Tips for Buying Efficient CFS Equipment | Teems Electric

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, restaurants are among the most energy-intensive operations in the country, using five to 10 times more electricity per square foot than other commercial operations. From massive refrigerators to high-BTU ovens to hoods that run most of the day, commercial foodservice (CFS) equipment takes a lot of power.

While some operations can cut demand by turning off or unplugging energy-drawing equipment when it’s not in use, that’s not an option for restaurants. Hoods are required in kitchens preparing foods that can create grease-laden vapors, and unplugging a refrigerator means hundreds of dollars in spoiled perishables.

Still, there are some things foodservice operators can do to help cut the demand. Here are three tips for finding CFS equipment that can reduce your restaurant’s power needs and a bonus one for after the purchase:

CFS Equipment That Uses Less Energy

  1. Look for the ENERGY STAR. The little blue insignia of this quasi-governmental organization indicates a piece of equipment has been found to use less energy than most in its category. The testing isn’t foolproof—companies can and do find ways to get the star by sacrificing performance—but it’s a good sign a piece can help cut utility use. Only nine categories of CFS equipment are rated by ENERGY STAR, though.

  2. Buy equipment that produces less latent heat. A lot of commercial cooking equipment produces a lot of ambient heat that doesn’t go into the food, which means a hotter kitchen that taxes HVAC and refrigerators. Chief among those are gas cooking pieces, including fryers and ranges. Modern gas fryers are typically somewhere between 40 and 60% efficient, while comparable electric units can make use of more than 80% of the BTUs they produce. Similarly, gas ranges put off a lot of heat that doesn’t go into the cooking vessels or the food, while induction ranges don’t actually produce any heat themselves, so there’s very little heat waste from cooking with them.

  3. Find equipment with an idle. Modern CFS equipment is designed to be more efficient than any that preceded it. Part of that efficiency for some units is achieved through smart controls that can put the piece into an idle mode when it’s not in use for a set period of time. Some can be programmed to switch into idle mode at times when business is always slower, while a select group is even intelligent enough to “learn” when those periods are. Equipment in idle mode uses less electricity, but is kept in a state from which it can be quickly and efficiently returned to work when needed.

  4. Maintain equipment. You may already know improper maintenance is one of the top causes of early equipment failure, but you may not know why that’s the case. A unit that isn’t running in peak condition has to work harder, which means it uses more energy. Completing simple, routine maintenance such as cleaning refrigerator coils and de-liming steamer boilers can ensure CFS equipment continues running efficiently and for a longer time.

Does your restaurant or commercial need electric or HVAC maintenance? Let Teems Electric be your one-stop for all your needs.