Any grocery store or convenience store owner knows that running commercial refrigeration equipment in their store is bound to increase energy costs. However, there are several ways to keep these costs down. If you are looking at the latest models in commercial refrigeration, it is natural to lean towards an old staple. A quick review of a variety of units could prove to be useful to keep your energy costs to a minimum. Before you purchase or install any self-contained unit, you should consider a few specific things about the unit itself and the design of your space. Let’s explore how eliminating your self-contained units can help you save money.
Self-contained commercial refrigeration units are just as they sound. They are a commercial refrigerators that have all their components contained within it. These units are inexpensive yet produce excess heat and noise that can cause your energy bill to climb. While self-contained refrigeration units are useful in some venues, they are not always ideal when looking to reduce the overall costs of your operation.
Here’s where the fun begins. Let’s explore different options:
Display Storage Coolers:
While display storage coolers typically operate heaters 24/7, heaters are used only a fraction of the time to be effective. The addition of anti-moisture heater controls can limit the operation by only activating the heater to run in high-humidity or sweating conditions.
Walk-in Coolers:
Walk-in coolers and freezers can be configured to reduce energy consumption by moving the heat source outside of the unit. Any refrigeration unit will begin to heat in order to cool the unit down. This often happens when the doors of the unit are continuously opened and closed. Walk-in coolers solve this problem with the way they are designed. Walking into the cooler reduces the amount of times the doors open. Additionally, the option of back loading your stock keeps everything cooler and reduces costs.
The Glass Door:
Glass doors typically come designed in two different ways. The first type is a heated frame, which will produce condensation on the glass as the door is continually opened. The second, a heated frame and glass, stops condensation from occurring. Both of these options reduces energy costs significantly.
Here are some more considerations when looking to switch out your self-contained units:
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Self-contained refrigeration can heat up a room or surrounding area since its operating parts are all internal.
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Self-contained refrigeration can have less interior space because the entire works fit into a similarly sized box.
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The noise of both condenser and evaporator operations are inside your facility and can be quite loud.
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Self-contained units drive up electric bills by producing hot air from condensers that the air conditioning system must work to cancel out.
As you can see, reducing your energy costs is possible with proper guidance. Consider working with a commercial refrigeration company that will assist you in each step in the purchasing process for efficient and affordable unit selection.