A walk-in cooler is an essential piece of equipment for commercial kitchens where food can be stored safely. So, you should take care of the unit and hire commercial appliances repair services for maintenance to avoid problems from arising. A common issue in walk-in coolers is water leakage. You may see the water leaking from the unit and, if the leakage is severe, it forms puddles of water. Let’s learn how to fix it.

Unclog Drain Line And The Drain Pan Outlet

Walk-in coolers and most refrigerators have an automatic defrost system. It’s in place to melt the ice that can be formed near and on the evaporator coils. When ice is melted, it goes to the drain line.

However, if the drain line is blocked due to dust, debris, food particles, or anything else, water won’t pass through the drain line or the outlet and you will notice that there is water inside or outside the walk-in cooler.

To check the drain pan outlet, you should switch off the evaporator coils. Locate the drain outlet and remove debris from it. For cleaning the drain line, you may need the help of an expert.

Make Sure The Walk-In Cooler Is Leveled

If the walk-in cooler is not leveled or the coil assembly is not connected to the drain hose in the correct position, water won’t reach the drain. Instead, it will accumulate near the drain and could leak from the screw holes.

This is the reason the design of the drain pans is in a slope so water can flow easily without flowing back to the evaporator coils. However, if the drain is correctly sloped and you’re facing the “water leakage through the screws” problem, then check if the walk-in freezer is leveled.

Worn Door Seals

The doors of a walk-in cooler are frequently opened and closed. This takes part in wearing the seals of the doors. The seals keep the door completely shut without any air from outside sneaking into the walk-in cooler.

Keep in mind that if warm air can flow into a walk-in cooler or refrigerator constantly, it meets the cold air inside air resulting in condensation – moisture in the air taking the liquid form.

So, check the door seals of the walk-in cooler and instruct the staff to make sure that the door is closed correctly when coming out of the walk-in cooler.

Check The Insulation

A walk-in cooler must be properly insulated to keep warm air from entering the unit else condensation will happen which you don’t want. Make sure that the walls, floor, and ceiling of the unit are insulated.

Frozen Evaporator Coils

If the evaporator coils of a walk-in cooler freeze up, there will be water leakage. Evaporator coils are responsible for keeping a walk-in cooler cool by removing heat from the air. If the unit is set to a temperature that is too low, it can lead to the icing up of the coils, which will lead to water leakage. Check the temperature settings of the refrigerator and make sure that it’s set to the right level and is not too low.

Another reason for frozen evaporator coils is dirty coils. Therefore, create a schedule to clean the evaporator coils and other components of the walk-in cooler regularly.

Check The Roof Of The Walk-In Cooler

Rubber roof membranes are used in walk-in coolers for sealing the upper part of the unit because some areas are exposed which will cause cold air to escape from the refrigerator. Rubber roof membranes keep the roof sealed.

Over time, the rubber roof membrane will wear out making them less effective in keeping the refrigerator safe from the outside warm air. This leads to the walk-in cooler leaking water.

For fixing this problem, you will need an expert to replace the rubber membrane roof even when the leakage is due to one hole in the roof. However, a regular person usually can’t detect holes or deterioration of the roof so a professional is required.

Conclusion

Water leakage in a walk-in cooler should not be ignored because the water inside the unit can lead to mold and mildew. Moreover, a leakage means that the walk-in refrigerator is not working efficiently, and this can put the stored food in danger of spoilage. So, consult a walk in cooler repair technician for troubleshooting the water leakage problem. topac