Commercial refrigeration in food service, retail, and healthcare settings should receive professional service at least twice per year. High-volume operations, older equipment, or units in hot environments should be serviced quarterly. Ice machines need separate cleaning and sanitizing, typically every 6 months.

Canada's Environmental Protection Act and the Ozone-Depleting Substances and Halocarbon Alternatives Regulations control refrigerant handling. Refrigerant must be recovered rather than vented, and anyone handling refrigerants must hold a valid refrigeration mechanic licence. HFCs are also subject to phasedown schedules under the Kigali Amendment.

Ontario's Food Premises Regulation requires potentially hazardous foods to be held at 4°C or below for refrigeration, and -18°C or below for frozen storage. Equipment should maintain these temperatures during normal operation including peak load periods.

The most common causes are dirty condenser coils, refrigerant leaks, failed door gaskets, dirty evaporator coils, failed defrost heaters, and electrical component failures. Most of these are preventable with regular maintenance visits.

Operators can clean condenser coils, check door gaskets, and monitor temperatures. Any work involving the refrigerant circuit requires a licensed refrigeration mechanic. Improper refrigerant handling is both illegal under Canadian law and environmentally damaging.

A professional inspection includes condenser and evaporator coil cleaning, refrigerant leak check, operating pressure and temperature measurement, electrical connection inspection, door gasket assessment, defrost system verification, fan motor inspection, drain line flushing, temperature verification, and a written service report.

Well-maintained commercial walk-in coolers and freezers typically last 15–25 years. The compressor and refrigeration system components usually require replacement first, typically at 10–15 years. Regular maintenance significantly extends the functional life of the equipment.

Warning signs include the unit running continuously, temperatures higher than set points, excessive ice buildup on evaporator coils, loud or unusual noises, visible corrosion or oil spots near refrigerant connections, water pooling, and unexplained increases in energy bills.