Causes And Fixes For Commercial Ice Dispenser Leaking Water
Commercial ice dispensers are amongst the most important commercial kitchen appliances. These machines are specifically designed to dispense ice. However, sometimes they can run into some problems such as leaking water that is usually best fixed by ice dispenser repair services. Let’s take a look at how you can deal with the situation.
Why Is My Ice Maker Leaking?
When a commercial ice dispenser starts leaking, there are two apparent areas where it could be taking place outside or inside. The first thing you need to do is identify the source of the leak. Depending on the leak, it could be both easy and complicated to find out the actual source of the leak.
In most cases, the experts fail to identify the root cause of the problem as the water is most likely to travel and pass over different components, making it slightly difficult to spot the problem. Furthermore, if you spot a pool of water, turn off the machine.
The last thing you would want is to access the machine while it is covered in a pool of water and plugged in. If you find out that the leak is due to a faulty pipe or anything minor and fixable on the spot, you can do that.
However, if the situation is complicated such as the machine being clogged, you will have to consult an expert. In simple words, anything that requires a fix from the inside will need a technician. Sometimes, shutting off the machine during business hours is not possible but you should try to contain the leak.
Do not let it spread all over the kitchen floor as some appliances can act as conductors. You have to protect the surrounding area so that the staff does not suffer from serious burns due to electric shocks.
What If The Leak Is Outside The Ice Maker?
In most cases, the leaks in a commercial ice dispenser originate from outside. The most common problem tends to be the water line. It could be that someone did not properly connect the water line with the machine or the water line itself has some cracks that are resulting in a water leak.
Another possible reason could also be a clogged drain. Although, it is more of a drainage issue rather than a leak but it makes most of the customers believe that the machine itself is leaking. Keep in mind that ice machines need an air gap, which is the space between the ice dispenser and the floor drain.
That said, if a dish towel or any other item washes to lodge itself underneath the floor drain, it won’t allow water to drain properly. As a result, it will overflow.
Therefore, if you notice that your ice dispenser is leaking from the bottom, you will need to look underneath if something is plugging your floor drain. Pulling the object out might help solve the issue.
What To Do If Your Ice Maker Is Leaking?
While water leaking from the outside is one thing but leakages can originate from inside as well. The reason is that water flows through many components inside the machine. Therefore, if the problem was to occur inside, you will need to check several different components such as the water pumps, pipes, condensate drain, etc.
In most cases, these leaks are a result of the unit being old. An older unit is more likely to have worn-out parts that will leak sooner or later. You can hire a professional to fix the issue but if the unit is a decade or older, you should consider replacing it as it is more likely to develop problems down the road.
How To Prevent An Ice Dispenser From Leaking?
There are several ways of preventing your ice dispenser from leaking. To begin with, you should schedule yearly maintenance of your ice dispenser. This will help the expert thoroughly clean the appliance from the inside out and replace or repair any worn-out parts before they give up and shut the machine down.
On the other hand, you should also regularly perform inspections and ensure the machine is clean and running without any problems.
Final Word
A leaking commercial ice dispenser can be a frustrating problem. However, you should not panic and try to identify the cause of the problem. If the issue requires a simple fix, ask someone from the staff to help you out but if the situation is tough to handle, you will need to call in a commercial ice maker repair expert. topac
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