a shorter lifespan.
Keep an eye on the temperature
Ideally, you should keep the internal temperature of your bar fridge between 6-12◦C. Some beverages may require warmer temperatures, so adjust to your needs accordingly.
An easy way of checking the temperature of your fridge is to pop a thermometer in a glass of water inside, waiting a couple of minutes before taking it out and taking a look.
Adjust as needed, and make sure to check back periodically throughout the day to ensure it’s consistent.
Check the door seals
Making sure your bar refrigerator door seals are intact is crucial in helping you maintain optimum temperature.
Damaged door seals can cause cold air to escape, which means your unit has to work harder to help keep its contents at your desired temperature – upping your energy bills.
Signs of wear and tear a usually pretty easy to spot, but if you’re struggling, close the door on a piece of paper or a £5 note. If you can pull it out effortlessly, your door seals may need a bit of attention.
Avoid overloading your unit
When you’re preparing for a busy weekend behind the bar at your pub, or you’re getting yourself organised for the lunchtime rush in your café, it can be tempting to jam-pack your fridge full of items, to save yourself from having to run to the back when your stock starts running low.
Overloading your bar fridge though, will only disrupt proper airflow and, again, cause your unit to work harder.
To prevent this problem, make sure you leave adequate space between items to allow for proper ventilation.
Schedule professional maintenance
Even if you keep up with regular cleaning and monitoring and your commercial bar fridge still looks as if it’s in the best condition, it’s still a good idea to schedule a professional maintenance appointment once every year.
Experts can help detect any potential problems, repair them before they cause your business any bother, and also perform all the necessary tests to ensure that everything is still in full working order.
At J&M Refrigeration, we offer a range of planned preventative maintenance contracts for your refrigeration equipment to reduce the likelihood of refrigerator failure and ensure optimal performance at all times.
Need more information?
Whether you need more bar fridge maintenance tips, or you’d like to find out more about our professional maintenance services here at J&M Refrigeration, we’re here for you.
With decades of experience in the commercial refrigeration industry, we’re the best-placed team to answer all of your questions, and we’re always more than happy to help.
Get in touch with us today by calling 0121 544 0555 or emailing sales@jamrefrigeration.co.uk and our experts will be in touch with you shortly.
