After 20+ years within the meals truck enterprise, each constructing and sustaining these cell kitchens, I’ve seen firsthand what winter can do to a meals truck that isn’t correctly ready. Right here within the northern states, winter isn’t only a gradual season – it’s a severe problem in your gear. I’m going to share my private insights on methods to defend your funding throughout these chilly months.
The Actuality of Winter Storage
Let me be straight with you: storing a meals truck for winter isn’t so simple as parking it and strolling away. I’ve had clients come to me in spring with horror tales about frozen pipes, useless batteries, and even worse – mildew progress that required full kitchen overhauls. These are costly classes that I don’t need you to be taught the exhausting method.
Beginning With the Fundamentals: Mechanical Prep
First issues first – let’s discuss what I name the “golden rule” of winter storage. Your truck wants to enter hibernation in high situation. Right here’s my guidelines that I share with each buyer:
1. Refill with recent gas and add a high-quality gas stabilizer. I personally suggest Star Tron Enzyme Gas Therapy – I’ve seen it maintain gas recent for as much as two years. Drive the truck for no less than 15 miles after including it to make sure it runs via your complete system.
2. Change your oil and all filters (gas, air, and oil). Chilly begins are robust on engines, and recent oil provides you one of the best safety. I recommend utilizing an artificial oil with a decrease viscosity ranking for winter – one thing like 5W-30 that flows higher in chilly circumstances.
3. Verify and exchange all belts and hoses. The chilly makes rubber brittle, and I can’t let you know what number of instances I’ve seen a belt snap throughout the first spring startup as a result of it was already worn going into winter.
Meals truck within the snow.
The Kitchen Tools Problem
That is the place meals vans differ from common autos, and it’s essential to get it proper. Right here’s what I do with my very own vans:
1. Deep clear all gear with a degreaser. Any residual grease can develop into rancid and entice pests. I recommend utilizing a commercial-grade degreaser like Tremendous Clear, diluted correctly.
2. Take away all moveable gear if you happen to’re storing in an unheated area. This contains:
– Mixers and meals processors
– POS methods and tablets
– Hearth extinguishers (retailer these in a temperature-controlled setting)
– Detachable gaskets from refrigeration models
3. For mounted gear:
– Drain all water traces fully
– Add food-grade antifreeze to P-traps
– Depart fridge and freezer doorways barely open with moisture absorbers inside
– Cowl all stainless-steel surfaces with food-grade mineral oil to stop corrosion
Plumbing System Safety
Let me be completely clear about this: your plumbing system is essentially the most susceptible a part of your meals truck throughout winter storage. I’ve seen burst pipes trigger catastrophic harm that prices upwards of $5,000 to restore, to not point out delaying season openings by weeks. Even a small quantity of water left in your traces can broaden when frozen and crack your pipes, fittings, or water heater. That’s why I’ve developed this foolproof technique over years of winterizing a whole lot of vans.
Begin along with your water tanks – each recent and gray water should be fully emptied. I imply fully. I like to recommend opening the drain valves after which driving the truck across the block to make sure any pockets of water get sloshed out. For the gray water tank, give it an intensive flush with clear water first – any grease or meals particles left behind could cause nasty odors and micro organism progress throughout storage.
As soon as the tanks are empty, transfer on to the traces. Open each single faucet and valve in your truck – cold and hot sides. Don’t neglect these simply missed valves like those beneath your sinks or the exterior spray nozzles. Now, right here’s the place lots of people go mistaken – they suppose gravity will do the job. It received’t. You want compressed air, however watch out with the strain. I take advantage of precisely 30 PSI – any greater can harm your traces, any decrease may not clear them fully. Join the air compressor to your metropolis water inlet and pay attention for air spurting from all of your open taps. Hold the air flowing till you’re sure no extra water is popping out.
Undergo a winter guidelines earlier than placing your unit in storage for the winter.
Subsequent comes the antifreeze step – however not simply any antifreeze. You want particular RV/marine antifreeze rated for potable water methods. The pink stuff, rated to -50°F. Pour a couple of cup down every drain, together with your hand-washing sink and any ground drains. This creates a protecting barrier in your P-traps and prevents any residual water from freezing and cracking the fittings.
Don’t neglect about your water filters – they’re costly to interchange and might be simply broken by freezing. Take away them, allow them to dry fully, and retailer them in a sealed plastic bag in a temperature-controlled setting. Label every filter with its location within the truck – you’d be stunned how straightforward it’s to neglect which one goes the place after a couple of months.
Lastly, sort out the water heater. That is essential as a result of a cracked water heater can value over $1,000 to interchange. Flip off the facility, disconnect it, and use the strain reduction valve to make sure it drains fully. Some fashions have a separate drain plug – take away it if yours does. I really use my air compressor right here too, giving it a fast blast to make sure no water is trapped inside.
Electrical Methods and Battery Care
With regards to electrical methods in meals vans, winter storage presents some distinctive challenges that transcend what you’d face with a daily car. Most meals vans run a number of battery methods – you’ve acquired your car battery, presumably deep cycle batteries for kitchen gear, and possibly even batteries for POS methods or lighting. Every considered one of these represents a big funding, and I’ve seen far too many operators lose a whole lot of {dollars} by neglecting correct battery care throughout the low season. Chilly temperatures are notably exhausting on batteries, doubtlessly decreasing their capability completely in the event that they’re not correctly maintained.
Prep your meals truck inside and outside for winterization.
What makes meals truck batteries particularly susceptible is the in depth electrical system they’re linked to. In contrast to common autos, meals vans usually have advanced wiring setups for kitchen gear, air flow methods, and point-of-sale gadgets. Throughout winter storage, any small energy drain from these methods can slowly deplete your batteries, and in the event that they discharge fully in freezing temperatures, you’re possible substitute quite than rehabilitation. I discovered this lesson early in my profession when a buyer misplaced three costly deep cycle batteries after a very chilly winter – an costly mistake that might have been prevented with correct storage procedures.
I’ve developed a selected strategy to battery upkeep through the years:
1. Take away the battery and retailer it in a temperature-controlled setting
2. Use a sensible battery maintainer – I like to recommend the NOCO Genius10 as a result of it has particular settings for deep cycle batteries
3. Verify battery water ranges month-to-month in case you have a lead-acid battery
4. Clear terminal connections and apply dielectric grease earlier than removing
Exterior Safety
The outside wants simply as a lot consideration as the inside:
1. Wash and wax the outside completely. I take advantage of a ceramic coating on my vans – it’s an funding however offers wonderful safety
2. Apply a heavy-duty rubber conditioner to all seals and gaskets
3. Spray all locks and hinges with a dry lubricant (moist lubricants can freeze)
4. Place metal wool within the exhaust pipe (with a small tag hanging out as a reminder to take away it)
5. Cowl with a breathable cowl – I take advantage of a custom-fitted cowl with vents that stops moisture buildup
Defending Your Tires and Suspension
One of the crucial frequent points I see with saved meals vans is tire harm, and it’s fully preventable with the best strategy. Whereas fashionable tires are extra proof against flat-spotting than older ones, sitting in a single place for months can nonetheless trigger issues. I’ve discovered that over-inflating the tires by about 5-8 PSI earlier than storage helps forestall this problem. Nonetheless, if you happen to’re planning to retailer your truck for greater than three months, I strongly suggest getting it up off the bottom completely.
In my facility, we use heavy-duty jack stands rated for business autos, inserting them on the truck’s designated elevate factors. This not solely protects the tires but in addition helps forestall suspension elements from settling inconsistently. If you happen to’re storing your truck in a heavy-traffic space or shared storage facility, you would possibly wish to think about eradicating the tires fully. I’ve seen too many circumstances of unintended harm from different autos or gear shifting round in tight storage areas. Simply ensure you retailer the eliminated tires correctly – mendacity flat in a cool, dry place, away from direct daylight and any ozone-producing gear.
Examine tires earlier than winter storage.
Right here’s a vital tip that’s usually missed: by no means, ever go away your parking brake engaged throughout long-term storage. I discovered this lesson the exhausting method years in the past when a buyer’s brake cables seized up after being left engaged for 4 months in winter storage. As a substitute, use correct wheel chocks – I like to recommend heavy-duty rubber ones quite than wood blocks, as they’re extra secure and received’t rot or deteriorate. Place them snugly towards either side of the wheels, and if you happen to’re storing on any type of incline, use further chocks for security.
Common Upkeep Throughout Storage
One of many greatest errors I see meals truck house owners make is treating winter storage like a “set it and neglect it” scenario. I get it – if you’re not producing income, it’s tempting to simply lock up the truck and stroll away till spring. However I’ve discovered via expensive expertise that common checks throughout storage are completely important. The worst issues I’ve encountered in my years of servicing meals vans weren’t from main system failures – they had been from small points that went unnoticed for months and snowballed into costly disasters. A small water leak that might have been mounted with a $5 seal ended up inflicting $3,000 in mildew remediation as a result of no one checked on the truck for 3 months.
I bear in mind one notably painful lesson from early in my profession when a shopper’s generator seized up after sitting unused all winter. The gas had gelled, seals had dried out, and what ought to have been routine upkeep became an entire generator substitute. That’s why I now insist on common upkeep checks, even throughout storage. These visits don’t should be prolonged – normally half-hour as soon as a month is sufficient to catch potential points earlier than they develop into main issues. Consider it as an insurance coverage coverage in your funding. I really schedule these checks on my calendar like another enterprise appointment, as a result of that’s precisely what they’re – essential enterprise upkeep.
Even in storage, your truck wants consideration. Right here’s a month-to-month guidelines I recommend implementing along with your car:
1. Run the generator for quarter-hour (if outfitted)
2. Verify for pest proof
3. Search for water intrusion
4. Confirm battery maintainer operation
5. Verify tire strain
6. Run air flow followers briefly
7. Examine for any indicators of mildew or mildew
Insurance coverage and Documentation
Right here’s a tip that may prevent cash: Contact your insurance coverage supplier about storage insurance coverage. Many provide vital reductions for saved autos. Simply ensure to keep up complete protection – I’ve seen too many circumstances of theft or harm throughout storage.
Do you promote throughout the winter?
Spring Startup Preparation
Earlier than you finish storage, create a startup guidelines. Mine contains:
1. Reverse all winterizing steps systematically
2. Verify all methods earlier than including water or energy
3. Begin with knowledgeable inspection
4. Check all gear at low quantity earlier than going full operation
Closing Ideas
Bear in mind, correct winterization is an funding in what you are promoting’s future. I’ve seen vans that had been correctly winterized nonetheless operating completely after 10+ years, whereas others wanted main repairs after only one poorly managed winter.
The secret is being thorough and systematic. Don’t lower corners – the cash you save now may value you 1000’s in repairs later. If you happen to’re not sure about any a part of this course of, please seek the advice of with knowledgeable. It’s higher to spend a bit of extra on correct winterization than to face main repairs in spring.
Be happy to achieve out in case you have particular questions on your truck’s winterization wants. Each truck is totally different, and I’m all the time blissful to share what I’ve discovered through the years on this enterprise. Keep heat, and right here’s to a profitable spring reopening!
