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Jason Bratcher is the Senior Manager of Project Management at  KPS Global, a leader in the cold storage industry. The views expressed here are those of the author.

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Walk-in coolers and freezers are expensive, yet vital, pieces of equipment that take a lot of “heat,” so to speak. Normal daily wear and tear, environmental conditions, impact by carts or pallet jacks, condensation and icing can cause a walk-in to work harder than necessary.

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When this happens, operators often wonder: should the worn walk-in be repaired or replaced entirely?

The decision to repair or replace a walk-in cooler isn’t always straightforward, as many factors go into making the choice at the appropriate time.

When to Repair Your Walk-In

Suppose your walk-in is working, but not at peak performance. Perhaps it does not maintain temperature, ice has caused panel joints to displace, or the panel finish is beginning to corrode because of spills. Or maybe replacement is not an option because of budget constraints, commodity price increases, supply chain shortages or scheduling limitations.

Some issues may be easily remedied to avoid shutdowns, as full replacements typically require.

Below is a list of situations in which repairs can be made to your walk-in:

KPS Global Above, a before-and-after look at the liner panels of a walk-in cooler. Liner panels can add up to five years of lifespan to your walk-in and increase the insulative properties of your walk-in panels.

Above, a before-and-after look at the liner panels of a walk-in cooler. Liner panels can add up to five years of lifespan to your walk-in and increase the insulative properties of your walk-in panels.

When to Replace Your Walk-In Not all repairs will completely resolve the issues at hand, meaning there will likely come a time where a replacement is essential.

Putting off purchasing a replacement walk-in may result in a sudden breakdown that catches you unprepared, affecting cold storage functionality, customer relationships and profits.

New units offer more energy efficiencies as new panels have better insulative properties and higher R-values. In other words, they have the ability to resist energy to flow through them. Having a high R-value is critical since walk-ins constantly fight to keep warm air and humidity from making their way into the unit, ultimately compromising the unit’s operational abilities. Using less energy will save operators money in the long run.

Here is a list of scenarios in which replacement makes sense:

Making the Call Preventative measures, such as conducting routine inspections and maintaining humidity levels surrounding the walk-in, can be taken to not only extend the unit’s longevity but also uphold its ability to operate at normal capacity.  

However, as issues arise it is important to address them as quickly as possible. Problems can start out small and develop rapidly.

Repairing where possible will save you money. However, i f the cost of your repairs is mounting, it might be worth investing in a new unit.

To sum it up, when making the decision to repair or replace your walk-in cooler or freezer, consider the age of your unit, the cost of repair versus replacement, the temperature consistency of your system, the amount of energy and the frequency of your preventative maintenance. Once you’ve checked all these boxes, you can make your decision with confidence.

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