Some Quick Tips for Choosing the Right Cool Room for Your Facility
A walk-in refrigerator or cool room is often needed for most restaurants and other food prep facilities, but it can also be necessary for storing medical and pharmaceutical supplies, flowers, film, and the like. When you need to have a cool room installed, you have many options from which to choose. Note a few quick tips for making that choice so you ensure you opt for the right cool room for your business.
1. Temperature control
Cool rooms are not all alike when it comes to their insulation, cooling unit, and the temperature they can maintain inside. If you need to maintain your product at an exact temperature, which is often needed for medical and pharmaceutical supplies and certain fresh foods, you'll need to check and ensure that a cool room has its own cooling unit and thermostat. Some cool rooms are simply insulated and may have a fan and blower system but may not allow you to set the actual temperature. Some may also not be able to cool a space enough to keep certain items frozen. Always check the temperature controls offered by any cool room you might choose.
2. Entrance
Note the entrance to a cool room. Very often a vinyl curtain is good for easy access and especially for a room where you may need to have a forklift or other such equipment entering and exiting the room. However, how warm is your facility and how will this affect the operation of your cool room? A vinyl curtain may not provide much insulation in a very hot kitchen if your cool room is located right off the cooking area, or in a production facility where you use welding equipment or anything else that raises the temperature of the facility. In those cases, an actual door that keeps the cooler air in the cool room can be a better choice.
3. Lining material
There may be laws about the material used for your cool room if you're storing food or medical supplies. Some type of polyurethane or sprayed plastic lining may be required, as these won't allow bacteria or other contaminants to settle in the room. These may also provide more insulation than standard building walls, allowing your cool room to run more efficiently. However, in some cases, concrete rooms that are underground hold the cold very efficiently. If you're not legally obligated to choose a polyurethane lining, you might discuss with a contractor the option of leaving concrete walls exposed and having the room built around them. This may be more affordable for construction and also means not running the cooling unit as often, saving you money in the long run.