28

Dec

Fixing A Commercial Ice Maker That’s Not Making Ice

An ice machine is supposed to produce ice, but if it’s showing problems, it can put your customer satisfaction at risk. So, you need a commercial ice maker repair technician who can arrive quickly on call and fix the problem. However, if you want to give it a go yourself or instruct a staff member to try their hands at repairing the appliance, here’s how to fix a commercial ice dispenser that’s not making ice.

Check If The Ice Maker Is Switched On

This is obvious but during the rush hours, a simple thing like checking if the ice machine is on or not can be overlooked.

Firstly, check the power cord of the machine. Is it plugged in? Then, press the ON button or switch the ON/OFF toggle and make sure it’s ON. Sometimes, the button or switch is broken. It won’t turn on the machine even if it looks like the button is in the ON position. So, have the button checked.

If the power button is fine and turned on and it doesn’t turn on the machine, you must check the circuit breaker because it may be tripped. Access the place where the breaker board is located, find the circuit breaker that is for the ice maker, and flip it on if it’s off.

However, if the appliance turns off again and the circuit breaker flips off, then a problem is causing it. Therefore, an expert should inspect the ice maker and the circuit breaker.

Give The Ice Machine Space To Operate

Ice makers require ventilation to operate properly. If they are placed closely with other items that are blocking its vents, the machine may not produce ice or produce less amount of ice because its airflow is disturbed.

So, make sure there is at least 6 inches of clearance between the ice maker and the nearest appliance, boxes, or wall.

Additionally, this rule is followed in every commercial kitchen, but it’s good to remind you that ice makers, refrigerators, and similar appliances should not be placed in close vicinity to heat-producing appliances such as ovens, steamers, etc.

Make Sure The Ice Maker Is Not Placed In The Hot Area Of The Kitchen

Even though the best location for an ice maker is outside of a kitchen, commercial kitchens are big enough to have sections of related appliances. So, if your ice machine is in the kitchen or any other place, make sure the room or kitchen is not too hot because warm temperatures can affect ice production.

In this case, you should move the ice maker to the part of the kitchen that’s cooler or to another part of the facility that’s easily accessible for the staff.

Ensure That The Ice Machine Is On A Level Surface

If you have just installed an ice maker in your commercial kitchen and it’s not producing ice, it has something to do with the leveling of the machine. If the surface is not level, the ice maker will either not function properly or won’t function at all. So, move the ice maker to a level surface.

Sometimes, leveling issues can arise in older machines with damaged feet. Therefore, if you have an old ice machine, check its feet.

Check The Water Supply

Another common cause of a commercial ice maker not producing ice is the disconnection of the water supply. No water, no ice. So, check the water supply if it’s turned off by somebody or if the water supply hose is disconnected.

The Water Pressure Must Be Appropriate

Water pressure matters for many appliances that depend their functioning on it like ice makers and dishwashers. Facilities, where the water pressure is generally low, will cause ice maker problems because low water pressure will lead to low or no production of ice. So, check with your local water company to solve this problem.

Check The Water Level

Neither too high nor too low water level is good for ice machines. If the water level is low, the machine won’t produce enough ice, or the quality of the ice will be impacted. On the other hand, a high water level will lead to too much ice, clogging the ice maker, and/or freezing up of the ice machine.

The Pause Feature Is Activated

Ice machines have a pause feature that stops the production of ice even when the machine is turned on. You can easily pause ice production whenever you feel there is enough ice. However, the pause feature can be activated accidentally too.

The pause functionality is activated from the control arm. You can move the control arm to pause or resume the ice production. This control arm can be unintentionally moved to the pause setting when taking ice out of the machine.

So, have someone with you who knows which position of the control arm is for resuming ice production and which one is for pausing to make sure it’s not at the pause position.

Defrost The Ice Machine

Many times, the reason behind no ice is a frozen water line. So, water can’t reach the ice maker for ice production. You need to defrost your commercial ice maker to fix this.

There are two methods of defrosting an ice maker. The first one is the normal method which takes two hours. You will unplug the ice maker and let it defrost. After two hours, plug it in again, and start using it.

The second one is a quick method when you need ice immediately. This method can still take 15 minutes. Unplug the ice machine, close the shutoff valve, and put warm water in it or use a hair dryer for melting the ice formed in the water line. Once you notice water is flowing freely in the water line, plug it back in, and start using the ice machine.

Clean The Condenser Coils

Ice makers have condenser coils on the back that help remove the heat that’s formed during the operation of the machine and the refrigeration process. If the condenser coils are not cleaned for months, a thick layer of dust will be formed on the coils which will reduce the heat removal ability of the coils.

The removal of heat is critical. If it’s not occurring properly, the ice maker may show problems like no ice production, low ice production, murky ice, and others.

Use a cleaner made for cleaning condenser coils of refrigeration units because grease is difficult to remove from the coils.

Properly Clean The Ice Machine

Cleaning the condenser coils can help you fix the issue, but if your ice maker has not been cleaned thoroughly for some months, it might not work even after wiping off the coils.

Check the maintenance logs of the machine for that and if it hasn’t received a deep clean in six months, you may have to perform it now or schedule it for the next few days. This should be done by an expert. However, you can perform daily cleaning as usual in the meantime.

Conclusion

A commercial ice maker that is not producing ice is of no use. So, follow the above tips to make it useful again. For proper inspection, maintenance, and repair, hire an ice dispenser repair Fairfax expert.

18

Jan

How Much Do Commercial Kitchen Appliance Repairs Cost?

Your commercial kitchen appliances are an investment to your business and it’s imperative that they are maintained properly. Proper maintenance will ensure that you don’t spend a fortune repairing your commercial appliances. It’s important to make sure you follow the commercial appliance repair Virginia schedule to keep your appliances working optimally. In this article, we tell you how much it will cost to repair your equipment.

Reason for Commercial Kitchen Equipment Failure

  • Lack of Regular Maintenance and Servicing

Failing to hire a commercial kitchen appliance repair team to carry out maintenance and servicing of the appliances. It’s important to ensure that you have the servicing and a repair schedule which is followed diligently to keep your appliances working effectively. Make sure that you have a Commercial kitchen appliance repair technician check your appliances regularly to avoid breakdown which may cost more than the servicing cost.

  • Failure by Employee to Take Care of the Appliances

Its crucial that the employees take care of the appliances. Make sure that your employees understand how to use appliances. When employees understand how appliances work they can take care of the appliances and also know when the appliances are not working optimally. Ensure that your appliances are cleaned regularly and properly. Some cleaning errors could cause your appliances to break down fast. Proper use of appliances and following the right care procedure will ensure that your appliances last long

  • Failure to replace Worn out Parts

Over time appliances will wear out and it’s crucial to ensure that they are replaced in good time. It’s important to ensure that the commercial kitchen appliances repair team repairs the appliances before they break down. Failing to replace part of an appliance will not only lead to breakdown but it will also bring your business to halt. Minor components can cause an appliance to breakdown and result in high repair costs. Its imperative that you ensure that preventive maintenance is carried out regularly.

  • Poor Ventilation

It’s important to ensure that enough air flows into the kitchen or where you have placed your appliances. Every room where there are appliances should be properly ventilated to avoid unwarranted breakdown. Poor ventilation will lead to overheating and eventual breakdown. Make sure that you have enough space for all the appliances. The commercial oven repair technician will guide you on where to place the oven. Ensure that commercial refrigerators are not squeezed in a corner where there is poor ventilation. The commercial kitchen repair technician will guide you on where each equipment will be placed.

  • Old Appliances

Outdated equipment will not only consume a lot of energy but may slow down your business. The appliance may be inefficient and that will lead to overtime increasing the cost of production. When the appliances breakdown it may expensive and hard to find the spare parts. If you are an old model of a refrigerator speak to the commercial refrigerator repair team and consult on the best course of action. Constant breakdown of the refrigerator will increase the cost of products and may lead to loss of customers. Make sure the appliances you are using are up to date and don’t consume a lot of energy.

What is the Cost of Appliance Repair

It’s best to identify a commercial appliance repair team that you can work with. The team will be able to carry out routine maintenance of the appliances and reduces the chances of a breakdown. To get the actual cost of repairs the commercial kitchen repair team will visit your premises and check the appliances you want to be repaired. After diagnosis, they will give you the cost of the repairs

It’s best to analyze the repair costs and determine whether to repair or replace. Take into account all the repair cost of the commercial appliances and determine the best choice.

Factors that Determine Repair Cost

The commercial appliance repair team will charge repairs based on

  • The number of spare parts required

The more the spare parts you will need for your refrigerator the more the commercial oven repair technician will charge. Analyze the total cost and determine whether to repair or replace

  • Intensity of breakdown

If your appliances have major issues it will cost you more to repair. Train your employees on how appliances work and they will be able to notice issues before they become major issues.

  • Type of appliances

Complex equipment will cost more to repair as compared to simple appliances. The ice dispenser repair team will charge more depending on the model.

  • The number of hours it takes to repair the appliances.

Most commercial appliances repair technician charge per hour but you can negotiate per job.

The cost of your commercial repairs will depend on the above factors. It’s imperative that you follow the right maintenance practice to ensure your appliances are working effectively and efficiently. Make sure the commercial kitchen appliance repair team services and checks your appliance on a regular basis. Taking good care of the appliances will reduce the overall repair cost

 

 

10

Dec

How to Ensure your Commercial Ice Maker is Working Efficiently

The commercial ice machine plays a crucial role in your business or institution. It’s important to ensure that you give the machine the maintenance it deserves. You will find that one of the most neglected commercial appliances is an icemaker, yet they play a crucial role. Make sure that you follow the right commercial appliance repair Virginia schedule to keep the ice maker working optimally.

Why it’s important to Keep the Ice Maker Clean

  • The health of your clients

The ice maker is in use every day and it’s essential to ensure its clean. Ice is food and it’s therefore important to ensure that the machine making the ice is clean. Water will lead the machine to have lime and Mold and that should be cleaned to ensure the health of your clients

  • To keep it working optimally in all seasons

Your ice maker is crucial especially during summer and it’s important to ensure its working effectively. Make sure that you clean and sanitize the ice maker machine often to keep it clean. Follow the commercial kitchen appliance repair schedule and ensure your ice maker serviced to keep it performing optimally throughout the year. Failing to carry out the service schedule will cause the ice to stick to the evaporator plates and that will slow down the machine. Failing to clean the machine will cause Mold and slime to form in your machine and that may cause food poisoning

  • Saves cost

Cleaning and servicing the ice maker as advised by the ice dispenser repair team will ensure that there are no sudden breakdowns. Sudden breakdowns will cost you a lot of money and lead to business losses

When Should You Clean the Ice Machine

Clean the commercial ice maker if you notice the following;

  • When you notice the machine is slower than usual
  • If it stops cycling into the harvest
  • Poor quality ice being harvested. If you notice the ice is not clean let the commercial ice maker repair team do a thorough cleaning.
  • When your ice maker begins to produce incomplete ice cubes
  • If it produces a low number of ice cubes

How to Maintain your Commercial Ice Maker

Below are tips to follow and ensure your ice maker is working optimally. While most of the tips seem obvious, ignoring them may lead to the machine breaking and loss of clients.

  • Make sure you invite the commercial appliance repair team for a thorough cleaning every six months
  • Ensure that your staff understands how the ice maker works and they are able to detect where it’s not working optimally.
  • Use the right products when cleaning the machine
  • Make sure that you follow the instructions on the manual of the machine when using it. If you notice that your ice maker requires more washing let the ice dispenser technician check the machine for any faults.

How to clean the Ice Maker

The main reason why you should clean the ice maker more often is to avoid lime build up because it makes the machine ineffective. Follow the below-cleaning instructions

  • Remove all the ice before cleaning the machine
  • Clean the machines water system
  • Remove the machine from power and remove the parts for cleaning
  • Check the air filters and clean them
  • Clean all the other parts with the right products

It’s best to let the commercial kitchen appliance repair team do the major cleaning of the machine as they do service. That will ensure that the machine is checked properly and ensure its working efficiently. The technician will be able to inspect all the parts and ensure they are working well

Sanitization and cleaning the exterior

After cleaning the machine make sure you sanitize it. Speak to the ice dispenser technician on the best detergents to use to sanitize the machine. Make all the components of the machine are sanitized.

Clean the exterior and the place where the machine is placed often. That will ensure that the health standards are maintained, and your machine is working optimally.

It’s imperative that your ice maker is cleaned and sanitized regularly to keep it working efficiently, reduce repair cost and ensure health standards are observed. Make sure that you follow the service schedule given by commercial ice maker repair team and that will ensure the constant supply of ice to your clients.