No ice machine, refrigerator, freezer, or water line is complete without a top-notch commercial water filter cleaning up your H2O. In fact, we might venture to say that a commercial water filter is one of the most important plumbing parts in your kitchen. Water filters do more than just make your water taste better (but really, in our industry, everything is about the taste, right?). Water filters work by removing harmful bacterial and minerals from the water. Without a water filter, these contaminants will quickly build up within the tubing and around the heating elements of your restaurant equipment.
Some of these contaminants you can taste, but others you may not be aware of:
- Arsenic
- Lead
- Radon
- Pesticides
- Giardia lamblia
Not only do these contaminants build up over time and shorten the life of your restaurant equipment, they also make your equipment work harder; and when your equipment works harder, it's using more energy. Plus, did you consider how that additional energy use affects your sustainability goals?
Additionally, consider the ice required for other back of the house needs or for front of the house salad bars. Your ice machine is used for much more than just supplying ice for beverages, and should an unexpected breakdown occur, it could be a serious blow to your service—all of which could have been prevented of course, with a working water filter. Avoid a potential disaster and stock up on several water filters so you're always prepared.
Water Filters and Your Commercial Restaurant Equipment
Water filters are fairly inexpensive, particularly when you consider the cost of a new ice machine. Typically water filters should be replaced every 6 months, or when the surface area of the filter becomes full; at this point the water filter is clogged and would be unable to remove any other contaminants from the water. Because geography plays a large role in determining what deposits may lurk in your water, check with your local health department on the frequency of replacing your water filter.
Also, consider what other equipment in your kitchen utilizes a water line. Water filters are used for everything from ice machines and steam equipment, to coffee and espresso brewers. If your restaurant specializes in all-day breakfast, you may have your coffee brewer on longer than your peers, requiring you to change your water filter more frequently.
But want to know the best part about commercial water filters? They're easy to replace yourself! No need for a service call when you or anyone on your staff can easily get the job done. The more empowered you are at maintaining and caring for your equipment, the more you'll save by reducing costly calls.
