Caring for your ice machine is vital in making sure your facility is producing ice that is clean and ensuring that your ice machine has a long lifespan. Many restaurants and facilities that use ice machines make the mistake of not caring for their ice machine and later wondering why their machine breaks down so quickly after purchase. Within this blog post we will talk about how to properly care for your ice machine.
Here are some common problems people have with their ice machines and some easy solutions to fix these problems.
The most common problems people have with their ice machine is an unclean evaporator and an old filter. These are easily solved problems, but when not cleaned or changed regularly, they can cause your ice machine to back up and become clogged.
If your ice machine starts to produce smelly ice, or unclear ice, it is time to get a new filter. The recommended time frame of changing your ice machine filter is at least every 6 months. This will help your ice look clearer and keep it tasting fresh.
You should also clean and sanitize your ice machine at least every 6 months. Some machines, if used heavily, need to be cleaned every 3 months. This ensures that the evaporator and machine is producing clean ice and not becoming congested.
It is critical that when cleaning your ice machine, you clean all areas. This includes the interior, exterior, compressor, and storage bin. To clean your ice machine, you will need to remove all ice from the bin. Make sure the machine is off and clean it with the appropriate commercial cleaner and sanitizer. There are specialized cleaners that can be purchased for commercial ice machine cleanings. At the bottom of the page is a link to a great video on how to thoroughly clean your ice machine.
Staying on top of regular cleaning and sanitizing procedures can save you time, money, and worry in the long run. It is important to remember that the FDA classifies ice as food. A piece of bad ice can ruin the entire batch of ice and be at fault with FDA guidelines during a health inspection, which can result in a large fine.
Leaking can cause the machine to also not produce enough ice. If you notice water on the floor near your ice machine, the ice maker could be leaking. Make sure that the ice maker is level. Then check that there is no damage in the water pipes nearby. Check the filler cup in the ice maker to make sure that is well positioned. If you are finding no issues, but there still is a leak, reach out and call the number on your user manual.
Remember caring for your ice machine will benefit your entire business. Dirty ice is never a good thing and maintaining a cleaning routine will help to increase your ice machines life span, as well as generate an overall positive impact on your business. If you have any more questions about how to care for your ice machine, please reach out to us here at Expert Restaurant Supply. We are here to help our customers succeed. You are welcome to comment below and tell us your feedback. We love your suggestions. Please let us know if there are any other topics you would like to know more about!
Video on how to clean your ice machine:
