Especially when you are dealing with freezers in addition to refrigeration cases, you need to understand how to prevent moisture issues. Moisture frequently accumulates in these coolers and refrigeration cases because of air gaps causing inconsistent temperatures and condensation. Here's a look at some of the most common culprits so that you know what to look at when you're struggling with moisture buildup and icing inside your cases.
Door Gasket Wear and Tear
Refrigeration case doors have gaskets around the entire outer perimeter of the door to help ensure a completely airtight seal when the doors close. This prevents cooler air from escaping and warmer air from seeping in. Inspect the gaskets around each of the doors to be sure that they are in good condition. Any signs of drying, cracking, warping, or holes indicate that it's time to install new gaskets. You can easily replace the door gaskets to restore the seal if necessary.
Door Closure Malfunctions
Cooler and refrigeration case doors should be fitted with automatic tension closures so that the doors close behind each customer after they remove a product. This prevents doors from being left open or even just cracked open because a customer did not fully close them. You can be sure that your doors stay closed when you have proper closures affixed to the unit. Test those closures frequently to be sure that the doors are closing completely when they are released and lubricate or replace them when necessary to keep the doors closing properly.
Roofing Seam Gaps
The seams in your refrigeration case roofing should be sealed properly to prevent air from passing through those gaps. This means a fresh layer of sealant applied down the center of the seam and spread across both sides for a complete seal. If the sealant is dried, cracked, or insufficient, scrape it out of the seams, clean the area with a degreaser, and then apply a new sealant product.
Defrost Fan Cycling Issues
When there is visible ice forming on the inside ceiling of the case and frost accumulating on the products in the case, you should have the defrost fan tested. When the defrost fan is malfunctioning, it could blow moisture around the entire refrigeration case during the defrost cycle, leading to frost and ice buildup throughout the case. Replace the sensor or relay that is causing the problem to eliminate the additional ice buildup.
These are some of the most common refrigeration case issues and the parts that you should replace or repair to address those problems.
Find out more about supermarket case parts.