Service FAQ
HVAC
My HVAC unit is not cooling/heating. Can I check anything to get it working again?
>1. Check the thermostat to see if it is set to the proper heating or cooling setting.
2. Check your breaker to see if it is tripped.
3. If the unit is set correctly, turn the thermostat to the off position for five minutes and then turn back on; in about 10 to 15 minutes, you will see if the unit has reset itself.
My doors are either hard to open or they are staying open. Why does this occur?
You have an imbalance between the indoor and outdoor air pressure. If you feel a rush of air in either direction when opening an outside door, this also indicates a balancing problem. Regular maintenance and replacement of ill-performing parts can help keep this from happening.
I feel a rush of air when I open any of the outside doors, what causes this?
Equipment such as fume hoods will pull air from the building and vent it to the outdoors. To compensate for this loss of air, an equal amount of outside air must be brought into the building to offset the air being vented through the hood. If too much or too little outside air comes in, you'll have an imbalance and you will fee a rush of air when you open any outside door. Having a building that’s out of balance is a significant source of energy loss.
My store is always to hot or to cold when we open. How can I correct this?
You may wish to install programmable thermostats so the units come on and start satisfying the store temperature before you open.
Our AC unit went down causing a loss of revenue. How can we prevent this from happening again?
A planned maintenance program that includes checking belts, bearings and blower wheels on a scheduled basis would have addressed the origins of the problem before catastrophic failure occurred, as well as reduced repair costs.
Commercial Cooking Equipment
Why is our fryer not heating?
Did the fryer get moved for cleaning the previous night? If so, check to verify the unit’s power plug was re-installed correctly. Then check to see if the hood over the fryer has power. The fryer will not work if the hood is not functioning.
Why does our pizza oven drop heat in the middle of its cooking cycle?
Look for and document the failure code on display. Turn the oven off, wait 30 minutes, then turn it on again. This will allow oven to cool and reset. Next, check to see if the cooling fans are operating properly. Then, check the exhaust and make-up air units to verify operation. If all three fail, call for service and provide the failure code you documented.
Why is our fryer pump not pumping grease?
Check to verify filter paper is not in the pick-up tube. Then check crumb tray to see if there's excessive build-up. If so, clean the tray. If your tray and pick-up tube are clean and your motor still does not run, call for service.
Why is our hot food soup well not heating?
Verify that you have power to the equipment, then check to verify that water is in the heat well cavity. If your unit has power and water in the cavity but still does not heat, call for service.
Refrigeration
My ice machine has flakes in it or the ice is dirty. What causes this?
Most of the time, problems with ice machines are caused by lack of cleaning and missing water filters. You should have your ice machine cleaned at least twice per year. You should also make sure you have a water filter system installed and that the filters are replaced at least once per year.
My reach-in coolers start leaking water every few months. How can I keep them from leaking?
Reach-in coolers have evaporator pans and coils that get dirty and must be cleaned on a regularly scheduled basis. A quarterly maintenance program will help prevent this from happening.
Our line coolers are running warmer than normal and don't cool as well as they did. What could be causing this?
The condensing coil for the refrigeration unit draws in debris that builds up on the surface and deep into the condenser coil. When the coil develops build-up due to drawing dusty air through the coil, it affects the cooling performance of the system. This causes poor cooling, slow temperature recovery, higher energy use and premature compressor failure.
Condensing coils must be brushed down and blown out every 30 to 45 days and chemically cleaned to remove grease build-up at least once each year to prevent this. The door and drawer gaskets that keep cold air in and hot air out of the cabinet that stores the product also must be checked for tears and non-sealing, and replaced as needed for air tight seal to ensure maximum performance and reduced service issues.
Our cooler went down and we lost thousands. Turns out, a $50 part went bad. Could this have been prevented?
Yes, a planned maintenance program includes checking your refrigeration systems for contactors that are showing signs of failure as well as the electrical connections in control panel.
It also includes visually checking the system for a full refrigerant charge, oil levels in compressors to insure proper lubrication, refrigerant lines that are vibrating or rubbing against metal to prevent refrigerant leaks, and inspecting the evaporator coil for build-up on back of coil which will cause reduced cooling as well as icing of evaporator coil.
Beverage Systems
Why do my fountain drinks taste flat and/or warm?
This can be caused by a dirty condenser, lack of water in the water bath, missing insulation over the beverage lines or circulation issues. Please call for service.
Why isn't my coffee as hot as it should be?
Your equipment probably just needs cleaned. This is often caused by scale build-up on the heating element.
Why is it that my fountain drinks just don't taste quite right?
This can be caused many factors, but the two main causes are that the ratio of syrup to soda water needs to be adjusted or the drinks are dispensing over 40 degrees.
Why are our frozen drinks not frozen enough?
This can be caused by a dirty condenser, lack of water in the water bath or the wrong product being used with the machine. Give us a call.
Why does my system have more CO2 than normal?
This can be caused by a leak at the fittings, beverage tubing, or bag-in-box pumps. We can fix that for you.
What's causing my non-carbonated fountain drinks to have too much syrup?
This is often caused by clogged or partially clogged water filters restricting the amount of water going to the system.
Do you have other questions? Contact us anytime!