Maintaining an Ice Machine in a Foodservice Operation

Maintaining Your Ice Machine

To keep your ice machine operating correctly, you must maintain the unit, which means cleaning and sanitizing the ice machine, as well as the bin. Maintenance requirements depend on the type of unit you have and the sort of ice it produces: cube, nugget, flake, or gourmet ice. Improper ice machine cleaning and maintenance can lead to cloudy, odorous, undersized, and bad tasting ice. Manufacturers often have maintenance instructions for their units, so be sure to consult your machine's manual before cleaning and sanitizing it. We'll cover the basic maintenance requirements for each machine type below.

The Basics of Maintaining an Ice Machine

Ice machine maintenance starts before installation, as choosing the proper location for your ice machine is important because clearance space can affect how it operates. Air-cooled units must breathe, so ensure all sides are given the appropriate clearance, indicated in your unit's manual. Remote condensers require space away from the machine for installation. Also, ensure you can provide the right utilities for your unit. Water-cooled units, for example, require massive amounts of water, which can run up utility bills.

Ice machines should be installed indoors in a controlled environment. When installing, maintaining, and servicing the unit, take care to protect the refrigeration circuit. To prevent injuries, your unit should be grounded and not installed near garbage or heat-generating equipment, such as ovens and grills. Ensure there's plenty of clearance for water, drain, and electrical connections, which will be located at the rear of the ice machine. Finally, verify your unit is on a level surface.

Your unit must be connected to a potable water supply, and to limit scale buildup and maintain water quality, a water filter should be installed on your machine's water line. Removing scale buildup is important to keeping your ice clean. In addition to a water filter, you should have an air filter installed on your unit. How often you change or clean your unit's filter depends on the conditions in which your unit is installed. Bakeries, pizzerias, and similar establishments have lots of debris and food particles in the air that can clog the filter, so it's recommended you check the filter at least once monthly.

In addition to changing or cleaning the water and air filters, you should check the condenser coils for debris buildup. To prevent damage to your ice machine, you should never use sharp tools or objects to remove ice, frost, and debris. Also, do not use mechanical devices to force defrosting to go faster.

Regularly cleaning the ice machine is imperative to ensure ice remains clear. Your unit should be cleaned at least every six months, however, you may need to clean it more depending on its conditions. Consult your unit's manual to see what type of cleaning and sanitizing solutions you can apply to the machine. It must be taken apart for cleaning and sanitizing, and you may want to hire a service technician if you have a particularly dirty unit. Some units feature a cleaning mode, while others will need you to clean the unit with cleaner made specifically for an ice maker.

Cube Ice Machine Maintenance

Full- and half-size cube ice is produced by running water over a grid, freezing the water into the shape of the grid. Manufacturers use different grid styles, but the ice cubes all have the same basic square or rectangular shape.

  • Maintenance tip: Confirm your ice bridge is adjusted to the thickness you need for full- or half-cube ice.

Nugget Ice Machine Requirements

Nugget ice machines produce small pieces of ice referred to by many names, such as nugget, pearl, chewblet, and Sonic ice. Nugget ice is soft, chewable, and soaks in the flavor of liquid poured over it. This type of ice is made inside a cylinder that has tubes of refrigerant wrapped around the outside. Inside the cylinder, water freezes into thin sheets, while an auger pushes the ice upwards as it forms, and it gathers as it reaches the top of the cylinder. Once at the top, the ice is compressed, extruded through small holes, and then cut into pieces. We list specifics on maintaining a nugget ice machine below:

  • Maintenance tip: Water is more involved in these units, so they are more susceptible to scale buildup. Check them regularly – more often than six months.

Flake Ice Machine Requirements

Flake ice machine maintenance is similar to nugget ice machine maintenance. Like nugget ice, flake ice is soft and easy to chew. Flake ice can be molded and has a larger contact surface than other ice types, suiting it for cooling fish and produce. This malleability makes it useful in healthcare settings, as it's less of a choking hazard for hospital patients than larger ice types. Flake ice is produced by wrapping refrigeration coils around a hollow cylinder. Water then runs through this cylinder, freezing into thin sheets as it does. An auger with a blade spirals up it, scraping off ice, pushing it out of the cylinder and into the bin. We detail the specifics of flake ice machine maintenance below:

  • Maintenance tip: The bearings, which support the auger to rotate and stay in the cylinder, should be inspected often to see if they need greasing or replacing.

Gourmet Ice Machine Requirements

Gourmet ice machines produce a clear, sturdy piece of ice that comes in various shapes and sizes, depending on the manufacturer. Gourmet ice is perfect for chilling high-end liquors, craft cocktails, and other premium beverages that can be found in upscale restaurants, bars, and lounges. However, they aren't suitable for cooling soft drinks because of their density. With the extensive electricity and water required to run these units, gourmet ice machine maintenance may be more costly than other machines. We discuss the specifics of gourmet ice machine maintenance below:

  • Maintenance tip: Most units are self-contained, so ensure the unit has proper clearance and nothing is blocking the front of the machine.