CHANGING AIR CONDITIONERS

[wa_dave]

We currently have refrigrated air conditioning which is getting old and doesn’t work too well, as well as being probably too small for the size of the shop. Also we have had our back door enclosed as they build new shops adjacent to ours and this has restricted the airflow we used to get by opening the back door. I was looking at putting in a small split air con system in the back area (prep area) to keep it at a comfortable temp especialy as the coolroom and a 2 door and a 3 door upright freezers are there.
I spoke with centre management about adding this and she told me that the current air cond only has about a years life and asked if we were agreeable to going to evaporative air cond system which is less than 1/2 the cost of refrig. It looks as if the owner will pay the full cost of an evaporative sytem but we would have to pay 1/2 of a refrig system.
The main point of this post is will an evaporative system make any difference to our dough seeing that it will add moisture to the air where the refrig was just cool air.?
I’m not too sure if it would be an issue or not and maybe someone who is in a hot dry area who uses evaporative systems may have the answer.
We keep our front doors open as they are heavy industrial type which makes it hard for customers to open with arms full of pizzas so this would work well with evaporative which needs air coming in to work best.
Not sure if the added air moisture would have any effect on the bases as we roll out prior to opening for the whole night (on screens and then racked).
Any input appreciated.

Dave

 

[George_Mills]

Hi Dave:

Evaporative A/C is not the best option, for one thing it will boost your water bill.

Where are you located? That type cooler only is efficient in very dry environments .

Leaving doors open is generally a no no with the health department. Any air supplied to a food
service facility is required to be through a filtered source.

Apparently your facility is not air balanced.

George Mills

 

[George_Mills]

Hi Dave:
Note below another reason not to use evaporative air conditioners.

Legionnaires’ disease:

Legionella bacteria commonly exist in rivers and lakes, and some other water sources, generally in low numbers. Occasionally, they may get into artificial water supply systems, as may be the case with evaporative condensers associated with air conditioning and industrial cooling or anywhere where artificial water is being supplied or used.

Legionnaires’ disease got its name when a large number of people became ill at an American Legion convention due to the bacteria growing in the evaporative cooling system.
George Mills

 

[wa_dave]

Thanks for the reply George.
We are in Western Australia where it is hot and dry - no humidity. Evap air conds are ued widely here. Water bill is not an issue as it is covered in our outgoings for rent (land, water taxes).
Our Health laws do not require doors to be closed, but we have to have adequate insect elimination proceedures in place ie zappers.
I am not sure with air balance as the place was set up and I purchased it after 7 years of previous trading, but the air cond guy recommends evap as the most suitable system.

Dave