Call the number on this page and tell us what’s down. You’ll get an arrival window before you hang up, and the tech gives you a written price before starting any repair.
While you’re waiting
None of this needs tools.
- Keep the door shut. A closed walk-in holds its temperature for a while, and every time it opens you lose cold air you won’t get back until it’s fixed.
- Check the breaker, and the disconnect switch near the condensing unit. Reset a tripped breaker once. If it trips again, leave it off.
- Look at the thermostat or controller in case somebody bumped the setting.
- Make sure nothing is blocking the condenser. On a reach-in that might be boxes stacked against the grille.
- Write down the time and the temperature, and probe a few items. You’ll want that for your records and in case the health department asks.
Don’t chip ice off an evaporator coil with a knife or a screwdriver. It’s easy to puncture a tube, and then you’ve got a refrigerant leak on top of whatever caused the ice. If the coil is a solid block, leave it for the tech, who’ll defrost it properly and find out why it iced.
If it looks like the box won’t be back soon, move product before it warms, starting with raw meat, seafood and dairy. Working reach-ins or ice chests will buy time, and so will a walk-in at another location if you have one. In a freezer, keep the door closed and leave things where they are as long as you can, since a full freezer holds cold longer than a half-empty one. There’s a longer checklist in our post about the first hour after a walk-in fails.
What to tell us on the phone
Anything you can tell us helps the tech show up with the right parts. Tell us what the equipment is and what temperature it’s showing, and how long it’s been climbing if you know. Mention anything you’ve noticed, like ice built up on the coil, the compressor not running, a new noise, or water on the floor. If you can get to the data plate with the make and model, read that off too. And let us know about access, such as whether the condensing unit is on the roof and who’ll be there to open up.
If it’s the ice machine that’s down, buy bagged ice for the night and we’ll look at it. Our ice machine repair page covers the usual causes. If you lost product, read our guide on product loss and insurance before you call your insurer. The service report from the repair will help with a claim.
Afterward, think about a temperature alarm for boxes that sit unattended overnight. It won’t prevent a failure, but someone hears about it that night and can do something about the product.
