When you own a bar or restaurant in Eugene, OR, your commercial ice machine gets a lot of use. The FDA requires that ice be treated like food, which means that ice machines need regular cleaning and maintenance. Believe it or not, one bad batch of ice can sicken your customers. Since restaurants rarely use an entire bin of ice before the ice machine makes more, that contamination can spread easily. That’s why it’s so important to keep your machines clean and well maintained—not to mention the fact that you could face up to $500,000 in fines.
Here’s an overview of commercial ice machine cleaning and maintenance.
Cleaning your commercial ice machine
Commercial ice machines in Eugene, OR should be thoroughly cleaned two to four times each year. Check your manufacturer’s recommendations for their suggestions, but keep in mind that if your ice machine produces large volumes of ice, or your water quality is less than stellar, you may need to clean it even more frequently. If your ice machine is placed near a cooking line, it will probably need to be cleaned once per month. When it comes to health and safety, you can’t be too careful.
The FDA has a number of regulations in place for handling ice and ensuring that it is as sanitary as possible. Keep in mind that contaminated ice will not only expose you to fines from the FDA, but your business may be held liable if it’s responsible for making people sick.
Cleaning commercial ice machines involves thoroughly sanitizing each part. You’ll need to unplug it and pull out all of the removable components, sanitize them and remove any mineral buildup in the machine. You should also clean the outside. Once you’re finished with the cleaning process, run a normal cycle at least once to get rid of any residual cleaning agents.
Ice machine maintenance
In addition to cleaning your machine, you’ll need to replace the filter at least once every six months, or as needed. You may need to change it more often if the filter has a hard time keeping up with the water quality or volume of ice produced. The filter helps prevent mineral scale and removes sediment, odors and unpleasant flavors from the water. If you don’t replace the filter in time, your ice will start looking cloudy and taste unpleasant.
It’s also smart to schedule general ice machine maintenance one to two times per year. Working with refrigeration professionals like American Refrigeration Inc. makes it easy. Our maintenance contractors will check and repair all of your commercial ice machine’s components, including machinery, hoses, valves, seals and other parts. If anything looks like it’s worn out or is about to malfunction, we can fix it. After all, your bar or restaurant can’t afford to be without ice for long.
Taking care of your commercial ice machine in Eugene, OR is simple: just call American Refrigeration Inc. today. We’re happy to help you repair and maintain all of your commercial refrigeration products, whether preventative or on an emergency basis.
The ice machine is an important appliance in any commercial kitchen or cafeteria setting. You’ll commonly find them in restaurants, hotels, schools and hospitals—anywhere that people from the public gather for food or drink.
Like any other type of appliance, ice machines can occasionally experience mechanical, electrical or other types of problems. When this happens, it’s important that you’re able to recognize the symptoms of those problems and do not hesitate in calling a professional appliance repair service to analyze the appliance and determine the best course of action for commercial ice machine repair in Eugene, OR.
Here are just a few examples of inspections and repairs our team will make when you call us for service:
Power: If you lose power to your ice machine, your first step should be to check the circuit breaker or fuse that sends power to the equipment. If that’s not the issue, the problem could be with the wiring or something within the appliance itself that requires professional attention.
Temperature: Is the issue you’re having with your ice machine related to temperature? You might have difficulty getting the machine cold enough to create ice, for example. One common problem here is ambient air temperature—you should make sure you have the machine located in an area where the temperature doesn’t get too hot due to a lack of air conditioning or due to the presence of appliances that heat up ambient air. Otherwise, there might be a clog or a mechanical issue.
Water problems: Problems related to the water could also cause equipment malfunctions. The ice machine’s water supply could be interrupted if it’s not producing ice at all. You should also consider the temperature at which the water is coming into the machine—warm water will be harder to freeze than cold water.
Overworking: There are some parts that might have been overworked or worn out due to improper installation or operation. For example, the water inlet valve might constantly be running while the machine is trying to make ice in freeze mode.
Filters: The cause of your ice machine problems could simply be that you have not changed your filter in a reasonable amount of time. Water filters should be changed regularly to ensure proper operation of the equipment.
Maintenance: General maintenance of the ice machine is also necessary to ensure long-lasting, high-quality operation. You should regularly clean the condenser coil to prevent a buildup that could cause temperature issues or operational problems. Change water inlet valves when you need to take them apart to remove muck or calcium buildup that could be causing clogs. Clean the internal water side of the machine to ensure better quality ice and avoid clogs and buildup. These are all standard maintenance tasks you should perform yourself so you don’t have to call out a professional to make repairs as frequently.
For more information about some of the most common problems that necessitate commercial ice machine repair in Eugene, OR, we encourage you to contact the appliance repair technicians at American Refrigeration Inc.
If you have an ice machine that’s backed up or simply isn’t making ice, you’re going to want to make repairs as soon as possible so you don’t have to deal with extended equipment downtime. Before you call in a professional, there are some steps you can take to perform your own ice machine repair in Eugene, OR.
Here’s a quick overview of some of the steps you can take to get your ice maker working again if it’s not producing any ice for you:
Check the water supply: If you’ve got an issue with the ice machine not making ice, but you can hear a buzz in the equipment and see the arm swinging into motion, then this is likely a sign that the water valve isn’t receiving any water. The valve and the solenoid are probably doing okay, but the water supply isn’t working properly. First, check and make sure the water supply line doesn’t have any kinks in it—it will be running underneath or behind the refrigerator. If it appears to be kink-free, you can check and find the water shutoff valve behind the refrigerator or underneath the sink. You can then turn it off, unscrew the supply line from the back of the refrigerator, put the line in a bucket, turn on the valve and see if you have any water coming out.
Check the bail wire: The bail wire is located right above the ice tray, and it should be set in the down position. If it gets caught in the upper position, it will keep the ice maker locked and prevent it from making new ice.
Check the solenoid: The water line that runs to your ice maker attaches to a solenoid at the bottom or back of the refrigerator, and then goes from there to the ice maker. There’s a possibility that the solenoid isn’t getting any power, or that it’s completely defective. Try taking off the sediment screen inside the solenoid and cleaning it off, checking the seals to make sure they’re still working. That might be all you need to do. Otherwise, there are replacement solenoids available online for relatively low cost that are pretty easy to install.
Check the tap valve: The tap valve is the part that connects the water supply tube to the water pipe. If you’ve got a bad tap valve, then it could lead to issues with that connection. You may need to replace the inlet valve and tap valve if this is where your problem is located. When replacing a tap valve, use the kind that requires you to drill a quarter-inch hole, rather than the self-piercing type of tap valve. You’ll generally get better results, even though it’s a bit more work.
These are just a few of the checks you can make and steps you can take to get your ice machine working again. If none of these works, contact American Refrigeration Inc. today to discuss your options for professional ice machine repair in Eugene, OR.
If you operate a business where having a commercial ice machine is necessary, then you know how important this relatively simple piece of machinery is—and what a pain it can be when it stops operating correctly. When this nightmare scenario happens to you, it can be frustrating for you and disappointing to customers—and ultimately affect your bottom line.
Fortunately, American Refrigeration Inc. is here to help with all your ice machine repair and ice machine maintenance in Eugene, OR. Here is an overview of how cleaning and proper maintenance for an ice machine works, and why you should never put it off.
Cleaning your ice machine
Keeping your ice machine nice and clean will help keep it functioning properly, and ensure your customers get a quality product. How often your ice machine needs to be cleaned will depend on its size and capacity, and how many customers you are serving ice in a given day.
Here’s the great thing: you can clean your ice machine yourself, rather than calling a service person every time. The next time you have someone provide routine ice machine maintenance in Eugene, OR, ask them to show you how to properly clean the ice machine.
Proper routine maintenance
In addition to cleaning, your ice machine will also need routine maintenance to ensure it works properly. While cleaning is something you should be able to handle yourself, ice machine maintenance needs to be handled by an experienced professional.
A lot of things can go wrong with your ice machine—it can start producing slush, or stop producing anything at all. If you want to avoid having this happen as much as possible, be sure to invest in regular, routine ice machine maintenance in Eugene, OR from an experienced, fully qualified professional. That way, you will have one less thing to worry about.
Don’t hesitate to get help
If your ice machine seems to be working just fine, it can be easy to put off cleaning it for a few weeks. It might even be tempting to skip one or two routine maintenance appointments.
This impulse is understandable—after all, as a business owner or manager, you have a lot of different things to take care of at all times. But when it comes to ice machine maintenance and ice machine cleaning, procrastinating simply is not a risk worth taking. An out-of-commission ice machine could put your business’ daily profit in serious danger, but routine ice machine maintenance and cleaning is an easy way to help prevent this from happening.
Call American Refrigeration Inc. today
Do you have questions about ice machine maintenance? Do you want to learn how to clean your own ice machine? Do you need to figure out a schedule for ice machine maintenance in Eugene, OR?
If so, you are in luck—American Refrigeration Inc. can help with all of the above and more! Give us a call the next time you need help with your ice machine, or with your refrigerator, cooler or freezer. Our experienced, friendly professionals look forward to helping you!
Do you own or operate a business that uses an ice machine? Whether it is a restaurant, cafeteria, movie theater or other place of business, you need to make sure that your ice machine is working properly at all times, so that your customers will enjoy their time there.
That is where American Refrigeration Inc. comes in. We have ample experience with ice machine maintenance in Eugene, OR, and are here to help. To that end, here are answers to some frequently asked ice machine questions.
How often should my ice machine be cleaned?
It is imperative that you have your ice machine cleaned on a regular basis—otherwise, it can easily become dirty or clogged, which can result in really bad service for your customers. Fortunately, the team at American Refrigeration Inc. can provide this cleaning.
How often your ice machine needs to be cleaned depends on factors like how big it is and how many customers you serve on a daily basis. Our team will work with you to come up with a cleaning schedule that makes sense.
What if my ice machine is just making slush?
Occasionally, your ice machine might stop producing fully formed ice cubes, instead putting out a slushy substance somewhere in between water and ice. This is a common issue, and a sign that your ice machine needs some maintenance. When you notice your ice machine has started producing slush, give your ice machine repair and maintenance service a call right away.
Do I need a filtration system in my ice machine?
A filtration system can be built into your ice machine from the start, or you can add one at any time. A filtration system is highly recommended, as it will both extend the life of your ice machine and ensure you are giving your customers the best possible product. It is a win-win for all involved!
What do I do when my machine stops making ice?
When your ice machine stops making ice, there are three things you can quickly do yourself to troubleshoot the situation: make sure the ice machine is fully plugged in, ensure that the breaker has not tripped and check to see that the ice machine is getting enough water supply.
Once you have done these three things, if your ice machine still isn’t making ice, then it is time to call in the professionals for assistance.
How much ice should my machine produce?
The capacity of your ice machine should depend on how many customers you will be serving on a daily basis. Typically, commercial ice machines will produce between 50 and 2,000 pounds during a 24-hour period. Consult an expert to learn what size ice machine you will need to purchase.
If you have additional questions about ice machines and ice machine maintenance in Eugene, OR, please feel free to get in touch with American Refrigeration Inc. anytime. Our experienced, helpful team is here to ensure you get quality service, and that your ice machine stays in tip-top shape.
