Many businesses in Austin utilize walk-in coolers and freezers for keeping foods and beverages at the proper temperature and preventing spoilage. From beer coolers in liquor stores to walk-in coolers in convenience stores and restaurant/grocery store refrigeration, insulation is more important than you may realize – especially in the floor. Why?
In any situation the cool air from a walk-in cooler or freezer can escape if not properly insulated, or warmer air from the outside of the cooler may penetrate the cooled air. This can result in not only the loss of inventory due to spoilage or damage, but a loss of money spent on those goods.
Is there any scenario in which you wouldn’t need floor insulation for a walk-in? If you have level cement beneath the cooler or freezer located at ground level with no rooms beneath it, insulation usually isn’t necessary.
Flooring insulation – factors to consider
The location of your walk-in cooler or freezer makes a huge difference in how well it functions. For instance, if a walk-in is located in a hot restaurant kitchen or warehouse, the competing temperatures can lead to problems including not only spoiled or defrosting foods, but issues with the floor depending on the material it’s made of. Humidity and hot air competing with a walk-in cooler in which there is no floor insulation can result in hardwood that becomes warped or moldy carpet.
As mentioned above, the only time you can skip the insulation is when you have a concrete (cement) floor. You can top the concrete with tile, vinyl or another material, but otherwise you must have flooring insulation.
When a walk-in cooler, refrigerator or freezer is located on an upper-level floor above another room, insulation is absolutely critical. Without it, there will be problems with condensation in the building materials used between the lower room and the walk-in which can compromise the structure of the building where your walk-in is located (moisture build-up, rotting wood, mold, etc.). This is a situation in which you absolutely must have floor insulation to protect your inventory and even your building.
What type of flooring do you have in your walk-in cooler or freezer, and where is it located? These are very important questions to consider when trying to decide whether your cooler floor should be insulated. Considering the super-hot temperatures and sky-high humidity levels in Austin during the summer months, insulation becomes even more important.
The spray foam insulation experts at HabiShield can help you determine whether floor insulation is essential so that you don’t have to worry about the potential loss of inventory and associated costs. Give us a call today!