Custom walk-in coolers and freezers are tailored refrigeration solutions designed to meet a business’s specific size, layout, and temperature requirements, ensuring optimal storage conditions for perishable goods.
Walk-in refrigeration can be customized in many ways, including various sizes, allowing for flexibility in space utilization. Modular designs make future expansions simple. Flooring materials and finishes can be chosen to match the business’ aesthetics and durability needs. Custom lighting solutions enhance visibility and ambiance. Integration with smart technology allows for advanced control and monitoring. Specialized cooling systems ensure optimal preservation of different types of products.
Design considerations include insulation for energy efficiency, strategic door placement, efficient interior shelving, and precise temperature control systems. Involving the buyer in the production process ensures that this significant investment meets their unique demands and remains profitable for them in the long run.
Custom walk-in coolers and freezers offer great benefits such as tailored space utilization, optimized energy efficiency, improved workflow, and enhanced functionality, with the ability to integrate advanced features like smart controls and remote monitoring. They can match facility aesthetics and comply with local regulations, improving product quality and customer satisfaction. However, they often come with higher initial costs, longer wait times, complex design and installation processes, and potential maintenance challenges. Risks include over-specification, limited flexibility, and dependency on the supplier for specialized components and compliance maintenance.
The design process of custom walk-in coolers and freezers involves five main stages: initial consultation, site evaluation, designing the layout and selecting materials, fabrication and assembly, and installation. This comprehensive approach ensures that the final product meets specific business needs while maximizing efficiency and performance.
Common Customization Options
In your design process, you can implement 6 common customization options for walk-in coolers and freezers. You can significantly improve your ROI and operational ease through careful and precise customizations.
Size
The size of a walk-in refrigeration can be customized to accommodate your capacity needs and space constraints. The standard walk-in unit sizes are typically:
- 6’x6′, 6’x8, 6’x10′, 6’x12′ (respectively 1.828×1.828, 1.828×2.438, 1.828×3.048, 1.828×3.048 m)
- 8’x8′, 8’x10′, 8’x12′, 8’x14′ (respectively 2.438×2.438, 2.438×3.048, 2.438×3.657, 2.438×4.267 m)
- 10’x8′, 10’x10′, 10’x12′ (respectively 3.048×2.438, 3.048×3.048, 3.048×3.657)
- 12’x12′ (3.657×3.657 m)
with a ceiling height of 7′ (2.133 m) or 8′ (2.438 m). Manufacturers and distributors offer more varieties. While the available dimensions aren’t a small list, each business has specific spatial constraints and capacity requirements.
Depending on your storage needs, you can purchase a custom unit sized 40’x40′ (12.192×12.192 m) or more or less. You can increase the unit’s height for more vertical storage space, depending on your products. However, you shouldn’t exaggerate the unit’s height regardless of the available ceiling height since reaching the upper shelves, unless the shelves are mobile, will be a hassle and could create a falling hazard.
Modular Designs for Easy Expansion
Modular designs are smart investments for businesses that plan on growing considerably shortly. Modularity allows for easy expansion of your walk-in unit by leaving the door open to install additional panels and such. You can easily add sections or compartments without significant disruption to your operations. Modular walk-in coolers and freezers can be reconfigured or expanded to adapt to changing business needs, the types of products stored, etc., ensuring that your refrigeration system remains efficient and useful.
Flooring Materials and Finishes
Flooring materials and finishes impact your walk-in coolers and freezers’ durability, cleanliness, and safety. The most common options include stainless steel, aluminum, and reinforced floors, each offering unique benefits. Stainless steel is durable and easy to clean, while aluminum is lightweight and corrosion-resistant. Reinforced floors can support around 5,000 lbs (2267.962 kg) or more, depending on their design, and are great for heavy-duty use.
The finishes are more concerned with the unit’s aesthetic cohesion and avoiding slip hazards. Raised diamond patterns are often impressed upon flooring panels to create friction and minimize slipping.
You can read our blog to determine whether you need a floor or floorless walk-in.
Custom Lighting Solutions
Custom lighting solutions enhance visibility and operational efficiency within the walk-in unit, making lighting a massive safety consideration. LED lighting is popular due to its energy efficiency and long lifespan. It is better than fluorescent alternatives that exude heat and prove tiring to the eyes.
You can customize the lighting layout to ensure even illumination, making locating and accessing products easier. Motion sensor lighting can further enhance energy savings and convenience.
Integration with Smart Technology
The walk-in refrigeration industry has undeniably embraced major technological advancements in recent years, resulting in increased efficiency, sustainability, and durability. Integrating smart technology into your walk-in coolers and freezers improves the unit’s efficiency and daily workflow, reduces utility bills and malfunction chances, and makes maintenance and repairs a breeze.
The following technological advancements are perfect options for custom units:
- Smart Temperature Control Systems: Smart systems use sensors to continuously monitor and adjust the temperature inside the walk-in cooler, ensuring precise control and minimizing unexpected issues. Smart systems monitor humidity and air pressure levels, providing valuable information about the unit’s condition and helping prevent issues like frosting, mold growth, or leaks before they become costly repairs.
- Remote Monitoring and Control: Remotely monitor and control your walk-in unit via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The unit is matched with a webpage or mobile app, allowing you to monitor temperature changes, receive alerts based on thresholds you set, and make real-time adjustments from anywhere. This is especially great if a malfunction occurs after hours. Awareness immediately can save your stored products from complete ruin and minimize financial loss.
- Energy Efficiency Optimization with Predictive Analytics: Algorithms and predictive analytics optimize energy use by adjusting cooling cycles based on outside temperature, time of day, and usage patterns. This reduces utility bills and enhances eco-friendliness. The data collected through smart systems can be used to document compliance with regulations and to carry out diagnostic maintenance inspections remotely.
- Thermal Energy Storage (TES): These systems store surplus thermal energy released from the walk-in unit and repurpose it for other uses. Walk-in coolers can exude heat in an attempt to cool the interior, and often, this heat is expelled through the ventilation systems with no function. TES systems enhance energy efficiency by enabling refrigeration equipment to operate more effectively since the point is to collect heat that should be expelled anyway. This approach alleviates the strain on the refrigeration cycle, and the ventilation network can cut energy costs by as much as 50%.
Design Considerations for Custom Walk-Ins
When designing your custom unit, consider the size and layout necessary for your operations, insulation and energy-efficiency opportunities, door placement and types, interior shelving and available storage solutions, and temperature control systems.
Size and Layout
The size and layout of your custom walk-in coolers and freezers should be designed to optimize space utilization and workflow. Careful planning ensures the unit fits seamlessly into your existing space while providing adequate storage capacity.
When picking a size for the unit, you should consider the amount of space you will need to allocate to foot traffic. The layout should facilitate easy access to frequently used items, enhancing operational efficiency. Getting a 40’x40′ (12.192×12.192 m) unit doesn’t mean you have that much space for storage. Shelving, pathways, carts, etc., will shrink the space you can use for storage. Calculate your capacity needs, the minimum space needed for easy operations within the unit, the 2″-4″ (5.08-10.16 cm) you will need to leave around the unit as per regulations to allow fans to work properly, and then decide on the size of your unit based on these factors.
Insulation and Energy Efficiency
High-quality insulation is essential for maintaining consistent temperatures and reducing energy consumption. Custom walk-ins can be designed with insulation materials that achieve a high R-value. For best results, aim for an R-value of 25-30. You can choose from different insulation materials and metal sheets to improve your unit’s insulation capacity. Better insulation means better performance, increased longevity, and lower utility bills.
Energy-efficient refrigeration systems and components enhance the unit’s overall efficiency, lowering operating costs. You can implement the following into your unit:
- Variable-Speed Compressors: These compressors adjust their speed based on cooling demands, minimizing energy waste during periods of low usage.
- Smart Defrost Controls: These controls optimize defrost cycles to reduce energy consumption while maintaining optimal temperature levels in walk-ins.
- LED Lighting: Upgrading to energy-efficient LED lighting in walk-in coolers reduces electricity consumption compared to traditional lighting options while emitting less heat.
- Heat Recovery Systems: Utilizing heat recovery systems can capture waste heat from refrigeration units and use it for other purposes, such as space heating or water heating, thereby increasing energy efficiency.
Door placement and type
The placement and type of doors impact the functionality and efficiency of your walk-in refrigeration. Strategic door placement minimizes cold air loss when accessing the unit, improving energy efficiency and maintaining stable internal temperatures. In the case of swing doors, you need a swing allowance to easily access the unit, and the placement of the door can be crucial in this sense.
Door types include hinged, sliding, swinging, and glass doors, each suited to different operational needs.
- Hinged Doors: Hinged doors are common in walk-in coolers and freezers. They swing open on hinges attached to one side of the door frame. These doors are straightforward to operate and provide a tight seal when closed, minimizing energy loss. The hinges should be regularly inspected to ensure no rusting or leak danger.
- Sliding Doors: Sliding doors are ideal for walk-in coolers where space is limited or where frequent access is required. They slide horizontally along tracks, making them easy to open and close without swinging outward, thus conserving space. However, the seal of the unit won’t be as tight with sliding doors, which could endanger the insulation if the door is not maintained and replaced promptly.
- Swinging Doors: Swinging doors operate similarly to hinged doors but swing in only one direction, depending on the design. They are often used in areas with high traffic flow, providing convenient access while maintaining a good seal when closed.
- Glass Doors: Glass doors offer visibility into the walk-in cooler, which can be beneficial for displaying products or monitoring inventory without opening the door. They are commonly used in retail settings or where visual access is important while maintaining energy efficiency through insulated glass and tight seals.
Interior Shelving and Storage Solutions
Customizable shelving and storage solutions enhance the organization and accessibility of products within the walk-in unit. You can implement one or more of the following 4 options into your unit:
- Adjustable Shelving: These solutions allow shelves to be repositioned, adapting to changing storage requirements, optimizing space, and ensuring easy access to stored items.
- Sliding Shelves: Sliding shelves facilitate easy access to items stored at the back of deep shelves, improving usability and minimizing the need to reach or move other items.
- Removable Dividers: Dividers that can be easily inserted or removed allow for customizable compartments within shelves, enabling better organization and segregation of products based on size, type, or other criteria.
- Wire Baskets: Wire baskets provide visibility and ventilation, making them ideal for storing fruits, vegetables, or items that require airflow. They ensure freshness and allow for easy inventory level monitoring.
Temperature Control Systems
Advanced temperature control systems precisely regulate internal conditions, ensuring optimal storage environments for different products. You can integrate them to maintain consistent temperatures and alert you to fluctuations.
- Digital Thermostats: Digital thermostats provide accurate temperature readings and allow for precise adjustment of cooling settings within walk-in units. They are more reliable than manual ones and can demonstrate more precise readings.
- Remote Temperature Monitoring: This feature allows real-time monitoring and control of temperatures from a remote location via a website or an app, enhancing convenience and enabling proactive management of storage conditions. This can come in handy during long vacation periods when you still want to keep an eye on your products without paying a daily visit to the store.
- Programmable Controls: These controls enable automated temperature adjustments based on preset schedules or operational needs, optimizing energy efficiency and maintaining consistent storage conditions. You can set the temperatures in advance for peak and off-peak hours, save on energy, or change the settings based on your storage. For example, increased humidity might be necessary for fresh vegetables.
Benefits of Custom Walk-Ins
You should know about the 12 main benefits of custom walk-ins. By being aware of these potential benefits, you can improve the design of your unit and increase the perks of your investment.
- Tailored to Specific Space Requirements: Custom walk-in units can be tailored to your business’s specific space requirements. Whether the size, shape, or exposure to weather elements, each constraint can be addressed with custom design elements.
- Optimized for Energy Efficiency: The type of business you run, the climate of your area, business hours, the products you store, and more impact the amount of energy needed to run a walk-in unit. You can customize your unit to perform optimally in your specific circumstances. For instance, if you are operating in a hot climate, you can improve the insulation layer to minimize the impact of weather on your utility bills. If your business hours fluctuate, you can invest in an automated temperature control system or a variable speed compressor to navigate the energy demands between peak and off-peak hours.
- Improved Workflow: You can achieve enhanced functionality based on business operations through customizations. For instance, if your products are large and heavy and require a cart within the unit during shipment deliveries, ask for an expanded pathway to accommodate such traffic. Integrate movable shelves for easy access. Add multiple doors to your design depending on the size and necessary access points for the staff within your establishment.
- Improved Product Storage: Different products require different storage conditions. Vaccine and medicine storage often requires lower temperatures than what regular coolers are equipped for. You can improve the cooling capacity of your unit to accommodate lower temperature needs. On the other hand, fresh products such as vegetables, fruits, and flowers require increased humidity. If your inventory will be the same for the duration of your business, look into the specific storage needs of your products and optimize your unit to accommodate those needs. Adjust the shelf type, height, configuration, and similar depending on the size of your products.
- Optimized Performance: Custom refrigeration units are built to deliver optimal performance tailored to your business needs. By selecting the best components and design features according to your business requirements, you can maximize the ROI of your unit. Energy-efficient designs lower utility costs, while smart technologies like remote monitoring and predictive maintenance enhance overall efficiency. Tailored features such as specialized shelving and humidity control further optimize performance, making custom refrigeration units a valuable investment for improving product quality and operational effectiveness.
- Better Integration with Existing Equipment: Custom walk-in coolers and freezers can be designed to integrate seamlessly with your existing equipment and infrastructure. A walk-in unit must be integrated into your establishment’s plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems. By identifying the capacity and location of these networks in your allocated space, you can customize the location of connection points for pipes, cables, vents, etc., and minimize the customizations necessary on your site. This will simplify installation and operations significantly and ensure that all components work together efficiently, reducing potential compatibility issues and enhancing the overall functionality of your refrigeration system.
- Scalability: Custom units can be designed with future growth in mind, allowing for easy expansion or modification as the business evolves. Consider your short-term and long-term goals before the purchase. Walk-ins are sizable investments. If you plan on growing your business within the next 5-10 years, investing in scalability features can extend the lifecycle of your investment.
- Aesthetic: Custom units can be designed to match your facility’s aesthetic and functional requirements, ensuring a cohesive look and feel that blends seamlessly with the overall design. You can emboss the surface of your walk-in with your logo or pick colored panels to match your interior aesthetic.
- Advanced Features: You can incorporate advanced features and technologies, such as smart controls, remote monitoring, and specialized cooling zones, that might not be available in standard units. By advancing your unit’s technological features, you can improve energy efficiency, optimize your workflow, and make operations smoother.
- Compliance with Regulations: Custom units can be designed to meet specific local health and safety regulations, ensuring compliance and reducing the risk of fines or other legal issues. Non-compliance leads to closure of your business and health and safety hazards. Check-in with your local governing bodies to learn about the regulations that apply to you and customize your unit accordingly.
- Customer Satisfaction: Businesses can achieve higher levels of customer satisfaction by ensuring that their refrigeration needs are met precisely, leading to better product quality and consistency. Flower shops and grocery shops that sell fresh produce can improve the lifespan of their delicate products and offer them to their customers in a better state. You can eliminate public health and safety risks and become a reputable, reliable vendor in your area.
- Durability and Quality: Custom units often use high-quality materials and components tailored to the business’s specific needs, resulting in a more durable and reliable system. For instance, if you operate in a location with extreme weather conditions, you can furnish your unit accordingly and prevent it from malfunctioning or becoming useless prematurely.
Disadvantages of Custom Walk-in Cooler Freezers
There are also 10 main disadvantages associated with custom walk-in cooler freezers.
- Higher Energy Costs: Custom walk-in coolers and freezers can be less energy-efficient, leading to higher operating costs over time if not properly designed.
- Higher Initial Cost: Custom units have higher upfront costs due to their tailored design, custom manufacturing, and added features. However, the higher cost could be compensated for in the long run through energy-efficient features.
- Longer Lead Times: Designing and manufacturing custom units takes longer than buying standard models shipped from a warehouse. This extended timeline can delay the delivery and installation stages and extend the time you need to kick off your operations.
- Complex Design Process: The unit will be designed considering your current equipment, space shape and size, and infrastructure. Diverting from the beaten path will inevitably lengthen and complicate the process.
- Installation Challenges: Custom walk-in coolers and freezers require specialized installation procedures, which can be more complicated and time-consuming than standard units. You must reinforce the flooring to accommodate the unit’s custom size and weight. You will need a good HVAC technician and installation team to integrate the unit properly into your current infrastructure. You’ll need to work closely with the manufacturer and the designer to oversee the installation process. Lack of proper installation could leave your unit vulnerable to leaks, premature breakdowns, and more.
- Maintenance Complexity: Custom walk-in coolers and freezers require special maintenance schedules and a specifically trained staff for routine maintenance. You will be highly dependent on the personnel who become familiar with the unit for your general maintenance needs since you cannot call up any random technician to solve your problems. However, establishing a guideline in advance and keeping several knowledgeable members on your payroll can diminish the complexity associated with maintenance.
- Potential for Over-Specification: Due to the highly specific changes made to the walk-in’s body, overly customized units could cost more and have lower resale values. You should plan carefully and scrape off any changes you do not need. If you intend to resell the unit at some point, consider how the customizations you are ordering might impact the unit’s usability for a different buyer.
- Limited Flexibility: Custom units are designed for specific needs, which can limit their flexibility if business requirements change. Adapting or modifying a custom unit can be more difficult and expensive than changing a standard unit. Ensure that your inventory and business goals will remain the same or similar for a considerable time before ordering a unit designed to meet your current needs.
- Dependence on Supplier: Since the unit is custom-made, you will depend on your supplier for expansions, repairs, part changes, and routine maintenance runs. Ensure the supplier is reputable for its good customer support and offers services to your business area. Working with established manufacturers is recommended to ensure your supplier is still in business and ready to offer support even after a decade.
- Compliance and Regulation Issues: While ensuring that a custom unit complies with all local health and safety regulations is easier, maintaining these compliances can be more complicated due to their custom nature. For instance, if you commission special features to be more eco-friendly, you will require additional checks and certifications to ensure their safe continuity and compliance.
The Custom Walk-In Coolers and Freezers Design Process
The custom walk-in design process has five main stages: initial consultation, site evaluation, designing the layout and selecting materials, fabrication and assembly, and installation.
- Initial Consultation and Needs Assessment: You will begin your custom walk-in design journey with an initial consultation with the vendor and a general assessment of your needs, desires, and challenges. Preferably, the consultation should occur in your establishment, where the designer could see your space firsthand and form an opinion.
During the consultation, you will be expected to share your expectations regarding the project and any specifications you want in the design. Try to come to the meeting prepared and have formed a vague vision. The vendor will collaborate with you at this stage and inform you of all the possibilities that can be unlocked through a custom design. Most buyers are interested in minimal customization and are concerned with size and shape to address immediate challenges when customization could achieve much more for your business, such as improved efficiency and workflow. Make a list of your desires and needs and share them with the designers as elaborately as you can to let them help you flesh out a tangible solution.
- Site Evaluation and Measurement: Once the vision for the project is more or less fleshed out during the consultation, the relevant personnel will evaluate the installation site and take its precise measurements. The installation site should be strong enough to shoulder the weight of the intended unit and enclosed to protect the unit from weather occurrences. Precise measurements are necessary to ensure a snug fit of the unit in your space in accordance with regulations that require a walk-in to be 3″-4″ (7.62-10.16 cm) off the walls and ceiling.
- Designing the Layout and Selecting Materials: The manufacturers present you with layout and material options. The unit’s layout should be designed with the flow of daily operations in mind. For instance, the number and configuration of shelves are directly related to the type of product you store. You need sturdier and solid shelves to store heavy pieces of meat, while lightweight wire shelves are great for storing boxed products. Or, if your products are rather tall, you can utilize vertical spaces for shelving.
The material of the walk-in defines the longevity and R-value of the refrigeration system. The panels of walk-ins are made of two metal sheets and an insulation layer sandwiched between them. The metal sheets can be made of aluminum, stainless steel, galvanized steel, or fiberglass. Each option has its unique benefits.
For instance, aluminum isn’t as sturdy or durable as the others, but it is cheaper and more lightweight. The insulation materials are quite varied, but in any case, you should aim for an R-value of at least 25 for sufficient insulation. A high R-value can be achieved through good insulation material or by increasing the thickness of the insulation material and the metal sheets surrounding it.
- Fabrication and Assembly: The finalized design will be handed off to the manufacturing team. The custom unit fabrication and assembly can take a couple of weeks or months, depending on the level of customization and the sheer size of the unit. The increased wait time for the unit to be built and delivered is an unignorable disadvantage.
- Installation and Final Adjustments: The vendor should install the unit to ensure the custom features aren’t rendered useless through faulty installation. Ensure that the technicians you hire for HVAC integration and similar work know your modifications and act accordingly. Software customizations and similar work could require final adjustments before it is all good to go. Ensure that your staff is thoroughly trained to operate your unit.
Conclusion
In conclusion, custom walk-in refrigeration solutions offer businesses unparalleled flexibility and functionality by tailoring every aspect of the unit to specific needs and operational requirements. From size and modular design to flooring materials, lighting, smart technology integration, and specialized cooling systems, these customized units can significantly enhance space utilization, energy efficiency, workflow, and product preservation.
Despite the higher initial costs, longer lead times, and potential complexities in design, installation, and maintenance, the benefits of improved performance, better integration with existing equipment, scalability, advanced features, regulatory compliance, and enhanced customer satisfaction make custom walk-ins a valuable investment. By carefully navigating the design process and considering both the advantages and disadvantages, businesses can achieve a refrigeration solution that meets their unique demands and contributes to their long-term success and profitability.
You may also wish to read our “Walk-in Refrigeration Guide” to learn more about walk-in refrigerators and freezers.
