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If you plan to store cakes, pies, and other perishable items in your walk-in freezer this season, it's essential that your appliance works properly. But if your freezer doesn't stay cold enough to keep your items fresh, it may have a bad thermostat. Here's how a bad thermostat affects your freezer and what you do to repair it:

How Can the Thermostat Go Bad?

Your freezer relies on a thermostat to keep each item inside it cold or frozen. Most coolers use a setting between 35 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit to keep perishable goods safe. If the thermostat doesn't reach the desired temperature, the freezer won't get cold enough to freeze properly.

Your freezer's thermostat can also malfunction over time. The electrical components inside the thermostat can rust or break. The freezer might go into defrost mode and remain there, or it may cause the parts inside the freezer to absorb too much heat. An overheating walk-in freezer can break down and require immediate repairs.

You can keep your perishables and freezer safe by repairing or replacing your thermostat.

How Do You Fix Your Ailing Thermostat?

You don't want to repair or replace your freezer's thermostat yourself. The thermostat is linked to several important parts: the evaporator coil, compressor, and condenser coil. If you damage the thermostat's wiring, you may cause problems with its connecting parts. It's safer to contact a commercial equipment repair technician for services.

A technician will generally inspect the entire cooler before they make any repairs. A technician needs to eliminate other possible reasons for your ailing freezer, such as a damaged evaporator coil. The coil can freeze up and stop cooling the freezer if it clogs up with old food and ice, or if it has problems circulating refrigerant through the system. A contractor will test the coil to see if it needs repairs.

If the coil and other parts aren't the reasons behind your freezer's problems, a contractor will replace the thermostat. You may want to upgrade your thermostat to something stronger and more reliable. The new thermostat may have control features that allow you to adjust the freezer's temperature when needed. Some thermostats come with smartphone features that allow you to monitor and control your cooler's temperature from another location. If you operate multiple stores, you may benefit from using this type of thermostat.

Don't hesitate to contact a company like Golden State Commercial Equipment Repair.