Before You Blame the Equipment: The Top Winter HVAC & Refrigeration Problems We Actually Diagnose (And the Surprising Facts Behind Them)

Every winter, we get the same frustrated call:“My system is broken. It was working fine last week!”

And every winter, we find the same truth:

More than 60% of the “equipment failures” we diagnose aren’t equipment failures at all.They’re preventable issues caused by neglect, weather changes, or simple mechanical wear that went unnoticed.

This is the part nobody likes to hear — and yes, this is where things get controversial:

The equipment isn’t the problem. The lack of maintenance is.

If you want the hard data, here it is.

1. Thermostats Cause 20–30% of “System Failure” Calls

Before assuming the compressor is dead, or the refrigerant magically disappeared, we check the simplest component first:

• Mis-calibrated thermostats

• Dead batteries

• Incorrect settings (heat vs cool vs auto)

• Faulty sensors

A $40 thermostat can look like a $4,000 failure to your staff.

2. Frozen Coils Account for 1 in 4 Winter HVAC Complaints

Most people assume frozen coils only happen in summer — not true.

Winter coil freeze-ups happen because of:

• Low airflow from dirty filters

• Closed vents

• Blower motor issues

• Low refrigerant

• Blocked return grilles

And here’s the kicker:80% of frozen coils we see come from dirty filters or clogged airflow, not failed parts.

3. Electrical Failures Increase 40% in Cold Weather

Winter is brutal on electrical components.

We frequently find:

• Loose connections

• Burned contactors

• Bad relays

• Weak capacitors

These aren’t “equipment failures” — they’re maintenance failures.Electrical wear builds up all year, and cold weather pushes weak components over the edge.

4. Refrigeration Units Fail Mostly Because of Frost, Not Compressors

Here’s a fact most kitchen managers don’t know:

Improper defrost cycles cause more holiday walk-in cooler failures than any other issue.

During winter:

• Lower kitchen humidity

• More door openings

• Frequent loadingcause frost to build up faster on evaporators.

Instead of calling us to “replace the compressor,” the real fix is often:

• Adjusting defrost cycles

• Clearing airflow

• Fixing a drain line

• Replacing a $12 fan motor

But because it happens during the busiest season, it feels like a disaster.

5. Low Refrigerant is NOT a Normal Maintenance Item

If a system is low on refrigerant, it means you have a leak — period.

But here’s the controversial part:

Over 50% of refrigeration leaks we find were detectable months earlier during a simple PM service the customer skipped.

That $150 PM visit could have prevented:

• A burnt-out compressor

• A $2,000 refrigerant recharge

• A walk-in failure during a holiday banquet

• Thousands in food loss

Refrigerant issues are preventable — but they’re ignored until it’s too late.

6. Belts, Motors, and Bearings Fail 3x More Often in Cold Weather

Winter causes:

• Rubber belts to stiffen and crack

• Oil to thicken, stressing bearings

• Motors to work harder during heat demand

• 
  

Yet most of these failures show signs months earlier, like squeaking, vibration, or slow starts.

Again — it’s rarely the equipment.It’s the missing maintenance.

The Uncomfortable Truth the Industry Doesn’t Want to Sugarcoat

People don’t like hearing this, but after thousands of service calls we can say it confidently:

**Equipment almost never fails “out of nowhere.”

There are always early warning signs — they were just missed.**

Winter exposes the problems that have been building up all year.

And when it fails during:

• peak holiday events

• full hotel occupancy

• holiday kitchen loads

• vendor shutdown periods

…it costs significantly more.

What You Can Do Right Now

If you want to stop mid-winter failures, here’s what works — backed by our field data:

✔️ Quarterly preventative maintenance

Cuts breakdowns by 40–60%

✔️ Annual electrical checks

Reduces heat-season failures by up to 50%

✔️ Refrigeration PM & defrost optimization

Prevents 70% of walk-in cooler issues

✔️ Proper filter changes

Cuts airflow-related service calls in half

✔️ Early leak detection

Saves $1,000–$5,000 compared to waiting for system failure

Key Deer Mechanical: Winter Failures Are Preventable — If You Take Action Now

We don’t just repair equipment — we diagnose, prevent, and protect your operation from downtime that could cost you thousands.

If your HVAC or refrigeration system:

• is making noise

• running longer

• not cooling or heating the same

• freezing up

• rising in temperature

• or simply “not acting right,”

don’t wait for it to fail. Winter will only make it worse.