Foodservice - Page 5 of 10

Posted on August 27, 2017 by Filter Inc.

What about your water and water filtration system after Hurricane Harvey?

Provided the water in your area does not fall under a “Do not use”, boil water alert, your filter system and filters unless damaged by the storm should be fine. If your area does fall under a boil water alert you should change all filters and membranes installing new, unused filters or membrane cartridges after you have completely sanitized your system. Boil water alerts are often issued by water municipalities when damage occurs to water lines. These alerts can also be issued if there is a loss in water pressure, allowing bacteria to backwash into the water pipes. Minerals and viruses like E.coli, cryptosporidium, and giardia, are all things that may get into water when a pipe breaks or during a natural disaster, like flooding. Below is Everpure’s Technical Service Bulletin regarding water quality emergencies and the procedures to place your system back into operation after a boil water alert.

Everpure Technical Service Bulletin
File No: 011414
Subject: Responding to Water Quality Emergencies

RESPONDING TO WATER QUALITY EMERGENCIES
Natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and hurricanes cause contamination of municipal water systems over a large area. Industrial and other chemical leaks can also cause contamination of water supplies. If a water quality emergency occurs in your location, follow your local municipality’s instructions for addressing the emergency. If a boil order is issued, follow that boil order advisory until you have been notified by local authorities that your water is potable and safe to use.
Following is our recommended procedure for cleaning and start-up of Pentair water treatment systems using Pentair filters and RO membranes for commercial foodservice applications.

PENTAIR® OBEYING BOIL WATER ADVISORIES:
Obey them, period!
Contamination due to breaks in the mains, general flooding, or damage to the municipal waterworks itself should not be confused with situations in which contamination by protozoan cysts (e.g. Cryptosporidium, Giardia) is discovered in a water supply. Everpure submicron filters and RO membranes are NSF-Certified for removing such cysts, but not for killing or removing dangerous bacteria and viruses, which must be assumed to be present during the aftermath of a disaster, chemical spill or other water emergency.
When a Boil Water Advisory is announced and it is clear that there has been gross contamination, operators should stop using their filtration or RO system and boil their water as advised by their local authorities, until:
1. The “all clear” is given by local water authorities
2. Plumbing systems in your facility have been disinfected
3. Your Pentair system has been cleaned and any old or contaminated filter or RO cartridges have been replaced with new ones

CLEANUP OF PENTAIR SYSTEMS:
When safe water is available again, all water-using equipment should be sanitized with an approved disinfectant such as diluted chlorine bleach (5.25% sodium hypochlorite). The recommended dosage is 100-200 mg/L chlorine, which is easy to make. Fresh bleach has about 50 mg of chlorine in each mL, or about 500 mg in a capful. Four capfuls or an ounce in a 2-1/2 gal. bucket of water makes about 200 mg/L. Add a few drops of cleaning concentrate (e.g. dish detergent) to this solution and use it to clean external surfaces. Unexposed, interior plumbing surfaces can be sanitized in place using a Pentair Everpure JT Sanitizing/Flushing Cartridge. (Contact your local distributor or sales agent to acquire the JT can). This is an empty housing which can be filled with any cleaning or sanitizing solution and then be inserted into Everpure-branded filter heads. When the flow of water resumes, the disinfectant will be fed into the lines. When a strong chlorine smell is evident at the closest outlet, the flow should be stopped and the sanitizing solution left to soak for at least 30 minutes. When sanitization is complete, remove the flushing cartridge and install new, unused filters or membrane cartridges. Rinse the equipment by flushing water through the system as directed in your system’s Installation and Operation manual. Return your filtration or RO system to service.

POST-EMERGENCY SYSTEM OPERATION:
Follow the replacement cartridge change-out schedule per your system’s specifications. We suggest that you continue to monitor and follow your local water authority’s post-emergency recommendations. Please note that water problems caused by natural disasters often include high turbidity, even muddy, conditions. As a result, filter cartridges may clog faster and need replacing sooner than usual.

If you have any questions regarding these instructions or require additional assistance please call us at 1-800-942-7873 or email us at info@filterpure.com

Posted on August 27, 2017 by Filter Inc.

The best commercial Ice machine water filters are made in America!

Labor Day marks the end of this years incredibly busy commercial ice season and whether your food service operation uses a Manitowoc, Follet, Ice-O-Matic, Hoshizaki or Scotsman ice machine you probably already have a Made in America Pentair/Everpure water filtration system taking care it. When it comes to commercial ice machines seventy percent of service calls are water related and Everpure water filters have been saving operators millions of dollars annually by extending the life of this expensive equipment making sure that they receive the quality of water necessary to protect these machines from;

Abrasion and Clogging

Scale Build Up and Corrosion

Off tastes and Odors

Harmful Cysts by mechanical means/ NSF 53, 1/2 micron

Particulates that result in cloudy ice

Everpure’s proven proprietary Everpure Micro-Pure filter media technology and proprietary Fiberdyne media techology including the number one selling i2000 water filter system are just a few of the reasons why Hoshizaki and Scotsman have Everpure manufacture their 4HC-H and Aqua Patrol water filter systems. Don’t have an Everpure water filter system on your Ice Machine? Call us with the make and model of your ice machine and we will get you a quote over to you right away but regardless of the system you are using, this was a very long and hot summer and with Labor Day only a week away, now may be the best time to check your system and order replacement water filters if your need them. These filters are critical in making sure your machine not only produces the freshest, cleanest tasting ice, but also so that it runs efficiently and doesn’t use more energy than necessary. Everpure Ice Machine water filters are ready to help, this year’s 2017 lineup includes;

EV9612-22 Insurice i2000 Rated capacity of 9,000 gallons.

EV9612-32 Insurice i4000 Rated capacity of 12,000 gallons.

EV9693-31 Insurice 4FC-S Rated capacity of 15,000 gallons.

EV9692-71 Insurice 7FC-S Rated capacity of 25,000 gallons.

For Slime issues;

EV9606-51, 4SI with a rated capacity of 15,000 gallons.

EV9606-01, 7SI Rated capacity of 25,000 gallons.

Protect your Ice machines superior performance, NSF Certification and Warranty. For more information on perfecting your ice with the best American Made Ice machine water filters please call us at 800-942-7873!

Posted on July 22, 2017 by Filter Inc.

The Best Commercial Coffee Brewer Water Filters are Made in America!

Commercial coffee brewers are working overtime in 2017 as more Americans are drinking coffee, a reversal of four years of declines, as gourmet brews continue to gain in popularity, according to a recent National Coffee Association (NCA) report. All of these wonderful Specialty Coffee beverages are approximately 98.7% water so the contribution that a high quality water filter makes of both protecting expensive commercial coffee brewers and delivering clear, clean delicious water cannot be understated and all of us have more than likely tasted the difference it can make. According to the Specialty Coffee Association; For a superior quality extraction of coffee solids, the brewing water should have these characteristics:

Characteristic	Target	Acceptable Range
Odor 1	Clean/Fresh, Odor free
Color 2	Clear color
Total Chlorine	O mg/L
TDS 3	150 mg/L	75 – 250 mg/L
Calcium Hardness	4 grains or 68 mg/L	1-5 grains or 17 mg/L – 85 mg/L
Total Alkalinity	40 mg/L	At or near 40 mg/L
pH	7.0	6.5 – 7.5
Sodium	10 mg/L	At or near 10 mg/L

The Entire Family of Made in America Pentair/Everpure Commercial Coffee Brewing water filters are designed to consistently deliver this “superior” quality water while also protecting expensive commercial coffee equipment. These filters have been changing the taste of coffee all over the world providing clear, fresh, premium quality water for consistently great tasting coffee. Everpure’s unique filters utilize a refined activated carbon to eliminate chlorine taste and odor and other offensive contaminants. These filters also save energy by reducing scale build-up. A proportioned scale inhibitor feed inside each filter dramatically prevents limescale from forming in brewing equipment. New and improved Micro-Pure II media with AgION™ antimicrobial protection inhibits any potential bacterial growth inside the filter. With precoat submicron technology, dirt and particles as small as ½ micron in size are reduced, eliminating health contaminants such as asbestos fibers, Cryptosporidium and Giardia. The Sanitary cartridge replacement is simple, quick and clean, and no tools necessary. Internal filter parts are never exposed to handling or contamination. All of these filters are both NSF/ANSI 42 and 53 certified for health effects.

The only real difference between any of the above filters is capacity and flow, (gpm) gallons per minute. The OCS², (Office Coffee System) is designed for small brewers in commercial office settings and features a 1500 gallon capacity with a ½ gpm flow rate. The BH², (Brewer Hot) filter is designed for all commercial brewers, Bunn, Cecilware, Fetco,Wilbur Curtis, etc. requiring a flow rate of ½ gpm or less and features a 3,000 gallon capacity. The MH² ( Multiple Hot) cartridge is also designed to take care of multiple commercial brewers (Bunn, Cecilware, Fetco,Wilbur Curtis, etc ), with a flow rate of 1.67 gpm and featuring a 9,000 gallon capacity. For more information on any of the made in America Pentair/Everpure line of commercial coffee water filters please call us at 800-942-7873 or contact us at info@filterpure.com.

Posted on June 22, 2017June 23, 2017 by Filter Inc.

Legionnaires’ outbreak leaves 1 dead and 6 others infected in New York City.

June, 2017, Legionnaires’ disease in New York City has left one person dead and six others sickened, according to health officials. The New York City Health Department announced that seven cases of the disease were discovered on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The person who died from Legionnaires’ was elderly and had significant health problems. Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia that is caused from inhaling mist that is infected with the bacteria Legionella. The mist could come from a variety of places, including hot tubs, showers, decorative fountains or air-conditioning units for large buildings. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes online that “less commonly, people can get Legionnaires’ disease by aspiration of drinking water,” which can happen when water “’goes down the wrong pipe,’ into the trachea (windpipe) and lungs instead of the digestive tract.” Symptoms of the disease include fever, cough, chills, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, muscle aches, confusion and diarrhea, according to the health department. An estimated 8,000 to 18,000 people are hospitalized with Legionnaires’ disease each year in the U.S. How can so many people be infected by this bacteria, especially in places where you think you would be safe from any deadly bacteria? Being exposed to any water system can be a source of disease if the water in it is subjected to conditions that promote growth of the organism.

So how do you Kill Legionella?

First, is preventing it! Killing the bacteria before it reaches any water system. Traditional oxidizing agents such as chlorine have been proven very effective in controlling Legionella. Using continuous chlorination at low free residual levels can be effective in controlling Legionella. That’s why many hospitals are using Everpure’s 7SI and 4 SI cartridges on their ice machines to help prevent the Legionella bacteria from forming in their water in compliance with ASHRAE 188. According to the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), one of the reasons that ASHRAE Standard 188:

Prevention of Legionellosis Associated with Building Water Systems is being developed to help prevent the high fatality rate for hospital patients that contract Legionella. This standard is designed to prevent the bacteria from entering and/ or reproducing in a hospital water system. The standard places responsibility for water safety on everyone associated with the design, construction, installation, ownership, operation, management, and maintenance of a building’s water system. The cold water dispensers of hospital ice machines have been proven to be a potential source of Legionella. Two studies, in 1985 and 1997, traced Legionella directly to the ice. ASHRAE Standard 188 requires that the HACCP plan include all potable water systems, including ice machines. If the potable water system, such as an ice machine, has “incoming potable water containing less than 0.5 mg/l residual halogen such as chlorine”, it is a risk factor for Legionella. Stout JE, Yu VL, Muraca P (1985). Isolation of Legionella pneumophila from the cold water of hospital ice machines: implications for origin and transmission of the organism. Infection Control, 6:141–146.

Pentair®/Everpure® have created cost-effective, application-specific filtration systems that will allow a hospital to keep its ice machines in compliance with ASHRAE Standard 188, and help provide critical protection from protozoan cysts and scale damage: the 4SI and 7SI Carbonless Water Filters from Pentair Everpure. These unique water filters provide a number of important benefits:

Compliance with ASHRAE Standard 188, allows municipal chlorine and chloramine residual to pass through to the ice machine
Slime/Bio Film Reduction, chlorine can help to reduce the growth of slime and bacteria inside the ice machine
Cyst Reduction, submicron media reduces cysts such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia that can cause waterborne diseases in humans (reduction occurs by mechanical means*)
Scale Protection, scale inhibitor reduces scale deposits that can cause downtime, maintenance calls and increased service costs. Scale can also result in the clogging of distribution lines, freeze-up on evaporator plates, and cause pumps, solenoids and probes to malfunction or fail.
Particulate Reduction. Pentair’s proprietary Fibredyne™ media has superior dirt-holding capabilities versus conventional carbon block filters.
Retrofits Everpure Brand Filter Heads. Quickly and easily convert Everpure Insurice®, 4/7CB5-S and 7FC-S Systems to 4SI or 7SI systems simply by swapping out the filter cartridges. There’s no need to remove an old filter head and invest in a new one, which saves you money and labor. The 4SI System Fits in Tight Spaces. Its space-saving size allows for easy placement behind a countertop ice machine or inside a cabinet.
Easy to Install and Maintain
Certified to NSF Standards 42 and 53.
Carries the Pentair Everpure Name. Everpure has been providing water solutions for over 80 years, and is one of the most respected brands in water filtration worldwide.

For the complete Pentair Everpure Brochure on ASHRAE 188 Ice Machine Compliance Click here: ICE MACHINE COMPLIANCE WITH ASHRAE 188 PENTAIR. Contact us for more information on the 4SI or 7SI cartridge and how to stop Legionella at 800-942-7873 or contact us at info@filterpure.com.

Posted on June 15, 2017 by Filter Inc.

Happy Fathers Day!

Sorry Dads, we are not as popular as Mom and Mothers Day, the most popular holiday of the year to dine out but we will be spending more than $15.5 billion this year on Dad according to the National Retail Federation. According to the Federation and a recent Fortune article, most Americans, 39.9% according to the NRF, plan on purchasing gifts directly from department stores compared to the 33.7% who will order gifts online. A Father’s Day shopper is expected to spend an average of $134.75 on Dad this year, $8.83 more than in 2016. Something very interesting that has been consistent and we can expect more of this year are millennials….sons and daughters plan on spending their money on experiences rather than things this year, including eating out and travel. Additional experiences can include live performances and other social events. Planned spending on a special outing with Dad surpassed gift spending on clothing, gift cards and even electronics. Worried about Dad’s drinking water experience? Not sure that Dad is well hydrated and drinking enough water? We recommend the OW200L drinking water system if you would like to leave minerals in the water or if you would like to take just about everything out of the water, think “Dasani”, check out the PURA QCRO , either one are easy to DIY. Not sure if either are the right choice?….give us a call at 800-942-7873 or contact us at info@filterpure.com to discuss a total solution for Dad’s house!

Posted on June 15, 2017June 15, 2017 by Filter Inc.

Top Michigan health official, four others charged with manslaughter in Flint water crisis

June, 14th, 2017 in an article by Dennis Brady of the Washington Post…… Michigan attorney general’s office on Wednesday charged the director of the state’s health department and four other public officials with involuntary manslaughter for their roles in the Flint water crisis, which has stretched into its fourth year. READ THE FULL ARTICLE. Worried about your water or not sure what is creating the off taste or odor from it? Give us a call at 800-942-7873 for more information or email us at info@filterpure.com

Posted on May 14, 2017 by Filter Inc.

Happy Mothers Day!

As the most popular holiday of the year to dine out, nearly half of Americans will dine out or order restaurant takeout or delivery today. According to the NRF, the National retail Foundation, Americans expect to spend more than ever on Mother’s Day this year as they shower moms with everything from jewelry to special outings at favorite restaurants. Total spending is expected to reach $23.6 billion – the highest in the survey’s 14-year history, topping last year’s previous record of $21.4 billion. Whether consumers pick Mom’s preferred buffet breakfast or her favorite fine-dining dinner, America’s restaurants are stepping up to the plate to help families celebrate the special occasion. And while a majority of consumers make their Mother’s Day meal plans less than a month out, nearly one in five have probably been planning their celebratory meals for more than one month and the first thing that Mom is going to taste today is the water! If you are an operator that currently has a Pentair/Everpure water treatment in your facility you know that you are serving premium “Filtered Pure” water to your Moms, but if you don’t you may want to consider spending a few more dollars to make sure that you can pass the “Mom smell test”! You can be sure that if your water is off color with a bad taste or odor this weekend, it’s going to reflect poorly on the person who recommended your restaurant for Mom. Either way it is certainly something that is easy to avoid, as easy as making sure that your water filters have been changed or if you don’t already have one, installing an Everpure water filtration system to take care of all of the beverages and ice that you are serving. If you already have an Everpure system, it is essential that filters be replaced periodically. The frequency of filter changes depends upon your water quality and your water usage. For example, if there is a lot of sediment and/or particles in your water, then you will have to change your filters more frequently than a location with little to no sediment. Be sure to replace your filters whenever you notice a decline in the performance, whether it is a drop in flow rate and/or pressure or an unusual taste in the water.

EV9437-10 Complete Restaurant System for all treated product water, beverage water and ice in your facility.

Prefilter, ( First bowl to left, system above)

The prefilter (coarse) cartridge should be changed when it becomes dirty to within 1/8″ of the core or when you see the outlet pressure gauge fall into the red zone. Check the pressure gauge only when the equipment is calling for water.

Submicron Cartridges ( 3 in the middle system pictured above)

The cartridges should be changed at the first occurrence of a) the gallon rating stated on the label, b) every 6 months, or c) the pressure gauge needle falls into the red zone while your equipment is calling for water.

Scalestick ( cartridge in last bowl to right pictured in system above)

The Scalestick needs to be replaced before the Hydroblend compound is completely used up.

EV9628-28 Filter Replacement kit for the EV9437-10 system pictured above.

You should also replace your water filters whenever you notice a decline in performance, whether it is a drop in flow rate and/or pressure, or an unusual taste in the water. You should also, per the CDC, replace your water filter after any boil water advisory alert is lifted in your area. Remember: taste and odor may tip you off to the presence of chlorine in your water, but most contaminants are tasteless and odorless.

For the benefit of our customers, we have set-up automatic electronic reminders that are sent when we see that their filters are due to be replaced, based on order history. We can even set-up Auto-Ship for customers that know they will need water filters by a certain date, but may not remember to place an order.

If you have a question regarding how often you should replace your filter or not sure about the filter system that you have please email your questions and a picture of the system to info@filterpure.com or call our team at 1-800-942-7873 and have a very Happy Mother’s Day!

Posted on May 14, 2017May 14, 2017 by Filter Inc.

7.5 million Floridians were exposed to unsafe drinking water in 2015!

According to a newly published, ( May 2017) Natural Resources Defense Council study, more Floridians are exposed to unsafe drinking water than just about anywhere in the country. This new study of nationwide violations, notes that the state ranked second in the number of people impacted by violations under the Safe Drinking Water Act based on the most recent data available from 2015. Nationally, 77 million people were exposed to unsafe water, with violations including high levels or toxic arsenic, lead and other chemicals, as well as failure to test or report contamination. To compile the data, the nonprofit looked at the most recent, comprehensive data and ranked states based on the number of people exposed to unsafe water. That could skew findings to heavily populated states, but even as a percentage, Florida ranked in the top 10. Altogether, 7.5 million Floridians received water from utilities that violated standards. Among the state’s top violations was failing to provide its citizens with a required annual water quality report. Other major problems violated rules on cancer-causing disinfectants, high levels of coliform from human waste, and lead and copper that exceeded safe limits. Nationwide, the study found that small and rural communities racked up the highest number of violations and that for nine out of 10 violations, no formal action was taken to correct problems. The study turned up 80,000 violations in 2015 in 18,000 water treatment systems across the country. Of these, 12,000 violations created potential health hazards. In Florida, more than 250 violations were tied to health hazards.The NRDC also reported that the EPA has not added any new drinking water standards since the law was amended in 1996 to require regular five-year updates on potential new contaminants to be monitored, including algae-related toxins that have fouled water around Florida. Worried about your water? We recommend that you start with a water analysis so you can focus treatment specifically on the problems with your water. Know what your treating already? Filter Pure recommends the Pentair/Everpure family of water filters for premium quality drinking water. Their unique filter blend uses activated carbon to reduce chlorine taste and odor and offensive contaminants down to ½ micron in size even taking out water borne cysts such as cryptosporidium and giardia. All the OW replacement water filter cartridges are NSF Certified under NSF/ANSI Standards 42 and 53, the OW200L (P/N EV9619-01) , OW2-PLUS (P/N EV9634-01) , and OW4-PLUS (P/N EV9635-01). We also carry the 4C cartridge (EV9600-00) and new line of Everpure (Fibredyne II) and FC-L lead reduction cartridges including the 4FC-L (EV9693-10), 4FC-LS, S for scale inhibitor, ( EV9693-16), 7FC-L (EV9693-40) and 7FC-LS with scale inhibitor, ( EV9693-46).

For more information about the Pentair/Everpure line of premium drinking water filter cartridges, contact us at 1-800-942-7873 or click on the “Live Help ONLINE” link on the left of your screen.

Posted on April 30, 2017April 30, 2017 by Filter Inc.

Is the the 2017 Commercial Ice Machine season starting early?

Memorial Day usually marks the beginning of the Commercial Ice Season and the majority of ice for consumption and refrigeration is purchased in the summer but with temperatures already climbing toward 100 this weekend, I think it might be arriving early this year! The majority of ice for consumption and refrigeration is purchased in the summer, nearly 80 percent between Memorial Day and Labor Day, according to the International Packaged Ice Association. According to AAA / IHS forecast more than 38 million travelers hit the road during the 2016 Memorial Day holiday period, an increase of 1.9 percent over 2015. The 38 million travelers was the most since 2005 and the second-highest total on record. The total was a 10.7 percent above the post-recession average and nine percent above the average since 2000. The average price of gasoline in May of 2016 was $2.30 per gallon and currently the average price as of this writing is $2.39 per gallon an increase of only 4 % over last year but expectations are for prices to rise into the holiday. Even with this expected increase, expectations are for another record year and with record temperatures and record demand from thirsty tourists expected in Florida this year, you can expect commercial ice machine/s to be working overtime and Everpure Ice Machine water filters are ready to help. Now is the best time to check your system and order replacement water filters if you need them. These filters are critical in making sure your machine not only produces the freshest, cleanest tasting ice, but also so that it runs efficiently and doesn’t use more energy than necessary. With record temperatures already being set this year in Florida you can expect your machine to be working overtime and Everpure Ice Machine water filters are ready help, and this year’s 2017 lineup includes;