Restarting Your Dining Room Ice Machine

By Michael Brown – Regional Sales Manager

Going into summer cold drinks are very important to the guest experience. Your ice machine is crucial to producing those cold beverages at your self-serve counters or bar areas. With the move to a carry-out or to-go business model over the last two months many dining rooms or bar areas, ice machines have been shut down to save water and energy costs. As restaurants begin to open in house seating areas back to public use, these ice machines need to come alive again. A few action items need to be done before putting an ice machine back into service.

Starting Up Your Restaurant’s Ice Machine
When starting the ice machine back into operation, most manufacturers state that the unit will need to have a full cleaning and sanitizing as well as a water filter replacement. Keeping in mind that ice machines are basically food production areas. If left dormant for more than a day or so they will grow bacteria from any standing water. Full professional cleaning and sanitizing will eliminate any bacterial growth and ensure that you are serving safe, clean ice to your guests.

Replace the Water Filter
The water filter on an ice machine will also need to be changed out if the unit has been dormant for more than a few days. The filter itself removes impurities and contaminants from the water. If no water is flowing through the filter those impurities and contaminants sit there breeding bacteria in the filter. When the water begins to flow again that bacteria will flow right into your ice machine. The water filter should be changed before a professional cleaning and sanitizing of the ice machine occurs.

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