Walk-in freezers are made of panels which have inner and outer metal skins, an insulation core, and may be equipped with cam-action locking devices. The cam-action locking systems combined with heavy-duty gaskets provide an airtight seal between panels to prevent any air infiltration. The insulation quality of walk-in freezers is often measured by the R-value; which is the resistance to heat flow through an object. Since January 1, 2009, when EISA was implemented, all walk-in manufactures are required to have an R-value of at least R-32 for their freezers.
Walk-in freezers are mostly found in grocery stores, restaurants, and other businesses dealing with perishable foods, as they can convert the open spaces into a useable storage area. Walk-in freezer units come as a simple storage box or they can be as an external refrigeration system connected to the box itself. They also come in varied sizes so that you can choose one that is large enough or small enough for your needs. A walk-in freezer is spacious enough on the inside to be able to hold as many number of shelving units as per your needs. This allows you to be compliant to the health codes by storing the boxes and crates safely away from the floor and also being able to maintain a sanitized storage area. If you are hindered by space within your premises to add a walk-in freezer, you can opt for an outdoor unit that is designed to sit apart from the rest of your restaurant.
Energy Efficiency:
Walk-in Freezers
As with most large refrigeration products, walk-in freezers consume huge amounts of energy. When in the market for a walk-in freezer, you should pay special attention to its energy efficiency. If looking to save on energy costs in the long term, it is always advisable to try to get a walk-in freezer with grade A energy efficiency or as higher grade as possible. The high quality of insulation is primarily responsible for the energy efficiency of the walk-in freezer. A walk-in freezer is a big investment and one that is made planning for a few years ahead, hence if you opt for a higher grade freezer that is energy efficient and customized freezers to your needs, your investment will pay off well. It will help you to preserve your products well and also help you save on the energy bills every month compared to one with poor insulation and use a lot more electricity.
For small restaurants or places with limited needs and those who do not have big enough kitchens, there are normal-sized walk-in freezers which can be with floor and also floorless. For large restaurants with spacious and big kitchens, there are a range of walk-in freezers that can be about 300,000 square feet with a big capacity for storing food for large periods of time.
Customization:
The main purpose of walk-in freezers are for freezing and cooling both cooked and raw food for daily needs and also for inventory preservation. The walk-in freezers are generally available in standard size walk-in freezers that can fit in most commercial kitchens or can be custom made boxes that can be customized to individual needs and built into kitchens or other facilities as per the needs of the organization. The walk-in freezers can be both, an indoor unit or an outdoor unit, and you can opt for a walk-in freezer with a floor or without one as per your requirements. You can choose if you want the condenser along with unit or a remote condenser.
Door Design:
Walk-in Freezers
You need to pay special attention for quality door design when opting for a walk-in freezer. For a durable and effective walk-in freezer, it is very important that it has a door frame that is reinforced and has heavy duty hinges as they provide the best durability. The doors will have to bear the maximum stress during the life cycle of the walk-in freezer, and hence it is one of the very important components of the walk-in freezer and it should be probably the first thing that you should look into when zeroing in on a walk-in freezer. Depending on your preferences you can opt for a left swing or a right swing door model but it should preferably be equipped with deadbolt locking handles. A standard safety feature in most walk-in freezers is an inside door release.
Insulation:
The quality of insulation of the walk-in freezer is of utmost importance. The insulation is rated by R-value and for most panels the rating is about R-30 or 4′ of insulation. A walk-in freezer of any make or type will require regular maintenance, good airflow, and ventilated surroundings. The condenser coils should be cleaned regularly by a certified technician. The ones made with stainless steel may be a bit more expensive than those made with aluminium, but aluminium is prone to getting dents easily and also a bit more difficult to clean. The ones which have outer constructions that are made from stainless steel are much more easy to clean and maintain and also last much longer, hence this should be the preferred option when looking for a good quality walk-in freezer.
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