A seller can turn on a refrigerator during a walkthrough. You need to know whether it holds temperature through a working day, what has been repaired, and what still needs attention before closing. Put equipment checks early enough in the purchase schedule to get answers from the seller.
Start with the equipment your opening day depends on. For a restaurant, that may be the walk-in and dishwasher. A cafe needs its espresso machine ready for the morning rush. Ice cream and dessert shops depend on frozen storage, bakeries on refrigerated ingredients, and bars on reliable ice production. A convenience store may have several separate refrigeration systems. Check each one.
For a commercial property, include the rooftop units and tenant refrigeration in the equipment list. Identify who owns each unit and who maintains it before arranging access.
Make the seller’s equipment list usable
Ask for model and serial numbers, then match them to the machines on site. Give each unit a simple label based on its location, such as the rear walk-in or front beverage cooler. Take one photo of the whole unit and a close-up of its nameplate. Keep both under the same label.
Confirm which equipment is included and which is leased or belongs to a supplier. An espresso machine on the counter isn’t necessarily part of the sale. Arrange a visit while equipment is operating normally, with someone available who can explain recurring faults. Ask about anything switched off.
Walk-ins and reach-ins: look beyond the display
Record the displayed temperature and setpoint separately. Have the inspector compare the reading with an independent thermometer and note whether the cabinet is stocked, doors are being opened, or the system is defrosting. Those conditions matter when interpreting a reading.
Look along the door seals for tears, loose sections and gaps at the corners. Close each door normally. Check whether it latches, rubs against the frame or needs a shove. Warm air entering through a poor seal adds moisture and cooling work.
Photograph heavy ice on the evaporator, ice around the doorway, or water on the floor. Ice can accompany airflow, door or defrost problems; it doesn’t identify the failed part. Ask for a diagnosis before accepting a promise that a quick defrost has solved it.
Condenser coils need clear airflow. Check for grease and dust buildup, and for boxes stacked against the equipment’s ventilation openings. Let the inspector access guarded components and check fans. You can record visible conditions without removing covers or reaching into a running unit.
For dipping cabinets and frozen displays, ask the operator about soft product, uneven temperatures and repeated adjustments. A colder control setting doesn’t explain why the previous setting stopped working.
Ice machines need a water-side check
Ask when the machine was last descaled and sanitized, and when its water filter was changed. Find the filter model and service label. A new cartridge doesn’t remove scale already inside the machine.
Have the inspector check accessible water paths, scale deposits, the bin and drainage. Watch an ice-making and harvest cycle where practical. Ask the seller whether ice production keeps up during busy periods and whether the machine stops with an error. Record the answer alongside service records so a full bin at the walkthrough doesn’t stand in for operating history.
Rooftop units: age, refrigerant and condition
Arrange roof access for the inspector. Photograph the nameplate and record the model, serial number and refrigerant. Use the manufacture date where it is printed, or the manufacturer’s serial-number reference to establish the year. Installation records show when the unit entered service, which can differ from its manufacture date.
Filters, coils and airflow need checking even if the unit starts and runs. Ask the inspector to document coil dirt or damage, filter condition and observed operation. Note which tenant space each rooftop unit serves; the roof location alone may not make that obvious.
R-22 deserves a separate note in your purchase planning. US production and import ended in 2020. Existing equipment can still be serviced using previously produced or reclaimed supplies, and the phase-out does not itself require replacement. EPA explains the R-22 servicing rules and supply limits.
For a repair that needs refrigerant, availability and refrigerant cost become part of the decision alongside the failed component and labor. A filter change is a different job from finding and repairing a refrigerant leak. Ask for the actual fault and a repair proposal before deciding to keep or replace the unit.
Espresso, coffee and dishwashing equipment
Watch the operator demonstrate each espresso group, steam wand and hot-water outlet. Look for leaks and ask about pressure complaints, slow warmup or interruptions during service. Include grinders and batch brewers in the inventory if they’re part of the purchase. Water-treatment records matter here too: document the filter or softener and ask what maintenance the machine’s manufacturer requires.
For a commercial dishwasher, identify whether it sanitizes with heat or chemicals. Watch a normal cycle with the operator. The inspector can assess filling, washing, draining and leaks, then check sanitizing performance using the method and operating requirements for that model. A temperature shown on a panel alone doesn’t establish what happened at the dish surface. Ask about scale removal and recurring drain or chemical-feed problems.
Ask for records tied to the right machine
Request the documents before the visit so the inspector can compare them with the equipment:
- Service invoices that identify the unit and describe the fault and completed repair.
- Maintenance and cleaning logs, including coil cleaning, ice-machine service and water-filter changes.
- Refrigerant leak repairs and recharge records, plus major component replacements.
- Equipment manuals, installation dates and any open repair recommendations.
If refrigerant has been added repeatedly, check whether a leak was found and repaired. A maintenance invoice for one rooftop unit says nothing about the other one. Match records by serial number wherever possible.
Use the photos in the purchase discussion
A unit-by-unit report gives everyone the same reference. The seller can respond to the damaged seal on a named cooler. Your broker can connect a repair request to the equipment included in the transaction. A lender reviewing the equipment can see its identity and documented condition alongside the other purchase documents.
Keep immediate repair needs separate from routine maintenance and longer-term replacement planning. If the seller agrees to work before closing, use the original unit labels and findings to check the completion records. That is easier to follow than a general assurance that the equipment was serviced.
Arrange an equipment inspection before closing
ADRIUM’s pre-purchase equipment inspection covers equipment for business and commercial property buyers. That page includes a sample report with photos for individual units and a downloadable PDF. Send us your equipment list and due diligence deadline so we can agree on the inspection scope and arrange access.