When using ice machines and water filters, service agents agree that 70% of ice maker problems are the result of minerals in the incoming water. Unfiltered water has a whole host of contaminants from minerals to additives like chlorine that can affect the performance of your commercial ice maker. Three areas where a good carbon based water filter can help include:
- Water Taste – Chlorine and other minerals make the water have an after taste that can disagree with some. A good carbon based water filter can remove these contaminants and make the water agree more with the pallet.
- Productivity – Water filters make for a more productive ice maker. As unfiltered water goes over the evaporated plate, the steel surface inside the ice machine that gets cold and forms ice, the minerals will start binding onto the steel surface. The mineral coating acts as an insulating layer in between the water and the cold evaporator plate. Ice production will drop; it will simply take longer to make ice. Your energy cost will go up because the compressor is working harder.
- Maintenance – The ice maker that employs a good carbon based water filter will have much less service issues. Without filtration you have compressors working harder and seals and gaskets exposed to minerals which prematurely age them. Further, some manufacturers require a certain level of water quality to enforce their warranties.
Drawbacks exist to filtering your ice machine water such as the potential for algae growth. With the Chlorine removed and a warm dark environment, water in these conditions can incubate algae growth. Regular scheduled cleaning or the use of phosphate injector like Insureice can render the minerals safe and keep the chlorine in the water.
Please contact us at lisa@dietaryequipment.net for more information on your ice machine!
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