Industry Magazine Commercial Kitchen Spring 2016 | Page 7
DIY REPAIRS VS. PROFESSIONAL SERVICING FOR KITCHEN EQUIPMENT
Carl McNeal
Carl McNeal is the Director of Sales at
Commercial Kitchen Parts & Service in
San Antonio, Texas.
DIY REPAIRS VS. PROFESSIONAL
SERVICING FOR KITCHEN EQUIPMENT
Maintaining and Repairing Your Equipment
RESTAURANT owners, justifiably, spend a lot of their time
dealing with the equipment in their kitchens. Keeping everything
working properly and maintained is one of the most important
aspects of the business. Naturally, many restauranteurs opt for
professional servicing when their equipment breaks down. That
step, however, may not always be necessary. DIY (do it yourself)
repairs can save a large amount of money on servicing fees. With
that being said, DIY may not always be the way to go. Determining
when to go DIY or when to hire a professional is the key, but
making that determination is not always easy.
DIY repairs are good for straight forward, routine maintenance
(as suggested by manufacturers) that typically doesn’t involve
dismantling the unit. DIY should only be considered for units
which are out of warranty. When setting out to do DIY, you need
to consider a few things ahead of time. First is the risk. A $200
toaster is going to be a much less risky fix than trying to repair a
combi oven that is worth $20,000. Replacing a missing knob on a
burner valve only requires a small screwdriver and is a relatively
easy repair, with little risk, whereas replacing the burner valve
itself is much more involved and can be far more dangerous.
Cleaning, basic servicing and basic repairs are all worth trying
in-house before hiring a service company. It always pays to do
your research before doing any repairs, however as you can void
warranties by doing work yourself and some repairs will require a
license (particularly working with refrigerant).
Professional servicing is a much better bet if your unit is of
high-value or if it is still under warranty. DIY work, again, generally
voids warranty. Working through the manufacturer with one
of their Authorized Service Agents is the best option to keep
the warranty intact (not to mention getting the highest level of
expertise possible for a given unit). Anything dealing with liquids
SPRING 2016
is typically better left to professionals as well. This would include
units utilizing water (kettles, steamers, etc.) or cooling units that
have refrigerant running through evaporation and condensing
coils. It can be hazardous for DIYers to attempt any repair on
these types of units. Conversely, the professionals are not only
“factory trained” but also have years, if not decades of experience.
They know what NOT to do, they work safely and leave the unit
operating the way the manufacturer intended.
Should you look to hire a company, look for one that is a member
of the Commercial Food Equipment Service Association (CFESA).
And if you can find one from that group that is marked as Certified,
that’s even better. Those companies have invested heavily
in “factory” training that results in a large number of Master
Technicians available on their service staff. CFESA Certified
companies also use OEM parts, are properly insured and ensure
systems and processes are in place to provide a means through
which a high quality repair can be delivered. These Certified
companies are also required to re-qualify every 3 years.
Repairing kitchen equipment isn’t rocket science. If it seems
that way, it’s a safe bet that you need to bring in some outside help.
Generally, small repairs, easy fixes and inexpensive equipment
can all be done on a DIY basis. This is particularly true for common
recommended maintenance. Anything more complicated, or
anything under warranty, needs to go the professional route.
Commercial Kitchen is one of those Certified CFESA companies.
They are the Authorized Service Agent for all of South Texas.
Their motto? “Keep Texas Cookin’ Through Fanatical Service and
Unrivaled Expertise”. They are the experts.
If you would like more information or need to visit with one of
their experts, you can contact Carl McNeal at 210-679-3300 or
[email protected].
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