A cold room works hard, twenty four/ seven with little break to recharge itself. Small faults can grow unnoticed until the cooling room fails completely leaving your stock at risk. A professional in

spection ensures any faults are found and corrected early on. Many owners are unaware of what a professional engineer carries out at their unit. This guide covers what takes place in simple terms. All good industrial cooling services start with a comprehensive and methodical inspection of the unit.

Why an Inspection is Important

A working unit is not always a cooling unit. The fans may be working and the lights lit but the room could be gently rising in temperature leaving your goods at risk.An inspection finds out the cause of the problem before a costly repair bill. You save on energy bills too by ensuring the room is not wasting power trying to cool due to a fault. A pre-booked visit is always cheaper then a call out in the dead of night. Think of it as a health check for your room.

 Preparing the Visit

There are a few things you can do before the visit so it goes as smoothly as possible. Clear a path to the unit and the doors. Tell the engineer about any strange noises or hot spots. Give them any alarm details or temperature records you have. Tell them when the fault started and how regularly it occurs.This will save time and also enable the engineer to trace the fault quicker.

Step 1 and Stock Check

A good engineer always thinks of your stock before anything else. They check the room temperature using a probe. If there are any goods at risk they will ask you to relocate to other storage. They close the doors as much as possible to try and keep the cool air in.Once the stock has been checked and relocated the engineer can start the actual inspection.

 Step 2 and a Visual Check

The next task is for the engineer to walk around the unit and room. They will be looking out for any obvious problems such as ice build up on the coils or oil or damaged parts. They will also listen out for any strange noises such as hissing or rattling.There are many faults that can be picked up on a visual inspection. Often the engineer will spot something that you have not noticed for months.

 Step 3 and Condenser Coils

The condenser is the outside unit that the heat is expelled from the system. Leaves, dirt and dust can build up on the coils blocking the escape of the heat. The unit then has to work overtime trying to expel the heat. A dirty condenser is often what causes the unit to run down.The engineer will clean the condenser coils if they are dirty. One of the most common tasks on any visit is to clean the condenser coils. It is also one of the cheapest jobs. Ensure the engineer cleans the condenser coils on every visit.

 Step 4 and the Evaporator

The evaporator is the inside coil that absorbs the room heat into the system. When this coil freezes up the fans can struggle to move the air around the room causing warm spots. If an engineer spots ice on the evaporator coil, they turn off the system to allow it to defrost. They will investigate why ice keeps forming. The ice build up can be caused by a faulty defrost function or a gas leak.

Step 5 and the Refrigerant Gas

The refrigerant gas is what carries the room heat away from the system. A gas leak will mean the system struggles to cool the room. The engineer will check the pressure and locate any gas leaks. Signs of leaks are hissing from the pipework ice forming on the pipework and the system struggling to cool the room down.An F-Gas qualified engineer is the only person legally allowed to handle gas under current UK law. Do not attempt to mend gas leaks without calling in a qualified engineer.

Step 6 and the Compressor

The compressor is the heart of the system. It is responsible for pumping the gas that carries the heat around the system. If it starts to fail, the system will continue to work but will not cool the room correctly.The engineer listens out for unusual noises and checks the unit body for any hotspots. They will also check if the unit is constantly switching on and off. A faulty compressor could be expensive to replace or repair. Ask for a cost comparison of repair or replacement to see what your budget options are.

 Step 7 and the Fans

The fans move the air past the coil and around the room. A failed fan will cause hot spots in your cold room. This means your stock may not be at the correct temperature.The engineer checks the fans are all working correctly and spinning freely. It is not uncommon to find a fan working when the other has failed. The faulty motor will need to be replaced to prevent hot spots appearing. Fan motors are a common spare part and a good company will carry them with them for a first visit repair

Step 8 and the Controller

The controller tells the unit to switch on and off. The wrong setting on the display can stop the unit from cooling. This could be accidental or someone has changed it thinking it was a different setting.The engineer checks the display shows the correct settings are in place. They also check the set point the room should be kept at. They test all the sensors and alarms to ensure they work correctly and give a warning if the room goes out of temperature range.

 Step 9 and the Door Seals

Hot air can enter your cold room through faulty or worn door seals. This places extra strain on the system even if all the other parts are working correctly.The engineer looks for gaps and splits in the seals and any ice build up on the door frames. New door seals are cheap and can make a big difference to the performance of the room.

Step 10 and the Panels

Panels keep the cool conditioned air in the room. They can be damaged or become damp so hot air can enter the conditioned area increasing the strain on the cooling system. The engineer checks all panels including the internal ones for any damage. Small faults can be mended with a repair kit but larger areas of damage or where the foam is wet will need to be replaced.

The Report and Quote

At the end of the visit the engineer will explain their findings. A good company will give you a written report detailing all the faults they found and the work required to fix them. You should receive a written quote before any work commences.If the fault is urgent you may need cold room repair  to fix the problem immediately. If the room is failing and stock at risk then cold room emergency cooling support can assist.

 What Simple Checks Can Be Done In-Between Visits

A few simple checks can be made by any staff member:

•  Check the controller setting
•  Check the door seals are not split or worn
•  Check the fans are working
•  Check the unit for ice build up
•  Ensure the air outlet is not blocked
• Never open up or attempt to release gas from the unit. This should always be left to a qualified engineer.

How to Choose the Right Company

When your stock depends on a cold room working correctly it is always best to build a good relationship with a reliable company. Use this list to help you compare

 Ask if the engineers are F-Gas qualified

 Check if the company is approved by any trade bodies such as Refcom https://www.refcom.org.uk/

 Ask for a full written quote before any work commences

 Ask if the vans carry parts for first visit repairs

 Why Choose ColdTec

ColdTec  have been working in the cold room industry for 15 years. We offer a full range of industrial cooling services both nationally and locally across the UK. Our service vans carry digital controllers, fan motors and expansion valves meaning many simple faults can be mended on the first visit.All our staff are F-Gas qualified and we are Refcom approved and ISO 9001:2015 certified. We always give you a full written quote before any work commences. We are based in Surbiton and specialise in the south east of England but we are able to assist anywhere across the UK.

 FAQs

 How long does a refrigeration inspection take?

It depends on the size of the room and the fault. A basic inspection can be completed within an hour or two. Larger sites with more units will take longer.

 How often should I book a inspection?

Most companies like to have an annual visit but this can change depending on how busy the site is. Always discuss with your engineer what is the best time period for your room.

 Who should handle the refrigerant gas?

The refrigerant gas should only be handled by an F-Gas qualified engineer. It is illegal for unqualified engineers to handle gas under UK law.

Conclusion

A professional inspection is more than just a check. The engineer checks your stock the coil the gas the compressor the fans the controller the door seals and the panels. All these checks help identify faults early. Do not leave a fault until a complete system failure by booking in regular inspections. If the room still fails to cool your goods seek the help of the ColdTec team. Quick attention will save you a costly bill.

 Contact Us

Name: ColdTec Cooling Service

Phone: 020 3773 1250 442037731250

Email: info@cold-tec.co.uk

Address: Unit 7 177 Hook Road Surbiton KT6 5AR

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