Whether you’re running a restaurant, supermarket, warehouse, or catering business, cold rooms and freezer rooms are essential for preserving food, beverages, and other temperature-sensitive products.
While they may look similar at first glance, chiller cold rooms (typically 0–5°C) and freezer rooms (typically -18°C and below) are built differently and operate with different requirements.
In this post, we’ll break down the key differences in operation, equipment, installation materials, and technical details that set them apart.
1. Temperature Range and Operation
Cold Rooms (Chillers):
- Typically maintain 0°C to 5°C for fresh food, dairy, fruit, and beverages.
- Use medium-temperature refrigeration systems (often R448A, R449A, R404A, or similar).
- Defrosting needs are minimal — often off-cycle defrost is enough.
Freezer Rooms:
- Maintain -18°C to -25°C (sometimes even lower for special storage).
- Require low-temperature refrigeration systems with larger compressors and often multi-stage setups.
- Defrosting is critical — typically electric or hot gas defrost is used to prevent ice buildup on evaporators.
Key takeaway: Freezers need heavier-duty systems to handle the larger temperature difference and prevent frost buildup.
2. Panels and Insulation
The insulation thickness is one of the most noticeable differences:
Cold Rooms:
- Usually 80mm to 100mm polyurethane (PU) insulated panels.
- Standard door seals and basic vapor barriers are sufficient.
Freezer Rooms:
- Typically 120mm to 150mm PU or PIR panels for greater insulation.
- Require heated door frames and door seals to prevent freezing and sticking.
- Floor insulation is critical, often with heating elements (anti-frost heaters) to stop frost heave (ground freezing under the slab).
Why it matters: Poor insulation in a freezer leads to ice buildup, compressor strain, and energy waste.
3. Doors and Accessories
Cold Room Doors:
- Hinged or sliding doors, no heater required.
Freezer Room Doors:
- Always heated doors (to prevent ice forming on the seals).
- Pressure relief valves are installed to equalize pressure when opening/closing.
4. Refrigeration Equipment
Both use evaporators (indoor units) and condensing units (outdoor units), but the specifications differ:
Cold Rooms:
- Medium-temp evaporators, smaller defrost heaters (or none).
- Simpler controls, often basic thermostats.
Freezer Rooms:
- Low-temp evaporators with more powerful fans.
- Electric or hot gas defrost cycles.
- More robust controls with defrost timers and monitoring.
5. Installation Materials & Details
Flooring:
- Cold rooms may use insulated floors or even existing concrete with vapor barriers.
- Freezer rooms must have insulated, heated floors to prevent frost damage.
Sealing:
- Freezers require perfect vapor barriers to prevent moisture ingress and frost buildup.
Electrical:
- Freezers need defrost heaters, door frame heaters, and sometimes floor heaters — increasing the electrical load.
6. Energy Consumption
Cold Rooms: Lower power consumption.
Freezer Rooms: Higher consumption due to greater insulation needs, defrost cycles, and door/floor heating.
7. Costs & Installation Time
Cold Rooms:
- Faster to install and cheaper (less insulation, simpler refrigeration).
Freezer Rooms:
- Higher cost due to thicker panels, more complex doors, heated elements, and defrost systems.
Which One Do You Need?
Choose a Cold Room if you’re storing fresh produce, dairy, or drinks at chilled temperatures (0–5°C).
Choose a Freezer Room if you need long-term storage of frozen goods at -18°C or lower.
If your operation needs both, combined cold/freezer room designs are also possible.
Thinking of Installing a Cold or Freezer Room?
At Climate Flow Ltd, we design, supply, and install custom cold rooms and freezer rooms for restaurants, retail, warehouses, and commercial kitchens across London.
Our team ensures:
- Correct panel thickness & vapor barriers.
- Efficient refrigeration systems (eco-friendly gases like R448A/R449A).
- Professional installation with defrost systems, heated doors, and floor protection.
Contact us today for a free consultation on the right solution for your business.