Companies hire and purchase refrigerated vans for a reason. They’re manufactured to keep goods and products chilled during transit – ensuring they stay in pristine condition throughout their journey. A reliable and safe refrigerated van is correctly maintained via regular van maintenance checks.
With all fleets, there comes a time when you will need a new refrigerated van or fleet, however, if you want to reduce the frequency that these expensive vehicles need replacing then that’s where regular servicing can help. If a refrigerated van isn’t serviced regularly, many problems are likely to occur – issues that could affect your whole business. However, there are ways businesses can prevent issues from occurring by utilising regular van servicing.
In this post, we’re going to explore the importance of regular refrigerated van servicing, the benefits of servicing and how you can do maintenance checks on your own refrigeration unit.
We’ll cover:
- What is Van Servicing?
- Why is Van Servicing Important?
- What Are the Advantages of Regular Van Servicing?
- Refrigeration Unit Maintenance You Can Do Yourself
What is Van Servicing?
Having a refrigerated van has many benefits – we’d be here all day listing them, there’s so many. However, refrigerated vans are only a valuable asset to a business if they’re going to be maintained consistently over time.
Whether you’re transporting flowers, food or even pharmaceuticals, the method of transport you use must be reliable. But how can you ensure your vehicle is safe for the road and won’t let your business and customers down? That’s where regular refrigerated van servicing comes in.
Van servicing covers the inspections your vehicle will have to see if it’s fit for its purpose. Servicing will cover all of the external parts of the vehicle and the internal fixtures and features too. Servicing can help identify any risks before they become dangerous and it can also identify areas that need work. Servicing is absolutely essential and it’s a worthy investment – FACT.
Van service should be done before every journey and afterwards too. These are typically carried out by the driver of the vehicle and are monitored for future reference. These are great checks to do in between vehicle servicing to ensure the vehicle’s quality is maintained.
Scheduled refrigerated van servicing covers scheduled maintenance checks that are completed by a vehicle specialist or expert. They’re more thorough and they check everything – from the largest parts to the smallest intricate details. Both pre-travel checks and regular van servicing are essential for vehicle productivity, safety and reliability.
Van servicing should be completed every year for the best results, this is also recommended and advised by law. It’s worthwhile keeping a note of the next service date your vehicle is due. Or, if you’ve got a modern van, it’ll likely notify you when a service is due.
Why is Van Servicing Important?
Regular servicing of a vehicle is a legal requirement, it ensures your vehicle is fit for its purpose and it can help you save money in the long term. Regularly servicing your refrigerated van can be the difference between it running smoothly and being fuel-efficient to running the risk of it breaking down and increasing business downtime.
Repairs and replacements are costly and regular van servicing can prevent the likelihood of this happening. Servicing is a way to keep your products and cargo safe as well as your drivers and team – it’s essential. Wear and tear is inevitable when your van is consistently being used. However, servicing checks will ensure that the wear and tear isn’t having any dramatic or dangerous long-term effects.
If your business relies on the use of refrigerated vans, they represent your brand and contribute to your brand image. If your vans are unreliable, break down or aren’t carrying your goods in the correct way – your business reputation will be impacted negatively.
With the experts doing the work for you, there’s never been a better time to invest in refrigerated van servicing. You invest and they complete the hard work for you – so you can continue to move your business forwards in the right direction.
What Are the Advantages of Regular Van Servicing?
There are many advantages of regular van servicing – from increased vehicle reliability to sustained positive brand image. It can be tempting to skip a service because of the time it takes and the money that it costs but it’ll certainly save you money in the long run.
The advantages of regular van servicing:
- Reliability: the more your vehicle is routinely serviced, the more reliable your vehicle will be. Problems will be highlighted before they create hazards and the likelihood of experiencing breakdowns will be unlikely.
- Protected products and cargo: an essential factor of a refrigerated van is to keep the products and cargo inside safe and secure. Van servicing will ensure the vehicles are operating in the best way for positive results every time.
- Positive brand image: regular van servicing not only represents your brand as reputable and trustworthy but it’ll contribute to your positive brand image. Your brand image can be a make or break for consumers as to whether they choose you or your competitor.
- Reduced costs: getting your vehicle serviced regularly and maintaining it between the services is always money well spent. It’s productive and a valuable investment.
- Fuel-efficient: regular servicing can save drivers a lot of money on fuel too. During a service, oil and air filters will be checked to ensure they’re working properly and safely. While addressing this, issues such as underinflated tyres can also reduce rolling resistance and increase fuel consumption.
- Longevity: regularly servicing your van can improve the life span of your vehicle too. Regular servicing will ensure that no long-term effects are created or impacting the vehicle itself and it can maintain the vehicle value too.
- Health and safety: Servicing prevents problems from occurring during travel so it’s essential for keeping your employees safe.
Refrigeration Unit Maintenance You Can Do Yourself
The time in between servicing is the perfect chance for you to maintain the high standard of your vehicle. This maintenance will ensure your refrigerated van and fleet are in peak condition helping you save on repairs in the long run.
Hygiene and cleanliness: The cleanliness of your van is essential and should be a high priority. Before and after every journey, your refrigeration units should be cleaned and wiped down to ensure no contamination occurs. Strong chemicals or abrasive tools should never be used on commercial refrigeration interiors and always seek advice from the manufacturer and van supplier before cleaning.
Inspection: before and after every journey, the vehicle should be checked for faults, excessive wear or damage, problems or potential hazards. This is where you can look for signs of leakage, broken seals, rust, unusual noises and more.
Payload and organisation: making full use of your vehicle’s payload will not only ensure your van is safe to drive but it’ll also ensure your products will be safe and secure during transit. When loading items into the refrigeration unit, ensure debris and goods are loaded efficiently.
Drive Your Business Forwards
If you’re ready to drive your business forwards and make the most out of your vehicles, then there’s never been a better time to get some expert advice.
Our team is always on hand to answer questions and provide expertise related to your refrigerated van or portable refrigeration containers.
Whatever you need help or assistance with, don’t hesitate to get in touch to find out more information. We’re always happy to help!
