Things to Know When Looking for a Walk-In Refrigerator

A walk-in refrigerator is most useful for preserving large quantities of food at the right temperature that helps in storing perishable items and prevents them from spoiling.  The walk-in commercial refrigerators come in a wide variety of sizes.  These refrigerators can be useful in providing a small storage area for stuff like extra ingredients or a facility large enough to cover several hundred cubic feet of space.  A walk-in refrigerator can be either an indoor unit or an outdoor unit due to space constraints.  A walk-in refrigerator is made of full-body insulation in the walls and doors that maintain the cabinet’s internal temperature.  Quite a few units are also available with floors, which help contain the cold air and moisture in the atmosphere.  This specification helps prevent the floors outside the walk-in unit from becoming saturated with condensation, which can create mold or structural problems if not maintained.  A walk-in refrigerator that is UL and NSF certified is easy to clean and sanitize and hence maintain hygiene.

Indoor or outdoor condensing unit?

Walk-In Refrigerator

A walk-in refrigerator can be made of indoor or outdoor condensing unit.  Most people prefer an indoor walk-in unit for the obvious reason that an indoor unit is more easily accessible, rather than going out of the premises to get the food you get it right there next to you.  It is all the more important if your walk-in refrigerator is the primary means of cooling and you need to get there frequently to get stuff you need.  Also, in terms of cost, an indoor walk-in refrigerator can cost significant less than an outdoor unit in terms of the label price, installation costs, costs of operation, and maintaining it.  An outdoor walk-in refrigerator requires various accessories like the fences, roof caps, anti-theft equipment, etc.  One also does not need to factor weathering costs for an indoor unit.  Hence the indoor unit can be significantly less costly to run and maintain Indoor units can are not burdened due to the ambient temperature in the outdoor setting and hence do not have to work extra hard to do their job.  The most efficient setup for an indoor walk-in refrigerator will be one with a remote condenser, something that is mounted on the outside of your building.  A self-contained unit will emit hot air inside the premises, which will in turn increase the air conditioning costs and make the general atmosphere a bit uncomfortable for those within the premises.

An indoor model though can take up a lot of precious real estate.  You need to be sure that you have space to spare before going for an indoor walk-in refrigerator.  A large walk-in refrigerator can be very heavy and can weigh over a ton which is not including the stuff that is already stored in it.  You will need to check if the floor you will be using to put up the walk-in refrigerator is reinforced enough so as not cause stress and/or cracking due to the walk-in unit.  A wooden floor will require additional protection to make sure that moisture does not seep in and hence does not cause decaying of the wooden flooring over time.

Why you should choose an outdoor walk-in refrigerator?

One of the biggest advantages of going for an outdoor walk-in refrigerator is that you will be able to save on precious real estate inside your business premises.  If you are going in for a ready to ship and fit unit, something that is pre-designed and comes with standard size panels with little or no need for customization, you can be assured of quick delivery and installation if your premises have a good level ground to set it up at.   Hence, if you want to set up a walk-in refrigerator quick and also save on money on customization, you can go for a ready to ship and fit unit which will be up and running in quick time.

The location of the condenser is another major advantage for the outdoor walk-in refrigerator.  In an outdoor walk-in unit, the hot air blown by the refrigeration unit will be kept outside of the premises rather than inside the building.  If you do not want your employees or customers to have to walk through the elements to get to an outdoor unit, you’ll need to cut a new doorway in one of your exterior walls.

How to protect the unit for a long time?

Refrigerator

Additional measures may be required to protect the unit from heat if you are located in a location with exceptionally hot and humid weather.  A shade canopy over the unit may be set up to prevent it from direct sun exposure.  This will also help in maintaining internal temperatures low and not cause the unit to overwork which can result even in a breakdown and costly repairs.  If in a crime vulnerable location, you may need to install other protective accessories like fences, gates, locks, and other security measures as dictated by the setting of the unit.