What You Need to Know Before Purchasing a Medical Grade Refrigerator

Medical Grade Refrigerators

Medical grade refrigerators are not the same as the fridge you have at home. Medical refrigerators need to be able to hold and monitor temperature so that the valuable contents aren’t compromised.

When you are storing vaccines, medications, or biological samples, there is no margin for error in temperature standards. Purchasing the right unit means considering a lot of different variables. Here are some key points you need to keep in mind when looking into medical grade refrigerators.

Vaccines and medications can have different requirements when it comes to temperature, and the same goes for biological samples. A laboratory refrigerator will need to meet different standards than a pharmaceutical refrigerator. Depending on the field you are using the unit in, that is something to consider. Additionally, it is advised that dual refrigerator freezer units are avoided due to the potential for temperature fluctuations. Separate units are optimal for keeping all stored items in viable condition.

How Much Are You Storing?

Most refrigeration units function optimally at 30 to 80% capacity. Over-loading a medical refrigerator can cause cold or hot spots due to a lack of circulation, and under-loading can cause fluctuations throughout the whole unit. It is also advised that shelving allows for adequate circulation as well. Look for units with wire or ventilated shelves in order to aid in air circulation, and keep tricky spots from potentially forming.

Where is it Placed?

A built in unit is constructed to allow proper ventilation when placed under a desk or counter, while a stand alone unit is able to ventilate properly when placed in the open. If the fans are blocked by a wall or counter on any unit, it can cause overheating due to the unit overworking to compensate for poor ventilation.

Consider Monitoring

Investing in an auditory alarm that alerts you to when temperatures fluctuate into harmful ranges can save you both time and valuable contents. For a vaccine refrigerator this can be especially helpful, as you need to be certain each vaccine is unspoiled and effective on patients. Additionally, having a temperature log can help monitor the temp over the course of a longer period of time, and can help you see if there are any issues emerging, or patterns of fluctuation that can be addressed.

There are a lot of points to consider that can have a huge impact on how effective your medical grade refrigerator is. Take into consideration how much storage space you need, and the temperature requirements of what specifically you are storing. When it comes to vaccines, medications and biological specimens, you can’t afford to take risks that could cause any type of degradation or harm to your valuable contents.