Hey folks. I run a small sandwich shop and recently noticed my undercounter refrigerator struggles to maintain consistent temps between 2–4 AM when the kitchen is empty and ambient temperature drops. It's about three years old. Is this a common compressor fatigue issue, or should I be looking at door gaskets first before calling a technician?

Three years in, also check your condenser coils. Grease buildup in a kitchen environment can clog them fast and causes exactly this kind of overnight temperature drift. Pull the unit out, clean the coils with a brush, and see if the behavior improves before spending money on a service call.

I had almost the same problem with an undercounter unit at my deli. Turned out to be a combination of a worn fan motor and a slow refrigerant leak, not dramatic, just gradual. The unit would recover fine during busy hours when the door opened frequently, but the compressor couldn't sustain temps during long idle periods. Before I figured that out, I spent a while reading owner experiences across various brands on review aggregators. At one point I even stumbled onto threads referencing avantco refrigeration while comparing how different mid-range commercial brands handle similar compressor aging issues. Ultimately I had a certified tech come in, recharge the refrigerant, and replace the evaporator fan, solved it completely.