Commercial refrigerator and freezer repair in Ottawa and Gatineau
We repair reach-in and under-counter refrigerators and freezers, sandwich and pizza prep tables, glass-door merchandisers, bar and bottle coolers, and display cases for restaurants, cafés, convenience stores, offices and institutions across Ottawa and Gatineau. Diagnostic: $129 + tax, waived when you proceed with the repair.
A commercial cooler that drifts above 4 °C is not just an equipment problem: Ontario's food premises rules require potentially hazardous food to be held at 4 °C or colder. When a box starts running warm, the cause is usually something the technician can find and fix on the first visit: a dirty or blocked condenser, a fan that has stopped, an iced evaporator from a failed defrost, a worn door gasket or a control that no longer reads the box correctly.
We diagnose the whole system, write down what failed and what it costs, and only then repair. We diagnose the sealed system. Refrigerant work (leak repair, recharge, compressor replacement and recovery) is done for RepairWell by a certified refrigeration technician we work with.
Equipment we repair
- Reach-in refrigerators and freezers. One-, two- and three-door solid or glass-door units, top- or bottom-mount compressor.
- Under-counter and worktop units. Under-counter refrigerators and freezers, worktop coolers and chef bases under cooking lines.
- Prep tables. Sandwich, salad and pizza prep tables with a refrigerated rail and cabinet below.
- Glass-door merchandisers and display cases. Upright and open merchandisers, deli, bakery and grab-and-go display cases.
- Bar and bottle coolers. Back-bar and bottle coolers, keg coolers and beverage dispensers' refrigeration.
- Blast chillers and freezers. Diagnosis of fans, controls, probes and defrost; sealed-system work by our refrigeration partner.
Problems we fix, and what can cause them
These are possibilities, not a diagnosis. The technician confirms the cause on site and writes it down before any repair.
| Symptom | Possible causes |
|---|---|
| Box running warm or not holding 4 °C | Dirty condenser coil, stopped condenser or evaporator fan, iced evaporator, worn gasket, failed thermostat or controller, low refrigerant charge (sealed system). |
| Freezer not holding temperature | Defrost heater, defrost termination thermostat or timer, evaporator fan, door heater or gasket, controller or probe. |
| Ice building up on the evaporator coil | Failed defrost heater, timer or control, blocked drain, door left ajar or a torn gasket letting humid air in. |
| Water on the floor or in the cabinet | Frozen or blocked drain line, cracked drain pan, failed drain-line heater, condensate overflowing. |
| Compressor clicking, short-cycling or not starting | Start relay or capacitor, overload, contactor, controller fault, or a compressor problem confirmed on site. |
| Loud fan, buzzing or rattling | Worn condenser or evaporator fan motor, loose blade or shroud, ice hitting the fan, failing compressor mounts. |
| Condensation or sweating on the cabinet | Failed door or mullion heater, gasket not sealing, door out of alignment. |
| Controller showing an error or the wrong temperature | Failed sensor or probe, controller fault, wiring or connector problem. |
Parts we test and replace
- condenser and evaporator fan motors
- thermostats, electronic controllers and temperature probes
- defrost heaters, timers and termination thermostats
- start relays, capacitors, overloads and contactors
- door gaskets, hinges, closers and cartridges
- door, frame and drain-line heaters
- drain lines and pans
- lights, ballasts and switches
- compressors and sealed-system parts (refrigeration partner)
Repairs a technician may recommend
- Clean the condenser coil and restore airflow
- Replace a condenser or evaporator fan motor
- Replace the defrost heater, timer or termination thermostat and clear an iced coil
- Replace the controller, thermostat or temperature probe
- Replace door gaskets, hinges or self-closers so the doors seal
- Clear and heat-trace a frozen drain line
- Replace the start relay, capacitor, overload or contactor
- Sealed-system diagnosis, then leak repair, recharge or compressor replacement by our refrigeration partner where justified
We diagnose the sealed system. Refrigerant work (leak repair, recharge, compressor replacement and recovery) is done for RepairWell by a certified refrigeration technician we work with. Retiring a unit instead? See Freon and refrigerant removal.
Safe checks before you call
- Check the set point on the thermostat or controller and that nobody has changed it
- Make sure product is not blocking the evaporator fan or the air vents inside the box
- Look at the condenser grille: if it is matted with dust or grease, note it for the technician
- Close each door on a sheet of paper; if it slides out freely, the gasket is not sealing
- Check that the unit has its own outlet and the breaker has not tripped
- Move food into another cold unit or onto ice while you wait
Stop using it if
- A burning or electrical smell, or a breaker that trips again when reset
- An oily residue near the compressor or a chemical smell, which can mean a refrigerant leak
- Water pooling near the power cord or an outlet
Never work on gas lines, wiring or refrigerant yourself.
What to expect at the visit
The technician checks box and coil temperatures, airflow, the condenser, both fans, the defrost system and the controls before looking at the sealed system. You get a written finding with the cause, the repair, parts and labour, and our verdict. Fan, defrost, gasket, relay and control repairs are often finished on the same visit when the part is on the truck. Sealed-system work is scheduled with our refrigeration partner and is quoted separately before it starts.
Repair or replace?
Fans, controls, defrost parts, gaskets and relays are worth repairing at almost any age. The decision gets harder with a failed compressor or a leak on an older unit: the finding puts the sealed-system price next to what the unit is worth to your operation, so you can decide with numbers, not guesses.
What moves the price
- Diagnostic: $129 + tax, waived when you proceed with the repair. Written finding and quote before any work.
- Whether the part is on the truck or has to be ordered
- Access: under-counter units under a cooking line take longer to pull and open
- Number of doors and gaskets to replace
- Sealed-system work by our refrigeration partner is the most expensive category and is quoted separately
Warranty: 90 days on parts replaced; labour coverage depends on the work done. Emergency service runs 6 pm to midnight: a $169 + tax emergency call within 35 km; beyond 35 km extra travel is quoted from your address. Emergency repairs are quoted on site and cost more than regular repairs.
Questions
My cooler is at 7 °C. Can I keep using it?
Ontario's food premises rules require potentially hazardous food to be held at 4 °C or colder. Move that food to another cold unit or onto ice, keep the doors closed and book a visit. Your inspector or public health unit decides what can be kept.
Do you recharge refrigerant?
A low charge means a leak, so topping up alone is rarely the right repair. We diagnose the sealed system. Refrigerant work (leak repair, recharge, compressor replacement and recovery) is done for RepairWell by a certified refrigeration technician we work with.
Can you repair a prep table whose rail is warm but the cabinet is cold?
Yes. That pattern often points to rail airflow, a rail fan, a lid left open or a blocked duct between the cabinet and the rail. The technician confirms the cause on site.
What does the visit cost?
The diagnostic is $129 + tax for any commercial appliance, waived when you proceed with the repair. You get the written finding and the repair price before any work.
Do you work on walk-in coolers too?
Yes. See walk-in cooler and freezer repair.
Related commercial repairs
Sources
- Ontario Regulation 493/17: Food Premises (sections 20 and 27)
- Government of Ontario: certificate to handle refrigerants
Sources checked 2026-10-21.
Equipment down?
Call with the equipment type and the symptom, or book online. You get a written finding and the price before any repair.
Pick a preferred day and arrival window online; we confirm by email once a technician is assigned.
- $129 + tax diagnosticAny commercial appliance, gas or electric; waived when you proceed with the repair
- Written finding on every visitCause, price and our repair-or-replace verdict
- 90-day warrantyOn parts replaced; labour depends on the work done