The best way to spend less on commercial refrigeration

Refrigeration is a major energy expense for many businesses. You can spend less on refrigeration. Focus on basic maintenance and preventing refrigerant leaks.  

• Clean cooling coils several times a year
• Shade outdoor coils from the sun
• Check door gaskets and auto-closers. Plan to repair or replace if they are in poor condition or have damage
• Replace T12 fluorescent lighting with LEDs. LEDs use less energy and generate less heat, easing the cooling demands on refrigerated equipment
• Maintain a leak-tight refrigeration system, keeping refrigerant in the system where it belongs 

Refrigerant leaks can be a big challenge for many businesses that have a lot of commercial refrigeration. Start with these best practices to make sure you are not losing refrigerant. A system that is low on refrigerant must work harder to control temperatures, costing more to operate. Getting too low on refrigerant can even cause a system failure, leading to climbing case temperatures and even spoiled food.

Conduct thorough leak checks on a regular basis. A service technician should check for leaks every 1-2 months, based on the size of the system and the system type. Large central systems likely need to be checked more often. 

Install an automated leak detection system. Install a refrigerant leak monitoring, notification, and alarm system. This will allow you to detect leaks and repair them before they become a major problem. 

• If you have door heaters, add controls so they don’t run all the time
• Add doors to open cases or install night curtains to reduce the energy needed to cool open cases overnight
• Use an outside air economizer to ease the demand on your compressor
• If you’re replacing your evaporator fans, consider high-efficiency motors and controls
• Look for energy-efficient models. These models use less energy than standard compressors and can last up to 33% longer
• Choose ENERGY STAR® certified commercial reach-in units