If you own a business that uses a refrigeration unit, then you may already know how easily that unit can breakdown. If it does breakdown you could be facing severe loss of work hours and income. This is especially true in restaurants and catering business. Before you call an HVAC refrigeration repair technician, consider these three troubleshooting steps. These steps can save you time and possibly get your refrigeration unit working again quickly to prevent significant time and financial loss.

Check the Coils

One of the easiest things to check on you refrigeration system are the coils. If the coils are dirty with dust and other debris, this may be causing issues with the motor. If the coils are dirty, it can cause the motor to work overtime. This can lead to a shut down of the system or freezing of the unit. You will need to clean the coils and allow the system to thaw in order to start it again. Remember, you can help maintain the coils by cleaning them on a routine basis as part of general refrigeration maintenance.

Check the Temperature Gauge

If the temperature gauge is broken or not functioning properly it can cause the refrigeration unit to stop operating. The temperature gauge lets the system know if it needs to be colder, warmer, or if it just needs to maintain the temperature within the unit. If the gauge is stating that the unit is too warm, that will cause the refrigeration unit to try to make the unit colder. This could freeze the motor and the pipes causing the unit to stop working. If the gauge is saying the temperature is cold enough, when it is not, it can cause the unit to be warmer than it needs to be and food to spoil. Check the gauge against another gauge in the same area. If they don't match, and it is a drastic difference, then you know the gauge may need replacing.

Check the Fan

In some cases, your refrigeration unit may be having issues because of the fan. If the fan is clogged with debris or if something is in the way then the motor of the fan will overheat. This can cause the fan to stop operating and the system to stop working. Turn off the unit and check the fan for clogged blades or for something blocking the fan. Make sure the fan is turned off and the unit is unplugged from a power source to avoid injury.

These are only three of the basic troubleshooting steps you can take before calling an HVAC refrigeration repair technician. If you have gone through these steps and still have not found the issue contact the technician. Let them know you have taken these three steps and the results of those steps. It will save you and the repair technician time and allow them to skip to other steps in the repair process.