Commercial refrigeration repair across Orange County, same day, Monday to Saturday. Walk-in coolers and freezers, reach-in refrigerators and freezers, sandwich and pizza prep tables, undercounter and bar coolers, display cases and merchandisers, for restaurants, pizzerias, cafes, bars, markets and hotel kitchens. We do our own compressor, evaporator and refrigerant work. The service call is $79 and is applied to the repair when you approve it, and you get a firm written price before any work starts.
A warm walk-in is lost product and a health-code problem: cold food has to hold at 41°F or below, and an inspector who finds a reach-in at 48°F does not care why. That is why refrigeration calls from businesses go to the front of our schedule. Most of what we find is a condenser coil packed with grease and dust, a failed evaporator or condenser fan, a defrost problem, a torn gasket or a failed control; when it is the compressor or a refrigerant leak, we repair that too, as in the Vulcan walk-in in Costa Mesa and the Costa Mesa pizzeria whose cooler stopped cooling during a weekend.
Commercial refrigeration we repair
- Walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers: evaporator and condensing units, fans, defrost heaters and timers, thermostats and controllers, door gaskets, closers and heaters, drain lines
- Reach-in refrigerators and freezers, one, two and three door: True, Turbo Air, Beverage-Air, Traulsen, Delfield, Continental, Arctic Air, Atosa, Avantco and Migali
- Sandwich, salad and pizza prep tables, chef bases, worktop and undercounter refrigerators
- Bar coolers, back-bar refrigerators, keg coolers, glass frosters and bottle coolers
- Display cases, deli cases, merchandisers and grab-and-go coolers
- Blast chillers, and the commercial ice machines covered on our ice machine page
Common commercial refrigeration problems and how we fix them
Walk-in cooler or freezer running warm
Likely causes: a condenser coil clogged with grease and dust, a failed condenser or evaporator fan motor, an evaporator iced over from a defrost failure, a door left open or a torn gasket, low refrigerant from a leak, or a failed compressor or contactor.
Try this first: look at the evaporator inside the box. If it is a block of ice, turn the unit off and let it defrost while you call; that is a defrost failure. Check that the condensing unit on the roof or outside has airflow and the fan is turning.
How we fix it: we clean the condenser, replace fans, heaters, timers and controls, find and repair leaks, and replace the compressor when it has failed, then verify box temperature and defrost.
Reach-in or prep table not holding temperature
Likely causes: a condenser full of kitchen grease, an evaporator fan that stopped, a gasket that no longer seals, overloaded or blocked airflow inside the cabinet, a failed thermostat or controller, or low charge.
Try this first: pull the grille and look at the condenser; if you cannot see through the fins, it needs cleaning. Make sure product is not blocking the evaporator fan or the return vents, and close prep-table lids between rushes.
How we fix it: we clean the coil, replace fans, gaskets and controls, and repair the sealed system if the charge is low. Three recent write-ups: a commercial refrigerator too warm in a San Clemente cafe, a True refrigerator in Mission Viejo and a True reach-in with a short circuit.
Freezer iced up, or ice on the evaporator
Likely causes: a failed defrost heater, defrost timer or termination thermostat, a door that does not close or a worn gasket letting humid air in, a failed door heater on a walk-in freezer, or a drain line frozen solid.
Try this first: check that the door closes and latches on its own and that the gasket is intact all the way around. A walk-in freezer door that frosts at the frame has a failed frame heater.
How we fix it: we replace the heater, timer, thermostat, gasket or door hardware, clear and heat the drain, and verify the defrost cycle runs and terminates.
Compressor short-cycling, humming or not starting
Likely causes: failed start components (relay, capacitor, overload), overheating from a dirty condenser or a dead condenser fan, a failed contactor, low voltage, or a compressor that has failed internally.
Try this first: make sure the condensing unit has clearance and airflow and the condenser fan runs. Do not keep resetting a breaker that trips; that is how a repairable fault becomes a dead compressor.
How we fix it: we test the windings, start components and contactor, replace what failed, and if the compressor is gone we replace it, pull a vacuum and recharge on site.
Water on the floor under or inside the unit
Likely causes: a clogged or frozen evaporator drain line, a failed condensate pan heater, a cracked drain pan, a door gasket sweating from a bad seal, or a leak in the water line to a unit with a built-in ice maker.
Try this first: find whether the water comes from the drain line, the door or the back. A walk-in that drips from the evaporator housing has a blocked or frozen drain.
How we fix it: we clear and heat-trace the drain, replace the pan heater or pan, and replace gaskets.
Thermometer, controller or display not working
Likely causes: a failed temperature probe, a failed digital controller, a loose connection, or a power switch or wiring fault.
Try this first: check the box temperature with a separate thermometer. If the box is fine and only the display is wrong, you have time; if both are wrong, call now.
How we fix it: we replace the probe, the controller or the switch, as in the True thermometer repair in Mission Viejo and the True power switch short.
Commercial refrigeration jobs we have written up
- True Refrigerator Thermometer Not Working (October 2026), Mission Viejo
- What Causes a True Refrigerator Short Circuit? (September 2026)
- Vulcan Walk-In Refrigerator Repair in Costa Mesa (July 2026), Costa Mesa
- Walk-In Cooler Not Cooling? Costa Mesa Pizzeria Fix (May 2025), Costa Mesa
- Commercial Refrigerator Too Warm? San Clemente Cafe Fix (January 2025), San Clemente
What commercial refrigeration repair costs
The service call is $79. That covers the trip and the on-site diagnosis, and it is applied to the repair when you approve it. Prices depend on the unit and the part, so after the diagnosis you get a written price for parts and labor that does not change once the work starts; the ranges below are what the common repairs usually come to.
| Repair | Typical price, parts and labor |
|---|---|
| Evaporator or condenser fan motor (reach-in, prep table) | $250 to $500 |
| Door gasket (reach-in or walk-in door) | $200 to $450 |
| Thermostat or digital temperature controller | $250 to $500 |
| Defrost timer, heater or termination switch | $250 to $550 |
| Start relay, capacitor or contactor | $200 to $400 |
| Condenser coil cleaning and service | $180 to $350 |
| Walk-in evaporator fan motor | $300 to $600 |
| Walk-in door closer, hinge or heater wire | $250 to $600 |
| Refrigerant leak repair and recharge | $700 to $1,800 |
| Reach-in compressor replacement | $1,200 to $2,500 |
| Walk-in condensing unit compressor replacement | $1,800 to $4,500 |
Typical Orange County ranges for parts and labor on common models; the service call is $79 and is applied to any of them. Built-in, professional and commercial units, and parts that have to come from the manufacturer, can run higher. You get the exact written price after the diagnosis and before any work starts.
Maintenance that prevents the emergency call
Most commercial refrigeration failures we see started as a dirty condenser. Grease and flour in the air coat the coil, head pressure climbs, the compressor runs hot and eventually fails. A condenser cleaning every three months in a busy kitchen, gaskets replaced when they tear rather than when the box warms, and drain lines cleared before summer prevent most of the calls on this page. We do scheduled maintenance visits for restaurants that want them; ask when you book.
How a commercial refrigeration call works
- Call. Call (949) 544-5550 or book online, and tell us the unit, the brand and the box temperature. Warm boxes go first.
- Diagnose on site. We check temperatures, airflow, the condenser, fans, defrost, controls and system pressures, around your service.
- Written price. You approve the parts and labor before work starts. The $79 service call is applied to it.
- Repair. Fans, start components, controls, gaskets and defrost parts for common brands are on the van; compressors and evaporators come from Orange County distributors, usually the next business day.
- Warranty. Parts and labor on the repair are under warranty. If the same problem comes back within 90 days, the return visit has no service-call fee.
Brands we service
True, Vulcan, Turbo Air, Beverage-Air, Traulsen, Delfield, Continental, Arctic Air, Atosa, Avantco, Migali, Victory, Randell, Silver King, Perlick, Krowne, Kolpak, Amerikooler, Nor-Lake, Master-Bilt, Bally, Heatcraft and Bohn evaporators, Copeland and Tecumseh compressors.
Service area
Based in Irvine, covering the whole of Orange County: Costa Mesa, San Clemente, Mission Viejo, Tustin, Santa Ana, Anaheim, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Orange, Fullerton and every other city in the county.
Commercial refrigeration repair FAQ
How much does walk-in cooler repair cost in Orange County?
The service call is $79 and is applied to the repair. Fans, controls, gaskets and defrost parts are the affordable end; compressors and leak repairs the expensive end. You approve a written price before any work starts.
Can you come today? My walk-in is warm.
Usually yes. Call rather than book online, tell us the box temperature, and the call goes ahead of non-urgent work. Move product to another unit or ice it down in the meantime.
Do you replace compressors on walk-ins and reach-ins?
Yes. We replace compressors and evaporators, repair refrigerant leaks, pull a vacuum and recharge on site. It is our own work, not a referral.
Why is my reach-in warm on top but cold on the bottom?
On a prep table, usually the lid left open, overfilled pans or a failed rail fan. On a reach-in, blocked airflow inside the cabinet or a failed evaporator fan. Both are usually fixed in one visit.
Do you repair True refrigerators?
Yes. True reach-ins and prep tables are among the most common units we see, including thermometer, controller, fan, gasket and sealed-system repairs.
Do you do preventive maintenance for restaurants?
Yes. Condenser cleaning, gasket and drain checks on a schedule prevent most emergency calls. Ask about a maintenance visit when you book.
