How getting the right
maintenance routine can keep the pure ice coming all year round
As summer gets into high gear
the ice experts at Hubbard Systems highlight the importance of keeping your ice
machine safe and hygienic with a schedule of regular preventative maintenance.
Ice machines continually
process water, which means they are at risk of becoming contaminated if not
cleaned and maintained. High quality ice machines like the range from Scotsman
include design features that help to keep them operating at peak efficiency. However, it is vital to institute a schedule
of maintenance and cleaning on a daily, weekly and monthly basis as well as
regular visits from trained service engineers.
Ensuring staff are trained in
how to use and maintain your ice machine is the foundation of maintaining ice
hygiene. Regular training and refresher sessions should be scheduled to make
sure staff knowledge remains fresh.
Ice machine maintenance tips
·
The ice storage bin should be fully emptied and
cleaned every couple of months. This will ensure that ice is kept in perfect
condition until needed..
·
The water filter cartridge should be replaced
at least once a year, although depending on local water quality and usage
levels this might need to be more frequent.
·
After cleaning either the storage bin or
changing the filter, the fresh water system should be flushed through before
use to remove any residual contaminants.
·
While a good quality water filter will dramatically
reduce the build up of scale on the evaporator, if you have very hard water it
may still occur. Removing scale from the evaporator will keep the ice being
made as pure as possible. This is
usually a job for the service engineer.
·
Check the evaporator for build up at the same
time as you clean the storage bin. Ice with scale can look milky or cloudy.
·
The air filters can often be overlooked in
maintenance schedules, but should be cleaned regularly to guarantee the
machine’s cooling capacity is working at optimum efficiency.
Ice handling tips
·
Correct handling technique is vital so ice
reaches customers in peak hygienic condition. Make sure ice never gets touched
with bare hands and is only removed with a scoop.
·
The scoop itself should be only stored in a tub
of sanitiser between uses, not left on top of the machine or in the ice storage
bin.
·
As well as this they should ensure that it is
never contaminated by foreign bodies like bottle tops or labels. If glass enters the storage bin it’s vital that
it is emptied and cleaned thoroughly.
Looking after ultraviolet
sanitising systems
Ultraviolet sanitation systems
have become increasingly common in ice machines since the pandemic. They provide
an extra level of security by using the natural power of UV light to destroy
viruses and bacteria, preventing the growth of mould, mildew, slime, and
stopping odours
The XSafe system is one of the
key safety features fitted as standard on the Scotsman range of ice machines.
Unlike many other UV systems it is capable of working throughout the machine,
even in a storage bin filled with ice.
Over time the effectiveness of
the UV lightbulb reduces, and as the XSafe system runs constantly Hubbard
Systems recommends getting it changed every 12 months. This will ensure the
bulb and the XSafe system is always working at its full potential.
Arranging for a qualified
engineer to regularly service your ice machine can take a lot of the guesswork
out of these regular maintenance tasks. The dealer or retailer who supplied the
machine should be able to help, either by providing service themselves or by
recommending a third party. If in doubt,
Hubbard System’s sister company HTG Service can provide service for the full
Scotsman range and most popular makes of ice machine.
For specialist advice on
looking after your ice machine, contact the ice experts at Hubbard Systems on
01473 350000. There are also a variety
of specialist cleaning and maintenance guides which can be found in the
downloads section at Scotsman-ice.co.uk.
Hubbard Systems is the UK distributor for the market-leading Scotsman
range of icemakers and the Friulinox range of refrigeration products, which are available via dealers
nationwide. Hubbard Systems is part of HTG Trading Ltd. For more information and details of local
stockists, call Hubbard Systems on 01473 350045, email sales@hubbardsystems.co.uk or visit www.scotsman-ice.co.uk
Press Enquiries:
The Publicity Works: 01263
761000; scotsman@publicityworks.biz
David Rees, Marketing Manager,
Hubbard Systems, 01473 350045
For more news about Scotsman Ice Systems and Hubbard Systems visit the press office at www.publicityworks.biz
Scotsman Ice
Systems and Hubbard Systems
Scotsman is recognised as
delivering the market’s most reliable, best built, quality ice machines. It offers a huge range of icemakers for the
hospitality, industrial, medical, fish and retail sectors, making a
comprehensive variety of ice types. They
include supercube ice cubes, dice cubes, half dice cubes, superdice cubes, ice
cubelets, nugget ice cubes, flake ice, superflake ice and scale ice. Whatever the application, Scotsman has a
commercial ice machine to match.
Scotsman has been associated with
Hubbard Systems for nearly 50 years.
Hubbard Systems is known for its expertise and for the professionalism
of its pre- and after-sales support. In
the most recent customer satisfaction survey, Hubbard Systems scored over 90%
in all question categories, including ease of contact, enquiry handling,
delivery, accuracy and technical support. Hubbard Systems is a division of HTG
Trading.
Hubbard Systems also
offers a wide variety of Friulinox models, including cabinets and counters,
blast chillers, worktop and undercounter units in a range of sizes.