True Refrigeration Installation & Same-Day Service in NYC
True is the brand inside roughly half of NYC’s restaurant, bar, deli, and bodega refrigeration. Our team has installed and serviced True reach-ins, prep tables, glass-door merchandisers, undercounter units, and back-bar refrigeration across every NYC neighborhood for over a decade. Same-day emergency service, factory-trained on the full True catalog, and we stock the most-failed True parts — because a dead reach-in on a Friday night does not wait for a Monday parts order.
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TEAM EXPERIENCE
Why our team is the right True Refrigeration installer in NYC
True builds incredibly reliable equipment — but every reach-in cooler eventually needs a tech who knows the catalog cold. T-Series compressors, evaporator coil layouts, defrost timer quirks, and the specific door-gasket tolerances that decide whether your bar reach-in holds 38°F or 48°F. We have been working True since 2014 — the catalog, the failure modes, and the NYC service realities (alley access, freight elevators, sidewalk loading rules).
From T-Series reach-ins to back-bar coolers and walk-in modular packages
True product lines we install and service
T-Series reach-in coolers & freezers
The category-defining line — T-23, T-49, T-72 and the larger T-49F freezer variants. Stainless interiors, top-mount or bottom-mount compressor sections, the hydrocarbon refrigerant generation (R290) on newer units. The default reach-in spec in NYC restaurant builds.
TSSU / TPP prep tables & worktops
Sandwich-prep (TSSU), pizza-prep (TPP), and undercounter worktops (TWT). The line cook’s daily-driver refrigeration. We service the cassette compressor swap-out path, defrost issues, and the gasket and pan-rail wear that decides whether the cold table holds 38°F or 45°F.
GDM glass-door merchandisers & display coolers
GDM-23, GDM-26, GDM-49, GDM-72 — the workhorse glass-door merchandiser line for bodegas, delis, convenience stores, and beverage retail. We service door-frame heater circuits, LED upgrades, and the swing-vs-slide hinge variations the original installer chose.
TBB back-bar bottle coolers
TBB-24, TBB-3, TBB-4 — the bar-side bottle coolers everywhere from craft cocktail bars to volume nightclubs. Tight-tolerance gasket replacement, condenser cleaning in cramped backbar cabinets, and the side-mount compressor service that almost nobody else does on Saturday night.
When a True T-23 or T-49 starts holding warm, the first instinct is to call for a refrigerant top-off. Most of the time, that is the wrong diagnosis. The True compressor system is a sealed hydrocarbon (R290) loop on most modern units — it does not lose refrigerant. The actual failure is almost always one of three things: a dirty condenser coil (kitchen grease coats the back coil in 90 days flat), a failing evaporator fan motor (cheap fix, $40 part, 15 minutes), or a door gasket that has gone hard and is air-sealing against nothing. Refrigerant top-off on a sealed True unit is usually the sign of a contractor who does not work the brand and is guessing.
Our most-requested True work
True services we provide
Where True ends up on our weekly schedule — emergency reach-in calls, prep-table refresh, merchandiser installs, and the maintenance cycle that keeps True units running their full 12-15 year service life.
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Emergency Refrigeration Repair
Same-day diagnostics on failed True reach-ins, prep tables, and merchandisers — 24/7 dispatch with the common True parts on the truck for first-visit fixes.
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Refrigerated Display Cases
GDM-series glass-door merchandiser installs and refurbishment — beverage retail, bodegas, delis, convenience stores. Door-heater service, LED upgrades, gasket replacement.
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Commercial Freezer Service
True T-Series freezer (T-49F, T-72F) and TF / TG2 glass-door freezer service — defrost cycle diagnostics, evaporator coil cleaning, compressor warranty claims.
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Refrigeration Maintenance Plans
Quarterly maintenance contracts for True units — condenser coil cleaning, gasket inspection, evaporator fan motor health checks, defrost timer testing. Catches failures before service hours.
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Walk-In Cooler Installation & Repair
True modular walk-in cooler and freezer installs and warranty service. Insulated panels, refrigeration packages, evaporator and condenser unit pairing on True walk-in systems.
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Custom Cold Storage Solutions
True’s commercial-grade walk-in and specialty refrigeration for non-standard layouts — wine cellars, brewery cold rooms, restaurant prep walk-ins, catering staging.
All 5 boroughs + Long Island
Where we service True across NYC
True units sit inside every NYC bodega, restaurant, bar, and grocery. We work the territory borough by borough — different building access, different scheduling realities, same brand expertise.
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True in Manhattan
Midtown restaurant reach-in installs and emergency service, Upper East Side bodega GDM merchandisers, Tribeca bar TBB back-bar service, Chinatown grocery walk-in retrofits.
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True in Brooklyn
Williamsburg restaurant prep-table fleets, Park Slope deli reach-in service, Bushwick brewery and craft-cocktail TBB back-bar units, Sunset Park grocery merchandiser service.
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True in Queens
Flushing dim-sum and grocery reach-in service, Astoria restaurant prep-table fleets, Forest Hills deli GDM installs, Jackson Heights bodega refrigeration service.
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True in the Bronx
Hunts Point food market refrigeration service, Riverdale grocery and deli merchandiser installs, Belmont restaurant reach-in fleets, Co-op City corner-bodega refrigeration.
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True on Staten Island
South Shore restaurant and bar TBB back-bar service, Tottenville deli and bodega GDM installs, New Dorp grocery refrigeration. Post-Sandy elevated kitchens get special panel-spec installs.
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True on Long Island
Hamptons hospitality reach-in fleets (high-end restaurants, hotel kitchens, country clubs), North Shore grocery merchandisers, Nassau bodega TBB and GDM service.
REAL TRUE INSTALLS & SERVICE
True customer reviews
Selected reviews from True projects across NYC. Verified Google and Yelp quotes from real installs and emergency service calls.
Olya Shankhovskih
Mark G.
Mike M.
Monica P.
OUR PROCESS
How we work on True equipment
Same workflow every True call — diagnose first, document second, repair third. The True catalog rewards careful diagnosis; it punishes guesswork.
Site visit & diagnostic
We pull the True model and serial number, check warranty status with True’s service portal, run a full diagnostic (refrigerant pressures, evap and condenser temps, defrost cycle, fan motor amp draw, gasket integrity), and identify the actual root cause — not just the visible symptom.
Repair vs. replace recommendation
We tell you whether the True cabinet is worth keeping (most are — they last 12-15 years), whether the failed part is under warranty, and whether the unit is worth the labor cost of repair vs. a new install. Honest answers, not panic upsell.
Repair, warranty paperwork, commissioning
Clean repair with the right True part (not a generic aftermarket cross-reference), warranty claim filed on the True portal where applicable, system commissioning with documented temperatures and pressures handed off to you for your service log.
Maintenance schedule & support
We hand off with a service log, the failed-part report (for your insurance / warranty file), and a quarterly maintenance schedule that keeps the unit running its full 12-15 year service life. Most True premature failures come down to skipped maintenance.
TRUE-SPECIFIC ANSWERS
True Refrigeration FAQ
Questions we get every week from NYC restaurant, bar, deli, and bodega operators about True equipment.
True refrigeration units are among the most commonly found reach-in refrigerators in NYC restaurants, and they regularly hit 15–20 years with routine maintenance. The brand's stainless steel interior, foam-injected insulation, and heavy-duty compressors are built for continuous commercial use. Door gaskets need replacement every three to five years, and condenser coils need quarterly cleaning in NYC grease-heavy kitchens — skipping those basics shortens True unit lifespan noticeably.
NYC DOHMH requires refrigeration holding meat, dairy, and other potentially hazardous foods at 41°F or below. True reach-in refrigerators are typically set to maintain 33–38°F at product level. The warmest point is always the top shelf near the door opening — check temperature there for compliance, not at the thermostat probe. If a True unit is running above 41°F, start with the condenser coil cleanliness, door gasket seal, and product load before touching the temperature control.
Frozen product on the back wall of a True reach-in refrigerator usually means the thermostat is set too low or the thermostat sensor is reading incorrectly — most commonly because it has shifted out of its mounting clip. True refrigerators position the evaporator along the back wall; product touching or close to it will freeze regardless of cabinet setpoint. Verify sensor placement per the service manual and check that the thermostat differential hasn't been tightened beyond the factory specification.
In a typical NYC commercial kitchen, True refrigerator condensers need cleaning every 90 days. Grease-heavy environments — fry operations, pizza shops, diners — may require monthly checks. True's bottom-mounted condensing units draw air from the floor, where grease and flour accumulate fastest. A clogged True condenser raises head pressure, triggers high-temp cutouts, and can eventually cause compressor failure. The condenser is accessible from the front kick panel with no tools on most True models.
True refrigeration parts are among the easiest to source in NYC. The brand's market penetration means fan motors, door gaskets, thermostats, door hinges, and compressors for True reach-in units are stocked by multiple local distributors and available same-day or next-day in most cases. True also maintains strong factory parts support. Older True models from the 1990s and early 2000s are still in service across NYC, and most parts remain available through the True replacement parts program.
A True reach-in freezer that runs continuously without reaching setpoint — typically 0°F to -10°F — most often has one of three problems: a failing door gasket allowing heat infiltration, a partially iced evaporator from a missed defrost cycle, or low refrigerant from a leak. True freezers use electric defrost; confirm the defrost heater and thermostat are functioning. If the evaporator is clear and doors seal tight, a refrigerant check and leak search are the next diagnostic steps.
Brand-agnostic refrigeration shop — we work the full NYC commercial catalog
Other refrigeration brands we service
We install and service equipment from the world's leading HVAC and refrigeration manufacturers.
Hoshizaki ice machines, refrigerated prep equipment, and reach-in coolers — installed and serviced by Art HVAC across NYC restaurants, hotels, and healthcare. 
Turbo Air reach-ins, glass-door merchandisers, open display cases, and walk-in systems — the energy-efficient cost alternative to True in the NYC catalog. 
Traulsen heavy-duty commercial freezers, refrigerator-freezer combinations, blast chillers — built for the highest-volume NYC kitchens, serviced by Art HVAC. 
Norlake walk-in coolers, freezers, and blast chillers — modular cold storage installed and warranty-serviced by Art HVAC across NYC. 
Manitowoc Indigo NXT, NEO, and Sotto ice machines — the foodservice standard, installed and serviced by Art HVAC across NYC restaurants and hospitality. 
Federal Industries bakery cases, deli display cases, and custom retail display refrigeration — premium aesthetic for high-end NYC bakeries and specialty retail. 
Copeland Scroll and Discus compressors — the compressor platform inside most NYC commercial refrigeration, including the True T-Series catalog. Get a True quote — install, repair, or maintenance plan
Tell us your address, the True equipment in question, and what is happening. We come out, run a real diagnostic (not a guess-and-quote), and give you the repair vs. replace math straight. Free, no obligation.
