Commercial restaurant refrigeration systems are designed to operate continuously under demanding conditions. Every day, cold rooms protect fresh ingredients, dairy products, vegetables, sauces, beverages, and prepared foods that form the foundation of restaurant operations. When a refrigeration system begins losing cooling performance, the consequences extend far beyond equipment failure. Rising temperatures place food safety at risk, increase operating costs, and create unnecessary pressure on restaurant staff.
One of the most overlooked causes of recurring refrigeration problems is an ageing evaporator. As evaporators age, years of moisture exposure, corrosion, vibration, and continuous temperature changes gradually weaken the copper tubing and aluminium coil. Small refrigerant leaks begin developing and, over time, the number of leaks increases until repairs are no longer practical or economical.
This case study demonstrates how Glotech Group permanently solved recurring refrigeration problems for Quince Restaurant by replacing an ageing cold room evaporator that had reached the end of its service life. Instead of continuing with repeated repairs and refrigerant top ups, the restaurant invested in a long term engineering solution that restored dependable cooling performance while reducing future operating costs.
Quince Restaurant contacted Glotech Group after experiencing ongoing cooling problems inside its commercial cold room.
The refrigeration system struggled to maintain stable temperatures, affecting the reliability of food storage.
Our technicians carried out a complete inspection of the refrigeration system to determine the cause of the problem rather than simply adding refrigerant.
The assessment focused on the evaporator, commonly referred to as the blower coil.
Pressure testing immediately revealed multiple refrigerant leaks within the evaporator coil.
Initially, several leaks appeared repairable.
Our technicians carefully brazed the damaged areas before carrying out another pressure test.
However, every new pressure test exposed additional leak points.
This pattern continued throughout the inspection.
It became clear that the evaporator had deteriorated extensively due to years of continuous operation.
Rather than suffering from one isolated leak, the coil had reached the point where its structural integrity had been compromised across multiple sections.
One of the principles followed by Glotech Group is recommending repairs only when they provide genuine long term value.
Many refrigeration companies continue repairing ageing components because it appears to reduce immediate costs.
Unfortunately, repeated repairs often become the more expensive option over time.
Every refrigerant leak results in:
In this case, continuing to repair the evaporator would only postpone the inevitable.
The client would likely continue experiencing refrigerant leaks while operating costs continued to increase.
Replacing the evaporator became the only responsible long term recommendation.
Several factors supported replacing the blower coil.
Replacing the evaporator eliminated these concerns while restoring dependable refrigeration performance.
Many businesses naturally ask whether equipment can simply be repaired.
While repairs often provide excellent value, they are not always the most economical long term solution. In this case, replacing individual components would not have solved the underlying deterioration of the condenser.
The client would likely have continued experiencing reduced efficiency, higher electricity consumption, and increased breakdown risk.
Investing in a modern condensing unit provided:
Most importantly, the upgrade eliminated the uncertainty associated with ageing refrigeration equipment.
Once the client approved the recommendation, Glotech Group removed the existing evaporator and installed a new commercial blower coil.
The installation included:
Every stage followed recognised commercial refrigeration installation standards.
Following commissioning, the refrigeration system immediately demonstrated improved cooling performance.
The cold room achieved stable operating temperatures.
Cooling consistency improved significantly.
The refrigeration system no longer suffered from refrigerant losses associated with the deteriorated evaporator.
The client now operates with confidence knowing the cold room can reliably protect valuable food products throughout daily restaurant operations.
Replacing the evaporator delivered several important benefits.
These include:
Most importantly, the client now benefits from a permanent engineering solution rather than ongoing temporary repairs.
With more than 15 years of experience, Glotech Group designs, installs, upgrades, repairs, and maintains commercial refrigeration systems for restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, food manufacturers, seafood processors, hospitality businesses, pharmaceutical facilities, and commercial clients throughout South Africa.
Our services include:
Every recommendation is based on what provides the greatest long term value for the client.
The Quince Restaurant project demonstrates why experienced refrigeration engineers focus on identifying the root cause of system failures rather than repeatedly treating the symptoms.
Instead of continuing with costly repairs and repeated refrigerant charging, Glotech Group recommended replacing an evaporator that had reached the end of its service life.
The result is a commercial cold room that now operates reliably, protects valuable food stock, reduces ongoing maintenance costs, and provides the restaurant with dependable refrigeration for years to come.
067 153 8332
info@glotechgroup.co.za
Gotech Group offers emergency repair, replacement and installation of industrial and commercial refrigeration units restoring efficient operations in Hermanus & across Western Cape.