Spring Cleaning Portable Storage Containers. Tips for cold storage. Pollen is in the air! It’s time to share some cold storage maintenance tips. Yesterday we received several postcards from HVAC service companies selling their air conditioner seasonal tune-up services. In order for an HVAC system to work efficiently, the unit requires a little attention. Your cold storage container needs attention also.
Cold Storage Maintenance Tips
Similar to your home air conditioner, it’s time to tune-up your cold storage unit. A simple review of your cold storage system will guarantee your unit is operating as efficiently as possible and, ultimately, maintaining the quality of your product. As we change seasons, pollen and dust are the biggest culprits that negatively impact the operation of our machinery. Spring Cleaning Portable Storage Containers.
As the April showers bring May flowers, consider the following Spring maintenance:
Spring Cleaning Portable Storage Containers. Debris (i.eClean your condenser fans and coils. dirt, pollen, leaves, etc.) accumulates on the fan and in between the condenser coil fins of your cooling equipment. Prolonged buildup of dirt will force the unit to work harder and longer. This will ultimately hinder the machine’s performance. Turn your unit off and give the coils a simple rinse with a garden hose.
Check your evaporator coils
On our machines the evaporator coils are not exposed to the outside elements. However, they can still build up with dirt and excess ice. For maximum cooling, you must make sure the evaporator coils are clean and free of ice and dirt that impede the airflow. Moreover, excess ice on the evaporator coils may also impact the micro’s sensors. The best way to clean the coils is to empty the cargo and run the unit at 70 degrees. When any/all ice has melted, just rinse the coils clean.
Visually examine the portable storage container – inside and out
When we do a visual “360” of the unit, we are looking for the following, but not limited to:
- Worn or cut gaskets;
- Fully operational and properly seated doors;
- Holes on the interior or exterior;
- Height and location of the cargo inside the unit;
- Position of the Fresh Air Vent on the outside/back panel of the unit;
- Vinyl curtains installed and fitted properly;
- Clean drains of dirt/debris.
Choose the correct lighting
Do you still have incandescent lighting inside your portable storage container? You might consider changing to LEDs. Aside from energy savings from using lower wattage lighting, consider the amount of heat produced when the 3 x 100 watt bulbs are left on. An incandescent bulb is an extremely inefficient light source. According to the Wikipedia online encyclopedia, a 100-watt bulb is 2.1% efficient. In other words, it produces about 2 watts of light and 98 watts of heat. Spring Cleaning Portable Storage Containers.
It doesn’t require a special technician to maintain your portable storage container. Instead, following these basic tips will guarantee you are operating the cold storage unit efficiently.
