A refrigerated van is a great transport option for your floral or catering business or for a wide variety of other uses. You can use a freezer van for selling ice cream and other treats at local fairs and attractions, creating a business for yourself that is very easy to operate. Buying a used refrigerated van means checking over all the mechanical items you would check for any used vehicle, but then also ensuring the cargo area and refrigeration system is also in good condition. Note a few important things to consider when you're ready to shop for a used refrigerated van.

Inside covering

The interior of the refrigerated van cargo area will usually have a layer of insulation underneath a hard plastic. Note if this covering is in one piece or several pieces. If it's one piece, this usually means it's better insulated. When a van is insulated with several pieces that are connected to the van's framework, this can mean gaps that let out cool air. In turn, your fan or refrigeration unit may run more often to maintain a constant temperature. If possible, choose an inside covering that is in one piece; these are usually sprayed on over the insulating material and then dry into a hard plastic, and may offer more energy efficiency.

Separated storage areas

Very often there are regulations about transporting certain items together, including food items, even if they're frozen and even if packed in their own plastic wrap. It can be good to choose a refrigerated van with separate compartments already built in, covered in the same insulating plastic and other materials that keep the van cool. This will keep you from having to retrofit separate containers and will also ensure those containers are properly insulated to keep those separated items as cool as necessary.

Defrosting method

In a freezer van, you need a defroster method for the back. This will ensure that no ice forms inside the van. An off-cycle defrost simply turns the condenser off when the compartment reaches a certain temperature, but this may not be good for items you need to keep at a constant temperature, such as ice cream. A reverse cycle defroster reverses the roof condenser so that frost is pulled out of the van but the temperature stays constant. A hot gas defroster blows warm air into the back of the van so that you can easily remove any frost that has built up inside; this protects the condenser from the added wear and tear of removing frost.