Your cooking equipment is probably the most important part of your commercial kitchen. One unexpected failure can ruin your business for days or even weeks. So it’s crucial to know issues in the commercial kitchens and how to deal with them. Here we have addressed the top most common maintenance issues in Commercial Kitchens and Food Service Equipment.
Fryer is too hot
The deep fryer is one of the most common appliances in commercial kitchens. One of the biggest issues with a fryer is problems with temperature control. If the fryer temperature goes too high your food would become overly hard or crispy. On the other hand, if the fryer is too cold, food preparation will take longer, making the food soggy or overly oily. This is especially important if you serve deep-fried food. The problem usually stems from a malfunctioning thermostat.
Other common issues with a deep-fryer are:
Clogged burner orifice: The holes of the burner can get blocked due to grease, food particles, dust and debris. A burner with clogged orifices will only partially light up or won’t light up at all.
Pilot Problems: if you’re having problems with the pilot the first place to check is the main gas supply valve. If the valve is open there may be a problem in the air or fuel supply line.
Problems with Ranges, Griddles & Grills
Ranges, griddles and grills are an essential part of any commercial kitchen. As they help the preparation of a variety of dishes in food service, it’s important to keep an eye on them to prevent damage and malfunction. Some common problems with cookware:
The cookware won’t turn on
Problems with the flame light
The cookware is making black smoke
The grill is too noisy: it not uncommon to hear strange sounds from your commercial grill. This sound is usually created by environmental factors such as air temperature, humidity and pressure, but sometimes indicated that there is a problem in your grill. For example, it may be a sign of leakage from your appliance or an air bubble may be trapped in the gas hose.
Yellow or orange flame
The grill cooks unevenly: The main reason for food that cooks unevenly is a clogged burner. Food drippings get into the holes of the burner and block it. Check the burners to ensure that they are producing flames and use a wire brush to remove any deposit you can see.
Commercial oven issues
Commercial ovens are a crucial part of commercial ovens, without them, you cannot provide most of the dishes you advertise. Thankfully, most of the problems associated with a commercial kitchen can be alleviated if you’re aware of common signs that indicate an oven might be out of order.
The oven won’t heat up
Problems with turning on: Are you having a problem when trying to turn the oven on? Are your kitchen staff have to plug a swap to get power to it? Then you should call an expert to get it repaired ASAP.
Uneven cooking
The oven cannot reach the correct temperature: If an oven has problems with its temperature, it may not be able to reach the correct temperature. In some instances, the oven will reach the desired temperature but fail to maintain it constantly. This will mainly show up in uneven cooking and uneven cooking time.
The pilot light won’t stay on: if the pilot light of your oven is continually switching itself off, a blocked gas valve or thermocouple is the culprit. In this case, you’d better ask an expert to have a proper look and do repairs as quickly as possible.
Issues with commercial dishwasher
Dishwashers are one of the most needed appliances in a commercial kitchen. However, like any appliance, dish machines aren’t perfect and without proper care and maintenance, they can get into problems. Some dishwashers can be easily fixed while others may require a visit from an expert.
Dishes are not cleaning properly
The most common problem with commercial warewashers is the appliance to clean dishes properly. When dishes come out dirty the reason may be:
An overloaded machine
A utensil is restricting the spinning motion of machine arms.
You put the dishes in the machine without scraping food residues.
Grease, debris or particles in the strain screen and door gasket.
Dirty or blocked spray arms.
Water or residues on dishes
if your dishes come out covered with water spot or food residues that may be because of:
Probably the water is in touch with the dishes for too long. The solution is to get a rinse aid.
Check the dishwasher salt and fill it up as needed.
Make sure that the salt cap is properly screwed.
Glasses come out white or cloudy
A common cause of white glasses in hard water. If necessary, try a water softener or a detergent to soften your water.
Dishwasher leakage
Dishes are not dried properly
This time dishwasher’s heating element is to blame. Use a multi-meter to check the heating element is working properly. After that, check your high limit thermostat.
Complete wash cycles or it takes too long
The problem is likely from the timer motor, thermostat, or heating element. Check all with a multi-meter.
Dishwasher not draining properly
Refrigeration issues
Commercial refrigerators are larger, run at a cooler temperature and have more parts. So, they are prone more to wear and tear. Here are the most common problems you may find in commercial refrigerators and coolers:
The refrigerator is not powering on
Problem with evaporator fan: If your refrigerator is freezing up and ice is collecting in your unit you need to make sure that the evaporator fan is working correctly.
Frost buildup inside the unit: Check and adjust deforest cycle inside the unit.
Ice in the drain pan: A commercial fridge or cooler has a drain pan that may need emptying. When you noticed ice in this pan it’s often a sign of a clogged pan. Ignoring this may cause the line to get clogged completely. This may cause the unit to overheat or the water to back up into the unit. Check and clean the drain line for dust and debris and make repairs that need to be done.
The refrigerator is too cold or too hot
Problem with compressors: compressor circulates air in your commercial refrigerator and keeps food cool. if its’ not working properly your unit won’t cool. Dirt, hair, grease and more may keep the compressor from functioning correctly. So, regular you should clean and service the fridge compressor regularly to make sure that it is working as it should.
Problems With Commercial Sinks
The main difference between a commercial sink and residential sinks tend to receive the end of clogging more often because of the amount of food they process with a commercial kitchen. This could be because of cleaning utensils that are heavily oiled, washing away plates filled with leftovers and more. You can use a plunger, use a drain snake and run hot water to unplug a commercial kitchen sink. Alternately you can use a cleaning solution.
Here we addressed the most common issues in commercial kitchen and foodservice equipment maintenance and suggested some simple solutions to solve them. However, most of these issues can occur frequently and will require assistance from a technician.
