Ultra-Low Temperature Freezer: Helpful Maintenance Tips

As a health-care professional working in the medical industry, you would already know and understand the importance of maintenance of your medical equipment. Apart from diagnostic equipment and medical machinery, medical refrigerators and ultra-low temperature medical freezers also go through inevitable but reversible wear and tear.

The general temperature of ultra-low freezers usually ranges between -60°C and -90°C. They are utilized to store sensitive medical items such as vaccines, human cells and tissues, plasma, blood enzymes and lab samples. Considering the sensitive nature of these items, it is clear why the ultra-low freezer would be required to work in excellent condition.

Depending upon the type of ultra-low temperature freezer as well as its usage, it may require manual maintenance and cleaning either quarterly, bi-annually or annually. In certain cases, the freezer manufacturers themselves could give you an explanation of how often it would require maintenance. Certain forms of maintenance and essential repairs require the services of a trained professional.

Some basic and straightforward forms of maintenance can be conducted by facility employees themselves. These include the following:

GL-U-4M Glacier Series

Defrosting

The buildup of ice in the ultra-low temperature medical freezer can lead to adverse consequences. It could impact the maintenance of uniform temperature required for the safety and potency of the stored medical components. The door latch as well as gaskets can also be impacted by the buildup of ice.

Primary maintenance as well as preventative measures could include regular defrosting of manual ultra-low temperature freezers, opening the unit door only when required, and also ensuring that the door closes appropriately to avoid the freezer from overworking to maintain the required temperature.

Cleaning the Door Gaskets

Regular cleaning of door gaskets is recommended to be done at least once a month to ensure smooth functioning of the ultra-low temperature freezer. Door gaskets need to be scrutinized for signs of wear and tear such as cracking of the seal, as this could be a sign that warm air is seeping into the unit. This would not just impact the ability of the freezer to maintain a stable temperature, but it would also adversely impact the medical components already stored in the unit.

Additional Tips 

Apart from these, it is also important to utilize the ultra-low temperature medical refrigerator adequately by keeping it full to maintain the appropriate temperature. Having alarm systems in place, such as the Aegis’ built-in into the ultra-low freezer or external temperature monitoring sensors provided can help raise an alarm during a critical situation.

GL-U-30M-Glacier-Series

Keeping the door open for too long can impact the ability of the freezer to maintain a stable temperature. Keeping the contents well organized such that the user knows exactly where items are kept will reduce the duration that the door is kept open. 

Timely maintenance of Ultra Low temperature freezers can go a long way in keeping your freezers in a healthy condition and also ensures the safety and potency of the medical items stored within it. With a few small steps such as the ones mentioned above, you can improve the durability of your ultra-low temperature medical freezer.

To know more about the refrigerators, freezers and ultra-low freezers developed by Aegis, we encourage you to browse through our products. You may also dial 1-800-796-2344 and speak to our representative regarding any doubts that you may have.