Foodservice Equipment Maintenance Tips
-- Foodservice Equipment & Supplies, 9/29/2009 8:45:00 AM
According to FE&S’ 2010 Industry Forecast, dealers anticipate fryers, ice machines, ovens, ranges, refrigerators and prep tables to be among their biggest sellers in the year to come. Collectively, these workhorses represent the backbone of most any foodservice operation. As a refresher, FE&S would like to offer the following maintenance tips for these pieces of equipment.
Please note that the information listed below contains general maintenance information and should not be substituted for the manufacturer’s requirements and recommendations.
Fryers
Maximize a fryer’s useful service life with regular and thorough cleaning. Regularly boil out fryers to eliminate acidic or caustic oil buildup on the metal. Change frying oil weekly. Foodservice operators should try to avoid temperature shock caused by dumping frozen product into fully heated oil, scorching the frying medium and stressing heating elements. Self-cleaning burner systems perform daily preventive maintenance and keep fryers running at peak efficiency levels.
Ice Machines
Controlling the temperature of water flowing to ice-making equipment is important because the lower the water temperature, the greater ice-making capacity will be. Generally, temperatures should never exceed 90°F. Most ice machines require regular cleaning, and operators should check them frequently for loose wires or leaks. Keep lines clean by purging with water. Water filters that prevent mineral buildups can reduce the necessity for frequent cleaning. Since cleaning ice machines is a time-consuming task that requires the storage bin to be emptied, operators should make sure a service agency will properly handle this.
Ovens
Gas and electric deck ovens each come with flue vents in the rear that must be maintained. With convection ovens, maintenance challenges can come from solid-state, touch-pad controls, since employees may use too-long fingernails or even sharp implements to punch numbers into the keyboard, which is a problem. Caustic cleaners such as scouring powders should not be used to clean the inside of a convection oven. Such cleaners are tough to remove, and their buildup will eventually damage an oven. Instead, staff should use a mild detergent on the exterior. Caustics can't do any damage on the outside, of course, but can mar an oven’s appearance.
Ranges
When it comes to ranges, staff can clean ordinary grime by using soap, water and a cloth, sponge or fiber brush. To clean baked-on food, staff should use a scouring pad or stainless-steel wool to rub on a paste made of water and ammonia, magnesium oxide, powdered pumice or French chalk. Avoid cleaning with wire brushes, files and steel scrapers. One maker offers a full-width crumb tray to catch minor spills and provide easier cleanup. Lift-off burners also facilitate easier cleaning.
Reach-in Refrigerators and Freezers
Staff should thoroughly and frequently clean and sanitize reach-ins, inside and out. And here are a few other maintenance tips for reach-ins.
Refrigerated Prep Tables
Prep tables are known as one of the most neglected pieces of equipment in the kitchen, since they are high-use and can be difficult to move for cleaning. Food debris should be removed from in and around the unit. Keep clean evaporator coils, fan blades and condensers. Change air conditioning filters and check the prep tables for fan failure and leaks. Units also need to be regularly cleaned and wiped down, both inside and out. Regular cleaning ensures optimum efficiency and can lower energy costs.
Walk-in Refrigerators and Freezers
Walk-ins are subject to a tremendous amount of operational abuse, and quality of construction and materials will affect maintenance requirements. Outer construction of stainless steel is the most durable and easiest to maintain. Aluminum outer construction is cheaper, but dents easily and is more difficult to clean. Compressor/condenser units should be in easily accessible areas, and multiple remote units should be grouped together to ease maintenance and servicing. Preventive maintenance for walk-ins' refrigeration systems involves ensuring proper air flow and ventilation in condensers' areas and routine cleaning of condenser coils by a certified technician.
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