Serving Virginia Beach · Norfolk · Portsmouth · Chesapeake (757) 304-0029 · 24/7 emergency line

Free tools for people who run kitchens

No gate, no email capture. Use them, share them, call us when you need hands.

Decision tool

Repair or replace?

The industry rule of thumb: if a repair costs more than about half the replacement price on aging equipment, replacement usually wins. This tool weighs the quote against age and expected lifespan.

Repair it

This repair is 16% of replacement cost. With roughly 10 years of expected life left, our guidance threshold for this unit is 60%.

  • A written condition report from a PM visit makes this call before the breakdown does.
  • Premier plans include an annual capital report so replacements land in your budget, not your emergency fund.
Get a second opinion

Guidance only. A tech on-site beats any calculator.

Reference

How long does kitchen equipment typically last?

Typical expected service life with regular maintenance. Individual results vary with usage, water quality, and how consistently PM is performed.

EquipmentTypical lifespan
Walk-in cooler / freezer15 years
Reach-in refrigerator10 years
Ice machine8 years
HVAC rooftop unit15 years
Commercial fryer10 years
Range / griddle12 years

Between our visits

What your staff should do monthly

Condenser coils

Brush or vacuum dust off refrigeration condenser coils. Dirty coils are the #1 preventable compressor killer.

Door gaskets

Wipe gaskets and check the dollar-bill pull test. Torn gaskets make compressors run constantly.

Ice machine visual

Look for slime, scale, or cloudy cubes. Production loss starts small.

Hood filters

Wash baffle filters weekly. Grease-loaded filters choke airflow and are a fire risk.

Drains

Pour hot water down floor drains and check evaporator drain lines for standing water.

Clean commercial ice machine

Where our parts come from

We fit genuine OEM parts sourced through the same national distributors the manufacturers themselves recommend, so warranties stay intact and parts fail on schedule, not early.

Parts Town AllPoints WebstaurantStore KaTom

Researching a part yourself? Those four catalogs are the honest reference for what OEM parts really cost. Bring us the part number and we will quote it straight: cost plus a stated markup, on the invoice.

Need a professional read on your equipment?

We will give you an honest repair-or-replace call on-site, no guesswork.

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