It goes without saying that there are a number of things that can go wrong with your air conditioning unit, so if you notice that it isn’t working as it should get it looked at straight away. Often with air conditioning units small problems can be fixed quite easily, but if it is left then it tends to get worse and much harder to fix – which of course is something that you want to avoid.

That said; Knowing common faults and what to look out for can only be a good thing, so what should you be looking out for?

Faulty Wiring

If you find that your air conditioning unit is cutting out, not getting as much power as it should or it is tripping the circuit breaker than this could be a problem with the wiring. This is often a small problem, but it is important to get it looked at straight away.

Refrigerant Levels Low

Refrigerant is the chemical that cools the air. If you find that your refrigerant levels are low then this could indicate that there is a leak which of course needs to be located and repaired as soon as possible.

Fan Not Working

The fan located outside of your air conditioning unit is what helps to transfer heat from your home to the outside air. If you notice that this isn’t working then you should get it looked into because it may cause the compressor to overheat which can lead to much bigger problems. Generally the fan should be working constantly at the same speed, if you notice that it stops and starts then use this as an indication that it needs to be looked at.

Unit Not Working as It should

If you notice that there is a general lack of power to your unit, the thermostat isn’t working or it keeps cutting out then this could lead to bigger problems. It can be hard to pinpoint the exact problem which is why it is essential to get someone in to have a look at this for you.

Airflow Problems

If the airflow from your air conditioning unit starts to become uneven then this could indicate anything from dirty air filters, blocked return air ductwork or even frozen inside coils (your coils should not look frozen at all).

As someone who is in charge of the smooth running of a pub, you’ll need to give careful consideration to the type of refrigeration you have in your premises. At the end of the day you want food and drink to be stored safely and your customers want to be served cold drinks and choosing the right type of refrigeration is vital to making sure that this happens.

Reach-In Coolers

These are the type of coolers that are usually found in the kitchen. Generally these are used to store large volumes of food and drink and as the name suggests are designed to be reached into to find the items that they need to get. Generally these don’t take up much room and are a good way of storing items in bulk.

Walk-In Coolers

These are also designed to store loads of items inside, but as the name suggests they are refrigerators that you walk into rather than reach into. You’ll need a bit of room to have one of these but they are handy if you have large amounts to store, so for example if you’re in charge of a pub that sells food.

Bar Refrigerators

You’ll also need to think about bar refrigerators, because this is where you’ll store drinks to make sure that they stay cool. It is important that you give consideration to these, because you need a set up that is going to stay the right temperature even when doors are being opened and closed all day which lets warm air in.

Choosing The Right System

Whether you’re looking for bar refrigerators, walk-in coolers or another type of refrigerator you need to make sure that it is right for your needs. One thing to make sure you check is the energy efficiency of the system you choose. These are going to be switched on all of the time, so you want something that is not going to cost you too much to run.

On top of that you want to make sure that whatever you choose, it is a refrigerator that really works. Have a look online and read reviews of the make/model you are interested in, this should give you a good idea whether it is going to give you good value for money or not.

Just make sure that you measure the area you have available for your refrigerators so that you can make sure that whatever type of refrigerator you buy, it is going to fit into the space you have available.

You might not have looked very closely at the ice you have in your drinks, but if you did then you’ll notice a difference. When you make ice at home you’ll generally find that it is opaque whereas if you were to look at the ice you are given in restaurants and bars it is generally see through. Of course it doesn’t make a big difference to the taste of your drink, but it can be fun to make clear ice cubes at home.

Thankfully there are a few different ways to make clear ice cubes, all of which are reasonably easy to do.

Boiled Water

When you make ice normally, it is the air and mineral impurities that cause the ice to become opaque. By using boiled water you get rid of as much of the air as possible which helps the ice to be made as clear as possible.  If you have time then you should boil the water twice, allowing it to cool completely in-between boils. Make sure that while it is cooling it is covered to stop it from collecting dust. When you pour your boiled water into ice trays make sure that you cover in plastic wrap to keep out particles – that way you can be sure that the ice will freeze clear rather than opaque.

Top-Down Freezing

With this method you’ll need to get a cooler to use – the type you usually take on a picnic to keep your food cool will work well, just make sure that it fits in your freezer.  Place an ice tray at the bottom of the bag and fill with water – you can use distilled water for this but many people claim that tap water works just as well. When you pour your water in to be frozen, pour it into the bottom of the cooler so that the ice tray is surrounded by water. This helps to seal your ice cubes and make sure that they’re kept clear of particles etc. Place your cooler into the freezer with the top open and freeze for at least 24 hours. The best way to do this is to freeze them slowly, so setting your freezer to around 20°F should be fine. When you take the tray out of the bag you’ll find that the top layer is cloudy, but once you chip this off the ice you are left with underneath is perfectly clear ice cubes.