When purchasing a commercial refrigerated display case or glass door refrigerator, the non-fogging front glasses are usually neglected by people. It is a critical factor that relates to the effective presentation of the food or desserts, which is the primary function of this equipment.
There are four tips to get rid of fog before you buy refrigerated glass display cases:
- Choose Heating wire front glasses
- Choose Low-E glasses as the front glasses
- Choose front glasses equipped with a Hot air blowing function(cost-effective)
- Keep the room temperature ≤32℃ and humidity lower than 60%.
Why the glasses of the refrigerated display case have fog?
It is same principle like the glass of our house will fog up first in winter, then form water droplets then. If there are water droplets on the glass of the cake display cabinet, it would hinder the vivid presentation of desserts and cakes to customers, making it unable to attract potential sales. That will be a big loss for owner.
In short, when there is a significant temperature difference between the inside and outside of the cake display cabinet, the glass on the cake display cabinet will fog up easily.
Certainly, there are still some complex reason, external environment factors like weather, humidity, etc.
What influences will have if the glasses of refrigerated display case fog up?
Reduced visibility: Foggy glass can make it difficult for customers to see the products displayed inside the refrigerator. This can lead to a decrease in sales as customers may not be able to see the items clearly.
Poor presentation: The foggy glasses can also make the products appear unappealing and unappetizing. This can reduce the perceived quality of the products and again, result in a decrease in sales.
Energy inefficiency: If the glasses are foggy, the refrigerator may be running at a higher energy level to maintain the desired temperature, which can increase energy consumption and electricity costs.
Maintenance requirements: Constant fogging can also require additional maintenance, such as constantcleaning of the glasses.
How do we choose a non-fogging up refrigerated display case before we buy?
1. Front glasses with heating wire provide non-fogging condition for sure
Heating wire glass is an ideal choice.
Heating wire glasses used in commercial refrigerated display cases are typically designed to prevent fogging and condensation on the display screens. They are often used for commercial pastry display cases, glass door display fridge, vending machines, and environments where temperature and humidity fluctuations can cause fogging or condensation on the display screen.
What are heating wire glasses?
The heating wire glass consists of two parts:
Tempered glass and transparent electroplating embedding layer.
When power is on, the glasses will heat by itself. Temperature range from 35℃-40℃, which is higher than the surface of the glasses, to avoid fog and frosting. It is low voltage and safe.
The glasses are typically equipped with a heating element integrated into the frame or lenses, which generates heat to prevent fogging or condensation from forming on the surface of the display screen. The heating wire is usually connected to a power source or a control system, which allows the temperature to be adjusted as needed.
They can help improve the visibility and readability of the glass refrigerated display case. They can also help prevent damage to the display screen caused by moisture buildup or condensation. It is most direct and effective way to avoid condensation of the external glasses
2. Low-E glasses is essential for commercial refrigerated display case
2.1 what is Low-E glasses
Low-E glasses is the name Low Emissivity Glass for short.
The sun acts like a massive ball of fire, emitting energy that travels through space in the form of sunlight and reaches the Earth’s surface. When sunlight shines on an object, the object can react in three ways: absorption, reflection, and transmission. When sunlight hits a glass surface, apart from being absorbed and reflected, it can also transmit into the room. If we apply some treatment to the glass surface, like coating it with a film, we can alter the radiation properties of the glass. For example, by applying a low-emissivity (Low-E) film on the glass, we can reduce its emissivity and consequently decrease its absorption rate.
Commercial pastry display case manufactured by Acenox use low-E glasses, compared with heating wire glasses, Low-E glasses cost less and will not fog up in most of the surroundings.
2.2 How the Low-E glasses work on glass refrigerated display case?
The thermal insulation provided by low-E glass reduces the amount of energy required to maintain the desired temperature inside the cake display counter.
low-E glass helps minimize the possibility of condensation forming on the glass refrigerated display case. By reducing heat transfer, it helps keep the outer surface of the glass closer to room temperature, thus reducing the risk of fogging up on the glass.
However, there is a possibility that the Low-E glasses won’t work in very harsh conditions, like high humidity over 70%, and high outer temperature over 35℃. The huge temperature difference between the external glasses and the inner space of the display case will finally lead to fogging up.
3. Hot air blowing function is an economic way to prevent fog for glass refrigerated display cases
By installing a fan, hot air circulation is generated and blown towards the front glasses to prevent fogging up. This method is very economical, has low energy consumption and cost, and is suitable for most environments. However, this defogging method is not particularly recommended if the climate is harsh, such as humidity greater than 70%, or if the ambient temperature around the display cabinet exceeds 35 degrees Celsius.
How do you stop condensation on the outside of a glass rfrigerator door？
Keep the room temperature ≤32℃, humidity lower than 65%.
Refrigerated glass display cases are designed to store and display cakes and other baked goods at cool temperatures to keep them fresh and maintain their quality. The suitable ambient conditions for a refrigerated display case include:
- Temperature: The ambient temperature is better below 32°C to ensure optimal cooling efficiency of the refrigeration system. The refrigerated showcase is designed to maintain the temperature inside the cabinet at around 2-8°C.
- Humidity: The humidity level should be 40% to 60% to prevent the cake from drying out. High humidity can cause condensation, which can damage the cake.
- Ventilation: Good ventilation prevents heat buildup and maintains the optimal temperature and humidity levels inside the refrigerated cake showcase. The air vents should be unobstructed to allow proper airflow.
- Lighting: The lighting inside the showcase should be low heat-emitting LED lights to prevent excessive heat buildup and minimize the risk of melting the cake.
- Location: The refrigerated cake showcase should be placed away from direct sunlight and other heat sources such as ovens, stoves, or heaters.
By maintaining suitable ambient conditions, you can ensure that your refrigerated cake showcase operates efficiently, is non-fogging, and keeps your cakes fresh and appealing.
Conclusion
The choice of anti-fog glass depends on the environment in which you’ll be using it. Different environments require different solutions, which can help save costs and avoid unnecessary expenses. Acenox Kitchen Equipment could help you to decide the most suitable and cost-effective solution for you to sell commercial refrigerated display cases on your market.
