Each day, read the display and a separate thermometer, check the door closes and seals, look at the floor for ice or water, listen for changes, and write it down. Each week, look at the coil, drain pan and outdoor unit. No tools are needed. The point is to notice small changes before they become failures.
Most walk-in emergencies had a warning. A slightly warmer reading, a new sound, a bit of frost at the door. The people who work around the box every day are the best early warning system, if they know what to look for and someone reads the notes. This routine is short by design.
Daily, in about five minutes
- Read two temperatures. The display and a separate thermometer. Write both down with the time.
- Check the door. Does it close and latch on its own? Any gaps or curled gasket?
- Look at the floor. Ice, water or spills, near the door and under the coil.
- Listen. A steady hum and moving air are normal. New rattles, squeals or silence are not.
- Look at the shelves. Nothing blocking the fan housing, and nothing on the floor.
- Initial the log. One line, with a note if something looked different.
Weekly, with a flashlight
- Look at the evaporator coil and fan blades for heavy frost, ice or bent blades.
- Check that every fan is turning.
- Check the drain pan for standing water.
- Do the flashlight test at the door for light or drafts.
- Look at the outdoor unit for debris, leaves and dirt on the coil.
- Make sure the outdoor fans turn when the compressor runs.
- Read back through the log for a trend.
What to do with what you find
| What you notice | What to do |
|---|---|
| Display and thermometer disagree | Tell the manager. Check again with a third reading. |
| Temperature higher than yesterday | Check the door and stock. Recheck in an hour. |
| Ice near the door or coil | Note the location and tell the manager. |
| A new noise | Note where and when. Escalate if it persists. |
| A fan not turning | Tell the manager today. |
| Standing water in the pan | Report it. Ask for the drain to be checked. |
| Warm box or alarm | Follow the plan in the troubleshooting guide and call. |
Make it stick
- Put the checklist on a clipboard by the door.
- Assign one person per shift, with a backup.
- Have a manager review the log once a week and sign it.
- Praise the person who reports a small problem early.
- Keep a phone number for service on the clipboard.
The monthly and seasonal tasks are on the maintenance checklist, and the log layout is on thermometer placement and logging. A professional visit fills in the rest, as described on the maintenance page.
Questions about staff checks
Do I need special training?
No. The checks are looking, listening and reading. A five-minute walk-through with your technician is enough to show staff what normal looks like.
How do I stop staff skipping the log?
Make it one person's job per shift, keep the sheet at the door, and review it weekly. A log nobody reads gets ignored.
Is the log needed for inspections?
Ask your inspector what they expect. A log is good practice either way and helps when there is a failure.