Save Money and Reduce Walk-In Cooler Energy Loss!

Commercial cooling costs can get expensive! Especially in the summer months if you have to run an air conditioner in your building alongside your walk-in or reach-in cooler. 

Maintaining a consistent temperature in commercial walk-in coolers and freezers is essential for safe storage of perishables, so while you aren’t able to adjust your cooler’s thermostat to save money, there are a few other management tips that can help lower your energy costs. 

Only open the walk-in door when needed.

We get it. There are times you or your staff need to regularly access your products in cold storage but opening the door too often will make your cooler’s job harder. And that means higher energy bills. Walk-in coolers are designed with thick insulation and rubber door gaskets to keep all that cool air inside. Every time the door is opened, warm air from outside the cooler displaces some of the cold air inside and your cooler then has to rechill it. Of course, you can’t just eliminate going into your cooler, but you may be able to reduce a few trips each day. 

Keep the walk-in lights off.

 Interior lights both create heat and use energy. Keeping them turned off as much as possible can be a great way to save money. 

Avoid restocking everything at once.

 If possible, try to spread out restocking your walk-in so it's not being overloaded with warm product. Chilling a substantial amount of product requires a lot of energy and you’ll definitely see it on your utility bills. Unless necessary for safety concerns (like in the case of food and sensitive medical products) it can be a good idea to restock a little at a time so your walk-in has an easier job maintaining a consistent interior temperature.

Let hot products cool down. 

If possible, hot items should be allowed to cool to room temperature before placing them in the cooler. 

Store chilled products correctly. 

Overstocking and, conversely, understocking can make for higher energy bills. An overstocked cooler will run continuously as it struggles to maintain temperature, while an understocked cooler may short cycle. 

Walk-in coolers and freezers are meant to work efficiently when stocked with product. If there’s not much in the cooler, it will reach the set temperature too fast and will shut off without creating a stable environment. This means the interior temperature will start to rise quickly and the cooler will start up again. Short cycling reduces the coolers efficiency, creates excess wear and tear, and increases energy consumption.

Keep coils clean and clear.

Check the evaporator coils regularly for a buildup of airborne dirt and dust. Any blockage on the outside of the coils reduces the cooler’s ability to function and may even cause it to freeze up. And it’s not just dirt that can block the coils! If you stock products too close to the evaporator, it will block airflow and the cooler will act the same as if the coil was plugged up with dirt. Any lack of airflow to the coil will make the cooler work harder than it needs to and increase energy consumption. 

Monitor your monthly bills.

If you’ve been in business for a while, you probably have a pretty good idea of your average utility costs. Any sudden increase in energy usage without an explanation is a sign to call in the professionals for a tune up. A walk-in that’s using more energy than normal could be a simple fix, like a dirty coil, or it could have a more substantial problem like a coolant leak or weak compressor. Either way, high energy bills are a big indicator that something is wrong and needs to be addressed.

 To schedule walk-in cooler service or maintenance in Lubbock and Austin, TX, contact us at 512-651-4565 or email info@tripointref.com

Austin, Texas Location

Tri-Point Refrigeration, Inc

118 Iron Road Suite 100,

Hutto, Texas 78634

(512) 651-4565

Lubbock, Texas Location

Tri-Point Refrigeration, Inc

13805 Avenue P Unit B

Lubbock, Texas 79423

(806) 686-0050