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Everpure ScaleKleen Ice Machine Sanitizing Instructions

Even though ice machines ensure the daily delivery of a clean food product in millions of foodservice facilities around the world, too often they are left out of a business’s preventive maintenance plans. Developing and sticking to a consistent cleaning process for your ice machine not only helps guarantee your customers a clean food product time and time again, but it also enables you to reap the most from your investment for many years to come.

Your ice machine should be emptied and thoroughly sanitized at a  minimum every six months and Filter Pure recommends Pentair Everpure ScaleKleen, the smart, environmentally safe way to delime your water-using appliances. It removes limescale buildup and scale quickly and easily. It’s FDA approved to be used around food grade material, it is completely non-toxic and is safe to pour down the drain after use.

SCALEKLEEN INSTRUCTIONS FOR ICE MACHINES;

1. Turn off the ice machine, and drain the sump. 2.  Mix one 7-ounce packet of ScaleKleen in one quart of hot water and pour the solution into the ice machine sump. 3.  Allow the sump to fill so that the pump is not starved of water. NOTE: Do not turn on, the “REFRIGERATE” cycle. ScaleKleen works most effectively when mixed with hot water. The colder the water; the longer it takes to dissolve the scale. 4.  Turn the switch to the “PUMP” mode and allow water to recirculate with ScaleKleen for 20 minutes. 5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 if scale deposits are still visible. 6.  Drain and rinse the sump thoroughly with clean water to remove any remaining traces of ScaleKleen. 7.  Check the pH of the water in the sump. If it is within one pH unit of the influent tap water; then the ScaleKleen has been sufficiently rinsed out. (NOTE: an inexpensive pH test kit is available from your Everpure dealer). 8.  Turn the ice machine on to the “ICE” mode and place it back in service Cleaning times and frequencies can vary depending on the water quality and conditions of where the unit is installed. (Special care must be taken when bread or foods containing yeast are being prepared in the vicinity of the ice machine, since yeast-type bacteria could impact the machine’s operation.) Typical between-clean times average 30, 60, or 90 days (consult the user’s manual) to ensure the unit runs at its highest operating efficiency — the ultimate goal of any preventive maintenance program. By taking the time to clean your machine and change the filters you can greatly increase the life of your machine and drastically decrease the cost of owning an ice machine over time. Are you having problems with your water filtration or the quality of your water? Please do not hesitate to call us. We are trained professionals dedicated to solving all your water quality issues. Call us at 800-942-7873 or click the link below to ask a question.

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Water Softening: A Simple Approach to Great-Tasting Water

“Hard water” is generally defined as that which has a high concentration (>100mg/L) of dissolved salts, like calcium and magnesium, which are absorbed from the earth. This excess of particulates can cause numerous problems for the home and small business owner, such as difficulty in regulating water pH (important for pool and aquarium owners), and scaling/deposit buildup in pipes, boilers, and machinery which makes use of water, such as coffee and espresso makers.  The classic tell-tale sign of hard water is difficulty in lathering soap and shampoo. Another such problem is the taste associated with hard water. Water containing mineral contaminants can taste bitter, especially when used to cook or brew fine coffee. When this becomes a concern, many turn to water softening to remove these minerals and make them palatable. Softening, while not a lengthy process, is complex when compared to other purification methods such as reverse osmosis. Water softener cartridges make use of either an all-in-one cartridge such as the Everpure ESO7 or a drop in bowl system such as Everpure’s SO-204 to remove excess minerals from your water. With the ESO 7, not only is water softened, but dirt and particles are removed as well.  The ESO 7’s unique three-stage blending cartridge provides softened, buffered, and precoat filtered water, while the cartridge’s ion exchange resin with buffering capabilities and high-capacity coconut carbon filtered water bypass make it the perfect choice for specialty coffee, espresso, and ice tea applications. Systems such SO-204 combine small size and ease of use with commercial application capability.   Measuring just 26”x5.125”x5.25”, the SO-204’s replacement cartridges are sized to fit under any counter or mounted on the wall behind the coffee or espresso machines.  While relatively small, the SO-204 is designed to handle water having up to 30 grains per gallon (500mg/L) – 5 times the definition of “hard” water.  Moreover, the filters are easy to change.  Not only do replacement cartridges not require a housing wrench to be changed, that is, they can be hand-tightened, but cartridges require only one minute of flushing.  Many high-end coffee and espresso machines require a water softener to ensure the quality of the coffee is preserved through the brewing process and warranty purposes. If you think you would like to make use of a water softening cartridge in either your home or business, contact Filter Pure Systems, Inc. at 1-800-942-7873 today.