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]. 7