Especially when visible to the front of house, ensure high-speed ovens remain clean with a pristine exterior.
Proper maintenance procedures and a cleaning schedule will help prevent service issues and minimize downtime. Many issues on these units are preventable when ovens are cleaned properly, and most cleaning should be done on a daily basis.
High-speed ovens tend to attract excess grease when in use. For this reason, the interior needs frequent cleaning to prevent microwaves from arcing. Internal messes also tend to bake on the bottom of these ovens since these ovens distribute microwaves from the bottom of these units. This can crack components and contaminate wave guides, compromising operation. For this reason, spills should be wiped up immediately to help circumvent these problems.
High-speed ovens may have air filters that need regular cleaning, depending on the unit. Operators should brush and clean cooling fans on a regular basis.
Placement is also key as issues can occur if these ovens are positioned too close to hot and grease-producing equipment, such as griddles and fryers.
High-speed ovens will show an error code if there is a problem yet may still be operational in spite of code displays. In this instance, a service tech should be called to check on the issue; otherwise, the problem may get worse and more costly to fix.
When the cost of repair is more than half the price of a new high-speed oven, it’s time for it to be replaced.
Oven service life is dependent on cycle times rather than years of use. These units tend to operate for about five years, depending on volume, before needing replacement.