Effective refrigeration plays a critical role in ensuring product quality and safety. It also supports operational efficiency and helps extend product lifespan. With many industries having a large reliance on refrigeration, unexpected failures can cost businesses thousands in downtime, repairs and spoiled stock.
The most effective way to avoid this is through scheduled preventative maintenance. This approach allows you to protect your assets and keep running costs under control. Scheduled maintenance allows smaller, planned costs to prevent inconvenient larger costs down the line. Reliable refrigeration will improve operational efficiency, health and safety and product lifespan.
Risks of Improper Refrigeration Maintenance
If a refrigeration system is not maintained to the required standard, the risk of product loss is high, especially in highly temperature-sensitive industries such as food processing and pharmaceuticals, where products can become unsafe for use within hours. Equipment downtime can also lead to operations being paused immediately, until the problem is diagnosed and fixed. Emergency call outs typically carry higher costs, which can put unnecessary financial pressures on a business.
Even without full equipment failures, poorly maintained systems run less efficiently. This increases consumption and results in higher utility bills as components are forced to work harder. Poorly maintained systems may also increase the risk of fines, product recalls and health and safety violations.
What Should Be Included in a Service
Refrigeration equipment should be regularly checked for leaks and refrigerant levels. Condensers and evaporators should also be cleaned, and temperature checks should be carried out to ensure product quality and safety. Electrical components, controls and alarm systems should also be inspected and tested to ensure they are operating within regulatory requirements for the industry. Water and glycol systems should also be tested in order to identify any galvanic erosion which can lead to system leaks and equipment failures.
Benefits of Scheduled Maintenance
These services can be planned in advance and take place out with key operational hours, which allows businesses to preplan for costs and avoid unnecessary downtime. Skilled engineers will also be able to recognise early signs of future faults or inefficiencies before they escalate into bigger failures, reducing the risk of high unexpected costs and potentially negative affects on businesses credibility and health and safety standards.
Regular maintenance allows systems to run closer to their ideal conditions and reduce the strain on their individual parts, making them more energy efficient and reduces the general wear and tear of the equipment. This results in a more reliable performance from the equipment and reduces the risk of sudden failures.
If you would like to take a proactive approach to your refrigeration maintenance, contact us at sales@cpa-group.com to discuss service packages.
