Walk-in cooler stopped working? Your first-hour checklist

The first hour

1. Stop opening the door. Every opening lets cold out. Post a note on it.
2. Take temperatures and write them down. Probe a few products on different shelves and note the time. That log protects you with the health inspector and your insurer.
3. Check the simple things. The breaker, the thermostat setting, the door gasket and ice on the evaporator. Sometimes it’s quick.
4. Call your refrigeration tech and ask how long the repair will take.
5. Call (404) 418-8290 for a trailer if the repair won’t be quick. Tell us the address and whether you have frozen product.

When the trailer arrives

1. Move the most perishable, most valuable product first: proteins, dairy, prepped food.
2. Shelve it the way your walk-in is organized so the line can find things.
3. Keep logging temperatures until your cooler is fixed and holding.
4. Call us for pick-up once your walk-in is back.

Throw out or keep?

Follow your local health department’s rules. As a baseline, Ready.gov advises throwing out food that has been at 40°F or warmer for two hours or more, and anything with an unusual odor, color or texture.