The battle against molds on commercial refrigeration has been around for years. A lot of industries and businesses work hard to prevent mold from infiltrating their buildings, environment, products, and more. Mold developing inside refrigerators and freezers poses as a threat to your business. Mold growth can severely damage inventory, cause illnesses in employees or customers, and it can lead to health code violations.
Mold likes humidity, and it requires a relative humidity level of at least above 70% to grow. The first mode of attack for getting rid of molds is to lower the humidity levels. Some inventory requires high humidity levels and lowering the humidity below 70% is not an option.
Minimize Condensation
Condensation means that there is moisture in the air; this then leads to higher humidity levels. It is best to make sure that there is no water in your cooler that can cause condensation build-up.
Make sure that the evaporator, condensing coil and fans are working.
All the components stated help regulate airflow inside your cooler. Proper airflow can help dry up excess moisture that can cause mold to grow and spread.
Keep The Doors Closed
Propped open doors can cause issues by allowing outside air to change the temperature and the humidity levels in your cooler in a way that is difficult to control. Not only do open doors allow the environment inside your cooler to change, but they also allow mold spores from the outside to enter your unit and to spread.
Clean Up Spills
Spilled liquids and foods on shelves or the floor of a walk-in cooler can serve as a treat for mold and bacteria. If you take away the food source, it is difficult for mold to spread. Cleaning up spills will help keep your cooler free of mold growth.
Leave Time For Defrosting
Before you clean your unit, remove all the food, and unplug it. To ensure that it is dry, you should defrost the fridge for a week before you transport the fridge into storage.
Keep It Upright
Moving a fridge can cause issues in the compressor, in order to reduce the chance of this, when moving and storing your unit, it should be upright, minimizing tipping. Never lay the fridge on its side while moving it or storing it, and if you do have to angle the fridge while moving it in or out of your unit, let it sit for at least 48 hours before you turn it on again or it may fail.
Keep It Dry
After cleaning, defrosting and moving the unit, you must also ensure that it is completely dry before you store it. Otherwise, you will have mold and mildew ridden fridge when the time comes to use it, or you will get a lingering, offensive smell in the fridge that can affect your food.
The best way to avoid this issue is to remove the doors on both the freezer and refrigerator compartments or to leave each door ajar by wedging an object between the door and the compartment frame. You can place a deodorizer inside the fridge to maintain its freshness, or you can mix a teaspoon of vanilla essence with a cup of water and give your unit a quick wipe. This will help to make sure that you have a clean and odor-free fridge, that is ready to use when you get it from your storage.
If you ever find mold in your cooler, and it is difficult to get rid of it, it could be because it is hiding in the nooks and crannies of your products and shelves. A complete cleanout of your fridge may be needed. Some businesses may opt to have their cooler sprayed with a sanitation mist that helps to prevent mold growth from developing.
It is also best to contact your local service provider for maintenance and clean-ups. Local service providers like the commercial refrigeration repair in Sacramento can help make sure that molds and other bacteria will not stay inside your unit and contaminate your food.