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Lovin' Your Combi-Oven

Michael Engel, owner of Pastiche Bistro in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with his favorite piece of kitchen equipment, the Alto Shaam Mini Combi oven. Photo by Kevin J. Miyazaki/Redux
One of the functions of a Combi-oven is its steam feature. Steam equipment is very susceptible to scale and corrosion problems. The last thing you want is your combi-oven breaking down, leaving you scrambling to figure out how you’re going to prepare your food and then trying to find a technician to fix the combi-oven, and you KNOW how expensive that can be! So it’s time to show your combi-oven some LOVE! Take careful consideration of its water quality by understanding a few basic characteristics about your water: 

  • Chlorine/Chloramines
  • Hardness (scale)
  • Chlorides

Chlorine and Chloramines are disinfectants that protect us from water-borne disease and other health risks, but they also promote corrosion in cooking equipment. The scale forming compounds of calcium and magnesium carbonate are found in most water supplies. The physics of generating steam results in the precipitation of these dissolved minerals which forms hard scale in boilers, valves and fittings, and on elements, cabinet walls and glass. Chlorides are common, active ions of dissolved solids in water that can cause pitting and crevice corrosion. At high temperatures chlorides are particularly corrosive to stainless steel.  Chlorides can only be removed with a system that utilizes reverse osmosis.

With these facts in mind, you want to make sure you pick the right water filtration system for your combi-oven. Here are a few options:

(Click the image to see more information on these systems.)

To figure out what is in your water, call us today for a water test kit!

 

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The Gift That Keeps on Giving!

This Christmas, give your family the gift of healthier water that makes for a healthier planet and a healthier you! No chemical leaching and safe from bacterial growth & contaminants. The gift of better tasting water, coffee, tea, soups, and sauces can be enjoyed by all. Your very own Reverse Osmosis System generates high quality water, free of bad tastes, chlorine, odors and contaminants right out of your kitchen faucet.

QCRO4V-50 Reverse Osmosis System

  • 4 Stage Quick Change RO
  • 50 gpd
  • Metal tank
  • Faucet

The QCRO Series Reverse Osmosis System produces up to 50 gallons of water per day, so you won’t be without high quality water. The cartridges pivot out for easy removal and replacement of cartridges. Chrome faucet and a storage tank with a small footprint make this ideal for modern living. Reverse osmosis drinking water systems reduce harmful contaminants and turn tap water into high quality H2O.     QCUF Ultra-Filtration System

  • Daily Production Rate L/day (G/day): 2725.5 (720)
  • Efficiency Rating: 100%
  • Recovery Rating: 100%
  • Typical System Flow Sequence: Sediment Filter, Sediment Filter, Ultrafiltration Membrane, Activated Carbon Postfilter, then Dispensing Faucet
  • Sediment Filter (Stage 1): 5 Micron
  • Sediment Filter (Stage 2): 5 Micron
  • Ultrafiltration Membrane (Stage 3): 0.2 Micron
  • Ultrafine Filtration Polishing Filter (Stage 4): Granular Activated Carbon or Carbon Block

The QCUF Series Ultra Filtration System produces up to 720 gallons of water per day, so you won’t be without high quality water. The cartridges pivot out for easy removal and replacement of cartridges. Chrome faucet and no storage tank make this ideal for modern living. A ultra filtration system produces drinking water that reduces harmful contaminants and turns your water into the fresh, high quality H2O. Filter Pure Systems, Inc.,  saving the planet one less plastic water bottle at a time! Contact us for more information.  

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What Causes Limescale Build Up?

What is scale? As rainfall descends, it picks up CO2, which makes water slightly acidic. By the time it reaches the earth, it is now a natural solvent. As it seeps down to the underground aquifers, it dissolves mineral along the way, becoming “hard.” Hard water is generally concentrated with four hard minerals: calcium, magnesium, carbonate, and sulfate. Every water supply has some dissolved mineral content.How does scale form? When energy is applied to hard water, the minerals can drop out of the solution and settle on surfaces. This is called scale, the most common of which is limescale. These minerals can form a hard crust that can cause many problems with equipment, from clogging to increased energy requirements. To understand the process that allows dissolved mineral content to rebuild solid rock, it is important to understand the condition of pH. The scale for pH is measured from 0.0 to 14.0, with 7.0 as a perfect neutral. In general terms, water supplies with a pH below 7.0 have a greater acid content and tend to dissolve rock into minerals. Water supplies with a pH above 7.0 have a lower acid content and tend to build mineral scale. There are two key conditions for scale formation:

  • The pH level must be neutral or above
  • There must be an energy transfer, cooling or heating, to act as a catalyst.

How does scale affect water-using equipment? Mineral deposits such as limescale create major problems for foodservice operators with ice, coffee, espresso, steam and warewashing equipment. Mineral scale can clog tubing and small orifices, coat heating and cooling elements, and result in increased detergent usage. Scale also causes reduced energy transfer and efficiency loss, resulting in increased energy demands for cooling or heating, and increased operating costs. Many water-using appliances, from coffee brewers to ice makers, are susceptible to limescale build-up. Steamers and combi ovens are among the most susceptible. As water boils and evaporates, minerals remain and become concentrated. Because of these high concentrations, steamers can require frequent deliming—an acid cleaning process that removes mineral scale. This process is harsh to the equipment surfaces and decreases equipment life. Freezing water can also cause scale to form. Commercial cuber-type ice makers require more service to correct scale build-up than any other equipment commonly used in foodservice. Like steamers, commercial icemakers leave a high concentration of minerals as most of the water becomes ice. The resulting residue is a murky mixture full of sediment and growing crystals that restricts tubes, fouls pumps, clogs orifices, scores valves, and causes ice to hang in clumps. Fortunately, scale growth can be reduced by adding small amounts of polyphosphates to water. Polyphosphates are completely safe and nontoxic, and many occur naturally in foods or are added during processing. They are also used in the treatment of drinking water to combat corrosion and scaling. Most scale-producing situations can be resolved more effectively with a point-of-use water treatment system that couples fine filtration and a polyphosphate feed. Fine filtration reduces particles that act as nucleation sites for scale formation. These particles speed up the scaling process and can add as much as 60 percent to the weight of the scale, depending on the particles in the source water. Filter Pure provides many systems meeting these specifications for home use, vending and office applications, and commercial foodservice. Types of scale The appearance of scale varies infinitely and depends on the impurities that are present in the water. For example, pure limescale is pure white, but sediment and turbidity due to dust, dirt and mud may color it. Common contaminants have these color properties: Treating scale There are three methods for reducing scale:

Information provided by Everpure
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Dealer Support Conference!

Filter Pure Systems hosted their first Dealer Support Conference last week and what a success! Vince Paglino, our Dealer Support Manager, did a great job setting up this conference. We had a huge turn out as dealers and re-sellers from all over Florida came to participate in product and sales training. Vince invited Rod Berry from Everpure to lead the training with some information on Everpure’s new 2013 products, as well as, basic technical training on the MRS-600-HE-II (which is a very complex reverse osmosis system). The conference was very hands on as dealers/re-sellers were able to physically touch and work on filtration systems, provided by Everpure. Vince also took some time to go over cold calling techniques and how to ask customers the right questions. I asked Vince what his goal was for the conference. He replied, “We want to become a resource to our dealers. We want to build their knowledge on the products we distribute, as well as train them on how to sell these products. We want them to be the best sales person in their field through application, troubleshooting, and product knowledge. This conference is a launching pad for individual support, on and off the field for all our dealers. The way I see it, if they win, we win.” Below are some pictures from the event. We are already getting calls asking when our next conference will be! For more information on our Dealer Support Program and upcoming conferences, please contact Vince Paglino at 1-800-942-7873, or email him at Vince@filterpure.com.

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John Guest Fittings from Filter Pure Systems

Clean, pure drinking water is an essential part of life. It is especially important to businesses that provide customers with drinking water or with products that contain water. Water with an unpleasant or inconsistent taste can cause product quality to also be poor or vary. Filter Pure Systems, Inc. is a leading US provider of water purification systems. The company has been in business for more than 30 years and serves large users like Coca-Cola, the US military, cruise lines, Walt Disney, and several major restaurant chains in addition to residential customers. Filter pure offers a variety of quality water purification systems for general and specialized applications, and knowledgeable customer service personnel provide the expertise to select the best system for any given application. Filter Pure carries Everpure water filters for industrial and residential systems, Everpure Marine bromination systems for ships and marine platforms, Pentair Industrial filters for industrial applications, Pentek filtration systems for both residential and commercial applications, PURA bottle-less water coolers, Hydrotech reverse osmosis filtration systems and Hydrotech ultraviolet sterilizers, and SHURflo water filtration systems for RV, marine, industrial and commercial users. Installation of these systems is greatly simplified with John Guest fittings. There are no required chemical sealants or pipe dope, no Teflon tape to keep track of, and no worries about leaking connections with high quality push-in fittings, piping and plastic plumbing systems from John Guest. The John Guest Speedfit system works with both plastic and copper lines and makes the addition of almost any water purification system quick and easy. Simply push the male fitting into the female fitting for an instant, water-tight seal. Filter Pure will not only provide you with the highest quality products on the market, but excellent customer service by knowledgeable staff that stands behind their product. Contact us today for more information or to place your order. Call us at 1-800-942-7873.

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Everpure Claris Water Filter Heads

Everpure Claris Water Filter HeadsEverpure Claris water filter heads are an integral part of the Claris water filter system by Everpure. This system was designed to be used with hot water and is ideal for hot drink machines, steam cooking and brewed iced tea. It is unique in that it permits users to determine the amount of minerals they want in their water, allowing for improved flavor while still protecting equipment from the damages caused by hard water. It doesn’t waste water the way that a reverse osmosis system does, and yet it still helps to reduce energy costs and prevent costly de-liming procedures. The filter heads designed to fit the Everpure Claris filters are sturdy and long-lasting. They do not corrode, making them perfect for vending machines and the food service industry. There are three different models:

Both of the QCF filter heads come equipped with an automatic shut-off, a built-in flush port and an adjustable bypass; the BSP model includes all of these features as well as a flow restrictor and a backflow restrictor. All of them are commercial-grade water filter heads made specifically for Claris filter cartridges. The Claris heads are effortless to install. They do not need an electrical connection, and mounting them is merely a matter of following a simple illustration. The filter system can function as a freestanding unit, or it can be mounted to a wall or laid on its side. This makes it useable even in situations where space is limited. The only major requirements are that the water pressure leading to the system must be less than 116 psi and the shut-off valve must be placed upstream from the filter. If the pressure is too high, a pressure reducer valve should be fitted to the supply end of the system. For optimum performance of the Everpure Claris filter heads, it is important to change the filters once a year or whenever their water capacity is reached, whichever comes first. Following cartridge installation, flush out the system by turning the filter head clockwise. To determine whether the desired hardness level has been reached, utilize the Titration kit rather than checking mineral levels with hardness test strips. The Claris system can be used for any application where users desire to control the softness of their water. Typically, this includes coffee and espresso machines, steam cookers and ovens, and self-cooking systems.

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Everpure Claris Saves Money And Offers Better Tasting Water

Everpure ClarisFood managers and restaurant owners looking for a high-quality commercial water filter system to decrease the costs of regular deliming will be impressed by Everpure Claris. This water softening and filtration system can save operators up to $2,500 annually, not to mention provide a crystal clear glass of iced tea to thirsty customers. Unlike reverse osmosis water filtration systems, Everpure Claris does not remove all minerals from the water. Minerals add flavor to drinks, so the filtration system allows the operator to adjust the relative water softness of the water supply, thus controlling of the alkalinity and mineral content of the water. Meanwhile, the five-step filtration process removes all unpleasant particles, odors and tastes. Everpure Claris blends perfectly to create great-tasting beverages every time. It also reduces scale in direct-injection steam ovens, which can save operators $1,400 in energy costs. Owners save another $1,100 by eliminating the expensive deliming process associated with hard water. In tests by Everpure, replacing a resin filter with Claris reduced water hardness grains by 50 percent. It’s also environmentally friendly when compared to a reverse osmosis water filtration system, which wastes two to three gallons of water for every gallon of purified water it creates. The savings on maintenance is reason enough to consider Everpure Claris Water Filter System. Customer satisfaction is simply the icing on the cake.

Installation & Setup Tips

Everpure Claris is less expensive to acquire than reverse osmosis systems, takes up less space, and is easy to install. The system can be mounted horizontally or vertically to the wall or be a freestanding unit.

  • To mount and install, simply attach the included bracket to the wall and attach the hoses to the proper filter head.
  • Lead a flush hose into a waste container or into a drain.
  • Turn the filter head clockwise after you insert the filter cartridge in order to flush the cartridge.
  • Align marks on the mounting bracket to the marks on the cartridge.
  • After closing the flush/pressure release value, the system is ready for operation.

After installation, owners will need to adjust the bypass level according to their specific needs. A guide to determining ideal water hardness is supplied. Maintenance requires only the occasional filter change. As stated previously, scale and lime will no longer be an issue. Protect your equipment and deliver the best-tasting beverages in town with Everpure Claris.

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Water Filter Terminology: 3 Examples that Provide Clean and Safe Water

We come into contact with terms and analogies everyday – that doesn’t mean we understand what they mean. Would you know what QCP filtration is or reverse osmosis? Not many do. For those who understand this type of water filter terminology, they understand what happens to get a clean and safe drink of water. Now, what about the rest of us? To give you a better understanding of these terms, let’s take a look at a few examples of water filter terminology and give you a better understand of what it takes to have clean drinking water:

Examples of Water Filter Terminology

  • Reverse Osmosis – Ok, we have all heard of the process, but what does it actually mean? As a long standard in water purification, reverse osmosis purifies water by pressurizing unfiltered water, and forcing its molecules what’s called a semi-permeable membrane. This membrane traps things like metals particles and lets only the water molecules to pass. That way, you only receive great tasting, smelling and safe drinking water.
  • Inline Filtration – Here’s another one to add to your water filtration terminology. Yes, some understand filtration and how it helps our water, but what’s inline filtration? Basically, a water filter is put “in” the water line, and it filtrates out any dirt or particles out of water that flows through. This filtration method also filters out any smells or tastes caused by contaminants.
  • Ice Filtration – For those areas that bring in water through colder terrain, ice filtration is something used to preserve optimal drinking water conditions. Ice gets cloudy due to water impurities, which also impact the flavor of the ice. When it melts, those impurities impact the taste of beverages, but ice filtration eliminates those for pristine flavor and appearance.

Although many people have heard different terms about water filtration, most don’t understand the majority of what water filtration terminology means. Hopefully, these few terms gives you a better understanding into what happens when you turn on your faucet to get that drink of water.

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Water Pollution Plagues America

It’s easy to relegate thoughts of bacteria-laden streams, rivers contaminated with heavy metals, and otherwise polluted water sources to so-called “third-world” countries and developing nations. But the truth is that the same problems that afflict these parts of the globe are very present right here in the United States. What’s more, these water sources are not just in rural America; the problem affects major cities around the country, including our nation’s capital. The Potomac river is perhaps one of the best examples of a polluted major water source. Estimated to provide drinking water to two million people in the capital region, the Potomac and its tributaries have fallen victim to years of disregard by Washington-area residents. The problem stems from urban runoff, neglectful farmers, and land development efforts. Still another example of a polluted American waterway is none other than the “mighty” Mississippi. Flowing from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, the water of the Mississippi picks up all sorts of pollutants along the way, and by way of its tributaries, transports them through more than 31 states, affecting millions of people. So what is to be done about this modern-day plague? Residences protect themselves with point of use systems that employ a number of technologies, including reverse osmosis and UV filtration. Businesses on the other hand, generally incorporate application-specific technologies such as those for coffee and ice filtration. Regardless of your specific water concern, it’s important to inform yourself about the quality of your drinking water – it may not be as clean as you think.

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Point of Entry Filters (POE) vs. Point of Use Filters (POU)

In many commercial applications, several water filters, including those which are dedicated to specific pieces of machinery, are needed. In these cases, individual filters, known as “point of use” (POU) water filters are located inline just before the water is dispersed or enters the machinery for which the water is intended. As POU filters are usually application specific, they can be tailored to the needs of the user, and are often used in place of a generic reverse osmosis system. This fact makes a standard POU water filter easier to maintain, but usually more expensive. Because of this, it behooves the business owner to take measures against the premature degradation of the POU water filter. The easiest way to accomplish this is to install a “point of entry” (POE) water filter. POE water filters perform water filtration for the entire commercial water service. They are responsible for purifying the water supply to all faucets, pieces of machinery, and toilets. The advantage of this approach to water filtration is first that only one system must be purchased for an entire service, and second, that it greatly improves the life of any other filters present down-line. The most popular POE filters used are either sediment prefilters, or carbon filters.

  • Sediment filters are responsible for removing sediment that can clog softeners, prematurely foul carbon filters, or ruin the down-line plumbing. In addition, they reduce TDS (total dissolved solids) or many other harmful chemicals like nitrate, nitrites, etc.
  • Carbon filters are effective for certain trouble water conditions such as bad taste or odor.

Still other POE filters are designed as an entire system. These units typically employ a four-stage filtration process. The first stage of filtration removes sediment in the water that may clog the filter, reducing its effectiveness. The second stage uses a chemical process called water atomization to alter the molecular structure of chlorine and turn it into the harmless molecule, zinc chloride. The third and fourth stages of filtration involve activated carbon filters to filter pesticides, and other harmful chemicals. By removing chlorine and other harmful chemicals at the point-of-entry, the whole service is provided with cleaner, healthier water at a reduced cost to the business owner. Pre-filters are typically much less expensive than down-line, application specific filters, making their replacement cheaper than that of the filters the POE filter is saving.