A walk-in cooler that will not hold temperature is almost always one of four things: the condenser cannot reject heat, the evaporator has iced over because defrost is not working, the charge is low because there is a leak, or the door is no longer sealing. Diagnosing which one before touching a compressor is the whole job.
What we check, in the order we check it
There is a sequence to this, and skipping it is how a $300 call becomes a $3,000 one. A technician who opens gauges first has already guessed.
- The controller against a real thermometer. Electronic controllers fail soft. A display reading 34°F on a box that is genuinely at 46°F sends everyone chasing mechanical faults that do not exist.
- The door, the gasket, the closer, the hinge. Free to inspect, and responsible for a surprising share of calls. A cam-lift hinge that no longer lifts and drops the door leaves a gap you cannot see but can feel.
- The condenser coil. In a commercial kitchen it packs with grease-laden air. High head pressure, high discharge temperature, and a unit that runs beautifully at night and trips at two in the afternoon.
- Airflow inside the box. Product stacked against the evaporator discharge stratifies the air. The thermostat is satisfied while the top shelf sits at 50°F.
- Defrost. Time-initiated, temperature-terminated, with a fail-safe. Most icing calls trace to that distinction being wrong somewhere.
- Superheat, subcool and the charge. Last, not first. And if the charge is low, we find the leak rather than topping it off.
What repairs actually cost in Boston
| Repair | Typical installed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Door gasket replacement | $180–$420 | A consumable. 12–36 months in a busy kitchen. |
| Door closer or hinge | $220–$520 | Often mistaken for a refrigeration fault. |
| Drain line clearing or heater | $180–$430 | Includes checking the trap is outside the box where it belongs. |
| Evaporator fan motor | $230–$540 | On PSC motors we check the run capacitor before condemning the motor. |
| Defrost heater or control board | $260–$680 | We ohm every element, not just the easy one. |
| Condenser fan motor | $280–$650 | Capacitor first. It usually is the capacitor. |
| Leak detection and recharge | $400–$1,300 | Includes the leak-rate record you are now required to keep. |
| Evaporator coil replacement | $900–$2,600 | |
| Compressor replacement | $2,100–$4,600 | On a system over twelve years old, price a new condensing unit alongside it. |
The diagnostic is $185 and it comes off the repair. We publish these because a restaurant owner deciding at 9pm whether to call deserves a number, not a form.
What you are left holding
Every visit ends with a written report: box and product temperatures, superheat and subcool readings, what was found, what was done, and a refrigerant leak-rate record. Since January 2026 that record is not a courtesy — systems holding 15 pounds or more are subject to leak-rate calculation every time refrigerant is added, and a 30-day repair clock if the rate is exceeded.
Brands we carry parts and knowledge for
Nor-Lake, Kolpak, Master-Bilt, American Panel, Bally, Amerikooler, Polar King, Imperial Brown and U.S. Cooler on the box side. Heatcraft, Bohn, Larkin, Russell, KeepRite and Copeland on the refrigeration side, plus Danfoss, Sporlan, Dixell and KE2 controls and Kason hardware.
Questions we get asked
How quickly can you get to me?
In the core ring — Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Chelsea, Everett, Brookline, Quincy, Medford, Malden, Revere and Watertown — we are on site within four hours on an emergency, and same day on any call placed before 2pm. In Newton, Waltham, Woburn, Needham, Dedham and Framingham it is same day before noon, first slot the next morning after that.
Is the diagnostic fee really credited?
Yes. $185 to come out and find the fault, and it comes off the repair if you go ahead on the same visit. If we cannot find the fault you do not pay it.
My cooler runs fine overnight but climbs every afternoon. What is that?
Head pressure, not refrigerant. The condenser cannot reject heat once the kitchen and the outside air warm up — a coil packed with grease, a failed condenser fan capacitor, or a unit with no clearance behind it. Anyone who adds refrigerant to that box is making it worse.
Do you replace whole condensing units?
Yes, and on a system running R-22 we will usually recommend it. R-22 now costs $80–$150 a pound installed, so a 25 pound charge is a refrigerant bill of two to three thousand dollars before any labour. A new unit is 30–50% more efficient and may qualify for Mass Save incentives.
Do you work on reach-in coolers too?
No. Walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers only. It is the whole reason we get the diagnosis right.