4 Placement Issues To Address Before Buying A New Commercial Refrigerator
Your commercial refrigerator is a vital piece of equipment that keeps your restaurant or retail food business humming. But, while you may put a lot of work into deciding on the right refrigerator to buy, have you put as much thought into how to place it? The chances are that you, like many other kitchen managers, haven't.
To help you ensure the best possible placement, consider these four key factors.
1. Traffic Flow
The last thing your kitchen staff needs is a refrigerator getting in their way. Many factors in kitchen layout could contribute to a problem. The unit might be too big for the space, causing staff to work around it or inhibiting the free movement of multiple people. Or it might be placed in a location that's too close to the action, so to speak, creating a bottleneck as people both try to use it and try to get past it at once.
Work through potential traffic flow problems long before you buy a refrigerator by simulating its design with other objects. You may need to rethink the placement or even the unit you plan to purchase.
2. Surrounding Space
Look up and assess what's going on above and around the unit. First, airflow must circulate around the fridge in order for it to work correctly. Consult with the manufacturer about the ideal distance from walls and surrounding cabinets based on the machine's design and age. Second, the refrigerator's compressor may be located on top of the unit, so you'll need to ensure sufficient space and airflow above it.
3. Easy Access
Refrigerator maintenance is vital to keep it operating properly and ensure the safety of the food inside. So, the easier it is to access various parts of the machine, the better it will be kept. How easy is it to access the compressor? How easy is it to move the refrigerator out to service the rear? How easy is it to perform maintenance on the gaskets surrounding the doors?
Test out any placement by simulating these regular repair tasks. If you can't do it when times are good, you're going to be in real trouble when the refrigerator breaks down on a busy Saturday night.
4. Door Design
The doors are the critical access point, and they will impact how useful and efficient it is. How will the doors open? If you have a three-door unit, for instance, think about the direction of all doors. If one opens toward the working staff, they would have to constantly move around it. The nature of the handles — jutting out or recessed — affects how efficiently your particular workers use the refrigerator.
As you think ahead about where your new refrigerator will be placed, you'll be better able to find one that meets your needs without frustrating everyone who works in the kitchen. Want to know more? Start by consulting with a commercial refrigeration dealer today.