It’s the middle of the dinner rush when one of your employees comes up and says the ice machine isn’t working. Sure enough, you go to check it yourself and there is no ice. Meanwhile, there’s a long line of thirsty customers waiting to get their cold beverages. While your immediate reaction may be to pick up the phone and call for an emergency ice machine repair in Eugene, OR—and this may still wind up being what you need to do—don’t make that call just yet.

About 10 percent of the time, issues with your ice machine may not require a professional repair. By doing some quick troubleshooting yourself before you pick up the phone, you may be able to fix the problem immediately and save some time and money. Below are a few troubleshooting tips from our team at American Refrigeration Inc. that might be able to help:

• Ice consumption is too high: If you are abnormally busy, your ice machine may be working just fine, but can’t quite keep up with the demand. Wait a few minutes before using the ice machine again and give it a chance to catch up. If, after a time, there’s still no ice, then there may be another problem.
• The room or the water source is too warm: Ice machines are designed to slow down ice production if the surrounding air or the water coming into the machine is too warm. Try checking the temperature of the water going into the machine and/or reduce the temperature in the room to see if this will solve the problem.
• The drain bin is clogged: If your drain bin has a buildup of water or is leaking, there may be something clogging the drain. Often, when cleaning the ice machine, a foreign object such as a rag or paper towel may get left behind and clog the drain.
• The airflow is blocked: If there is anything stacked on or around the ice machine, it may be restricting the flow of air to the machine, which will reduce ice production.
• The water supply isn’t working: If there’s not enough water going into the ice machine, it won’t be able to make enough ice. Check the water supply to make sure that it’s not turned off, leaking or blocked.
• The machine is unplugged: While this may seem obvious, you’d be surprised how often ice machines are accidentally unplugged during cleaning or if the machine is bumped or moved. Check to make sure that the machine is plugged in and switched on.

While these troubleshooting tips may not always be the answer, you’ll find that one time out of 10 you’ll be able to identify the problem and fix it yourself, which can save you time and the cost of a service call. However, if the problem is beyond the scope of these troubleshooting tips, don’t hesitate to call American Refrigeration Inc. We offer 24/7 emergency ice machine repair in Eugene, OR that is both affordable and convenient!