Finding a Commercial Refrigeration Service Specialist - Going Through the Selection Process

By Chris A. Harmen

With its compressors, condensers, piping, and complex configurations, chilled water systems are not something you want to approach yourself, nor leave in the hands of anyone but a specialist. This leaves you scrambling when something breaks down. Choosing a maintenance and service specialist ahead of time is the best way to prevent breakdowns. It also gives you someone who is on-call and already familiar with your commercial refrigeration and cooling system. When selecting a maintenance and service specialist, you will want to make certain the one you choose can satisfy a few important points.

A Comprehensive Maintenance Plan

The best way to avoid the breakdown of chilled water systems is to prevent them actively and aggressively. In other words, the specialist needs to offer a full maintenance plan. This should include the ability to perform warranty work as well as a thorough cleaning of the system.

Most importantly, it should include monitoring and testing of the system. This should include making note of the efficiency of the process piping as well as the entire commercial refrigeration setup. When they find a component that doesn't work as it should, the expert can deal with it immediately and prevent a small issue from becoming a major breakdown, which could potentially cost thousands more. If they are already familiar with your particular system, the quality of this kind of service increases exponentially.

Educated, Experienced, And Knowledgeable

When something goes wrong with chilled water systems, you need it repaired correctly and as quickly as possible. Worst of all, these systems are complex -- some small thing can cause a whole host of other problems. This means you need a commercial refrigeration specialist who is knowledgeable about your particular system, can identify the issues correctly, and is adept at repairing it.

Look for a provider who constantly trains its technicians and keeps them up on the latest information and techniques. You also want repair specialists that are approved by major manufacturers to ensure any work done is quality and will not void any warranty.

Tools And Parts

Who wants to call for an emergency repair only to have to call in again during regular hours to have it repaired properly? Unless a temporary fix is absolutely necessary, an emergency fix should be equal to any other. Your chosen repair expert should always use and have access to approved factory replacement parts in addition to the tools and technology to put it all together. If you have a condenser of a particular brand, using a different brand part can cause it to work less efficiently and void your warranty. This ensures you get a repair that is equal in quality to those you would get on a regular basis. It is repaired quickly, efficiently, and with quality.

Dealing with chilled water systems requires the proper care and attention to keep them working their best. By carefully selecting a commercial refrigeration specialist, you can be confident that your cooling and air conditioning system is in the best of hands, no matter what the situation is.

Christine O'Kelly is the author for the commercial refrigeration experts at Andrews Martin Mechanical. They offer professional chilled water systems, process piping, maintenance, and emergency services for industrial and commercial businesses throughout the Midwest.