Why is a summer closure so important?
For sectors such as education and healthcare, this is a given: schools are closing their doors, and certain departments are operating at a reduced capacity or have been temporarily suspended.
This downtime offers a unique opportunity. Commercial kitchens operate at high intensity all year round, causing wear and tear, grease build-up and fine dirt to accumulate in places that are difficult to reach during normal operations. The summer closure is the ideal time to clear this backlog completely, without impacting day-to-day operations.
Thorough cleaning: what, how and in what order
A thorough clean forms the basis of good preparation for the summer break. This isn’t about daily or weekly cleaning, but a deep clean of the entire premises: from floor to ceiling, from equipment to the extraction system.
The right order makes all the difference. Start at the top – ceilings, extractor hoods and light fittings – and work systematically downwards. This prevents dirt that comes loose during cleaning from ending up on surfaces that have already been cleaned.
Cleaning evaporators and filters to remove dust
In spring and early summer, pollen levels in the air are particularly high. This pollen settles on the evaporators and filters of cooling systems and extraction systems, reducing their efficiency. The summer shutdown is the ideal time to thoroughly clean these components of dust, thereby preventing unnecessary wear and energy losses.
Testing and preventative replacement of parts prone to wear
As well as cleaning, it’s a good idea to use the downtime to check parts that are under a lot of strain: seals, belts, filters and other wear-and-tear parts.
Check them and replace anything that has seen better days. Any fault you discover now can be dealt with calmly and in a planned manner. A fault discovered on the first working day after the holidays causes stress and a loss of productivity.
Your equipment checklist during the shutdown
No service, no time pressure. Use that time to give your commercial kitchen equipment thoroughly. A quiet kitchen allows you to hear, feel and see things that you miss amidst the daily hustle and bustle.
Call on D&L for your pre-summer closure check-up
You might be able to sort out the basic cleaning yourself, but when it comes to the technical side of things, it’s a different story. Knowing exactly what to check, recognising what’s still in good working order and what’s no longer up to scratch – that requires a great deal of expertise.
D&L Concepts knows the equipment inside out and can spot what needs attention in a single inspection. That way, you don’t waste time searching or second-guessing, and you can be sure afterwards that everything is in order. After the holidays, your kitchen will be up and running as it should be: with no surprises on the first day back at work.
D&L Concepts as our regular maintenance partner
A well-run commercial kitchen starts with regular maintenance. Not just around the summer closure, but all year round. With D&L Concepts as your regular maintenance partner, you don’t have to worry about it yourself. We proactively schedule maintenance appointments, monitor the condition of your installations and take action before a minor problem becomes a major one. This helps you avoid unplanned downtime, extends the lifespan of your equipment and ensures you’re always working in a kitchen that complies with current standards.
Would you like to find out what a maintenance contract with D&L could mean for your kitchen?
Get in touch for a no-obligation maintenance assessment and find out what condition your kitchen is currently in and what you can achieve with proper maintenance.