You can smell it as soon as you step into the walk-in — spoiled food. Sometime during the night there was a power outage, a breaker got flipped or the fridge shorted out. The result is your restaurant now has thousands of dollars in wasted food, all thanks to an electrical issue.
Whether the problem is relatively simple, or more complex, it could be expensive. Here are six ways you can try to prevent restaurant-grade refrigeration meltdown, and hopefully avoid thousands of dollars in food waste.
1. Schedule an electrical inspection
After you’ve experienced a fridge or freezer meltdown, it is advisable to contact an experienced electrical contractor to properly identify the cause. The electrical system and unit needs to be inspected, including the breakers, wiring and the unit itself. A professional inspection can help you determine the cause and find a solution to prevent the problem from ever happening again.
2. Invest in a generator for backup electrical power
An electrical backup generator is one of the best investments you can make in your restaurant. It ensures you will have power to critical appliances, like fridges and freezers during an outage.
Many generator systems can be programmed to activate as soon as the power goes out. With a generator you will maintain electricity, even in the worst storm or blackout.
3. Avoid electrical outlet overload
A commercial kitchen requires an incredible number of devices and appliances. Depending on the kitchen layout, a single outlet may be used to power much of what it takes to get through the lunch rush. This can overload a circuit and cause an outage, even in the middle of the night.
Make sure to spread out your appliances as much as possible. You also may need to hire an electrician to install more outlets. An electrician can also install outlets that have ground fault circuit interrupters, better known as GFCI’s. These outlets simply shutdown when they are overloaded, avoiding a major outage. They can easily be switched back on with the push of a button.
4. Maintain your equipment
If your equipment isn’t properly cleaned or does not work properly, it will work harder than it needs to, use more power and be more susceptible to breakdown. The condenser coils in your refrigerator unit, for example, can become clogged over time with dust, preventing the coils from expelling heat. Cleaning these coils saves electricity and helps avoid a refrigerator breakdown.
5. Use Energy Efficient Equipment
Commercial equipment is known to require a lot of energy, but how much depends on the age and design of your equipment. Many newer models use only a fraction of the energy as older models.
Consider using a high efficiency fryer, which uses less energy and less frying oil. Switch to an Energy Star dishwashing machine. It can save you $1,500 per year.
Sometimes your fridge simply loses power because it is old and worn out. Replacing it with a new model can avoid a future disaster in food waste.
When your equipment uses less energy, you spend less on utility costs. Most importantly, there is less strain on your electrical system, which means fewer power outages.
6. Consult a professional electrician
There are numerous ways you can save on power and better back up your systems to avoid costly meltdowns. Talk to a professional electrical contractor, like those affiliated with Pennsylvania Electrical Contractor Solutions (PECS) about how to provide consistent power to your restaurant.
A PECS-affiliated electrical contractor can offer valuable consultation to not only save you money on electricity, but prevent power outages that lead to expensive food waste.
Pennsylvania Electrical Contractor Solutions includes a number of independent affiliated electrical contractors that are experienced working in food service establishments. They employ highly skilled electrical workers that understand the challenges you face. They are trained to finish work on time and on or under budget.
Review our list of affiliated contractors and call us today, to avoid tomorrow’s fridge meltdown.
Pennsylvania Electrical Contractor Solutions is a consortium of the region’s top electrical contractors who work in Schuylkill, Berks and Lancaster counties. Our affiliated contractors employ highly skilled and highly trained electrical workers, who work safely and have a proven record of completing a job on time and on or under budget.
