Waywest Mechanical repairs and maintains walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers for restaurants, grocery stores, care facilities and food businesses in Nanaimo and across Vancouver Island. Technicians diagnose warm boxes, iced evaporator coils, failed condensing units, refrigerant leaks, defrost problems, and worn door gaskets, closers and heaters. Waywest responds to walk-in failures on its 24/7 emergency line at 250-616-1446.
Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–4:30 PM · quotes within the hour
Walk-in problems we repair
- Box temperature too warm — coils, fans, refrigerant, compressors and controls
- Evaporator icing — defrost heaters, timers, termination switches and drain heaters
- Condensing unit failures — compressors, contactors, fan motors and capacitors
- Refrigerant leaks — located, repaired and recharged
- Water on the floor — blocked or frozen condensate drains
- Door problems — gaskets, hinges, closers, heater strips and strike plates
- Short cycling or running constantly
- Alarms and controller faults
When a walk-in fails
While you wait for a technician:
- Keep the door closed as much as possible
- Check power to the condensing unit and evaporator
- Check the thermostat has not been changed
- Look at the evaporator coil for heavy ice
- Record product temperatures for your food safety records
- Move critical product to working refrigeration if temperatures are rising
Then call the 24/7 line. Tell us whether the box is a cooler or freezer, current temperature, and whether the fans and condensing unit are running.
Preventing walk-in failures
Most walk-in breakdowns are preventable:
- Condenser coils clogged with dust or kitchen grease make the compressor work harder and run hotter
- Door gaskets that no longer seal let in heat and moisture, which becomes ice
- Evaporator drains that block cause leaks and ice
- Refrigerant leaks caught early save the compressor
A regular maintenance schedule catches these before the box goes warm on a busy weekend.
Condensing unit placement
Walk-in condensing units are frequently installed on roofs or in tight mechanical spaces near kitchen exhaust. Units starved for air, or blasted by hot exhaust, fail sooner. When we find a placement problem, we explain the options for relocating or improving airflow.
Service area
Waywest repairs walk-in coolers and freezers in Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Ladysmith, Duncan, the Comox Valley and across our Vancouver Island service area.
What happens when you call
- A person answers
You talk to the Nanaimo office, or our own crew on the 24/7 line — not a call centre.
- You hear the rate first
We explain the service rate, or the emergency rate after hours, before anyone is booked or dispatched.
- A licensed technician arrives
A Waywest technician with a stocked vehicle diagnoses the problem and explains your options.
- You approve the work
Repairs go ahead once you agree. Larger jobs get a written quote you can take time to consider.
Quick facts
- Emergency service
- 24/7 at 250-616-1446 — typically on site within an hour in Nanaimo
- Office hours
- Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–4:30 PM, 250-729-2394
- Service area
- Nanaimo and Vancouver Island, Victoria to Port Hardy
- Licensing
- TSBC licence LGA0004592; licensed, bonded and insured
- Quotes
- Reply within the hour during business hours
- Page updated
Common questions
Why is my walk-in cooler not staying cold?
Common causes are dirty condenser coils, an iced-over evaporator from a defrost fault, a failed evaporator or condenser fan, low refrigerant from a leak, a failing compressor, or warm air entering through damaged door gaskets or doors left open. Some of these are quick fixes; others need prompt repair to protect the compressor.
Why is ice building up on my walk-in freezer coil?
Heavy frost or a solid block of ice on the evaporator usually means the defrost system is failing — a defrost heater, timer or termination control — or that humid air is getting in through the door. An iced coil cannot move air, so the box warms up.
Why is there ice on the walk-in freezer floor or door?
Ice around the door usually means warm, moist air is leaking in through worn gaskets, a door that does not close fully, or a failed door heater strip. Ice on the floor under the coil often points to a blocked or frozen condensate drain line.
What temperature should a walk-in cooler be?
Walk-in coolers are generally kept at or below 4°C, and walk-in freezers well below freezing, typically around -18°C, to meet food safety guidelines. Check your local health authority requirements for your operation.
Need this sorted out?
Call the Nanaimo office and talk to someone who can tell you what the work involves and when we can get to it.