Installing a new Cooler? How to develop a plan of action.
Whether you are interested in purchasing a mortuary cooler or a walk-in freezer, you may find yourself overwhelmed by the sheer number of options and variations on the market. Below, find information about the different kinds of walk-in freezers, the size you should purchase, the cost of operating a freezer, potential floor installations, and the importance of the R-value.
What Kinds of Walk-Ins Are Available?
At the most basic level, it’s important for you to decide which type of walk-in unit will work best for your business. Freezer and refrigerator units are available, as well as a combination of both. In addition, walk-ins can be designed for indoor or outdoor use. Certain industries use specific types of freezer units. For example, companies in the funeral industry require mortuary coolers, while businesses like bars and pubs might opt for specialized beer coolers.
What Size Do I Need?
For every 28 pounds of compacted food, you will need an average of a cubic foot of open storage space. For those operating a restaurant, 1.5 cubic feet for each meal served daily will be more reasonable. However, you should be careful not to purchase a larger walk-in than you need, as it would force you to contend with a higher monthly operating cost than necessary.
What Is the Cost of Running My Freezer?
Prior to buying a cooler or freezer, you might want to know the cost of efficiently running the equipment. If you need a rough estimate, start with the national average per kilowatt, which is currently around $11.89. Using this figure for a 6×6 cooler, you can estimate an average cost of $65.98 each month for a walk-in cooler and an average cost of $227.72 for a freezer of the same size. Of course, there are a few steps you can take to reduce this number, such as putting a strip curtain at the front of the walk-in to reduce the flow of heat as people enter or leave the unit, or setting the defrost cycles to the minimum that will work for you.
Should I Have a Floor Installed?
You can install your cooler on concrete floor, but it is highly recommended that you use an insulation barrier under the unit walls to reduce the condensation when the humidity outside is high. You will need to install a cooler floor on top of wood frame floors, as the wood will eventually rot over time due to the condensation.
What Should I Know About R-Value?
Every unit, from a foodservice walk-in to a mortuary cooler, has an R-value. R-value is resistance to heat flow—so the higher the number, the better the insulation of the unit. All companies publish these values, but it is important to note that this insulation decreases over time, so you will need to learn all you can about the age of your unit and how much its R-value is expected to decrease over the next few years.
Whether you’re looking for a mortuary cooler, a brew cave, a meat and game locker, or a floral refrigerator, it’s important to learn as much as you can about the types of units available. If you have further questions not answered here, browse our website or contact us for more information—we love to help!
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