What happens if I don’t use water filtration

Using a water filter in a restaurant / home/ kitchen can help to ensure that water is pure and free from impurities, minerals, and waterborne pathogens. This can improve the quality of beverages and food served, extend the lifespan of equipment that uses water, reduce maintenance costs, and minimise the risk of health concerns for customers and staff.

We have seen the damage that has happened to equipment like coffee machines/espresso machines, dishwashers / ware-washers, steam ovens and ice machines that did not use a water filter.

But what REALLY happens if you don’t use water filtration?

Coffee Equipment

If you don’t use a water filter in a coffee machine, several potential issues can arise:

1. Mineral Build-Up: Tap water often contains minerals like calcium and magnesium, which can accumulate inside the coffee machine over time. This build-up can clog the internal components, such as the pipes, valves, and heating elements. It can restrict water flow, affect temperature regulation, and lead to reduced brewing efficiency.
2. Scaling: Without a water filter, mineral deposits can form a hard layer of scale on the internal surfaces of the coffee machine. Scale acts as an insulator and can interfere with heat transfer, resulting in uneven brewing temperatures. It can also affect the taste and quality of the coffee.
3. Equipment Damage: Mineral deposits and scaling can cause long-term damage to the coffee machine. The heating elements may burn out, valves can become stuck, or pipes may develop leaks. These issues can lead to costly repairs or even the need for a complete replacement of the machine.
4. Flavor Impact: Minerals present in the water can alter the taste of the brewed coffee. It can result in a bitter or metallic flavor that is undesirable. Without a water filter, it becomes challenging to achieve a consistently good-tasting cup of coffee.
5. Increased Maintenance: Using unfiltered water requires more frequent and intensive cleaning of the coffee machine. Scale removal and descaling procedures may need to be performed regularly to keep the machine functioning optimally. This can be time-consuming and may involve using harsh cleaning chemicals.

Dish-washer / Ware-washer

If you don’t use a water filter on ware-washing/ dish washing machines, several potential issues can arise:

1. Mineral Build-Up: Tap water often contains minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, which can lead to mineral build-up inside the warewashing machine. Over time, these minerals can accumulate on internal components, including spray arms, nozzles, and filters. This build-up can obstruct water flow, affect the effectiveness of cleaning, and result in poor wash results.
2. Clogging and Reduced Efficiency: Mineral deposits in unfiltered water can cause clogging in the warewashing machine’s pipes, valves, and filters. This can restrict water flow, decrease the efficiency of the machine, and extend the wash cycle time. It may also lead to incomplete cleaning of dishes, glassware, and utensils.
3. Equipment Damage: The presence of mineral deposits in water can damage the internal components of the warewashing machine. Heating elements can become coated with scale, reducing their effectiveness and potentially leading to malfunctions. Valves may get stuck or leak, resulting in poor water control and increased water consumption. These issues can lead to costly repairs, decreased machine lifespan, and disruption to your dishwashing operations.
4. Poor Cleaning Results: Without a water filter, the mineral content and impurities in the water can leave spots, streaks, and residue on dishes, glasses, and utensils. This can result in subpar cleaning results and negatively impact the overall cleanliness and presentation of your tableware.
5. Increased Chemical Usage: In the absence of a water filter, you may need to compensate for water quality issues by using more detergent and rinse aid in the warewashing machine. This can increase your chemical usage, leading to higher costs and potentially affecting the environment.
6. Maintenance Requirements: Operating a warewashing machine without a water filter may require more frequent and intensive cleaning and maintenance. Removing mineral deposits and scale buildup becomes a regular task to ensure proper functioning of the machine, and it can be time-consuming and labor-intensive.

Ice Machine

If you don’t use a water filter on your ice machine, several potential issues can arise:

1. Scaling and Mineral Build-Up: Tap water often contains minerals like calcium and magnesium. When the water freezes in the ice machine, these minerals can precipitate and form a layer of scale on the internal components, including the evaporator plates and water distribution system. Scale build-up can obstruct water flow, reduce ice production efficiency, and negatively affect the quality and clarity of the ice cubes.
2. Clogging and Reduced Performance: Mineral deposits present in unfiltered water can accumulate in the water supply lines, valves, and nozzles of the ice machine. This can lead to clogs and restrictions in the water flow, resulting in reduced ice production capacity, longer ice-making cycles, and potentially even system malfunctions.
3. Equipment Damage: The build-up of scale and mineral deposits in the ice machine can cause damage to its components over time. The evaporator plates may become coated with scale, impairing heat transfer and ice formation. Valves and pumps can experience decreased functionality or failure due to mineral blockages. These issues can result in costly repairs, decreased equipment lifespan, and disruption to your ice production.
4. Poor Quality Ice: Without a water filter, impurities and minerals in the water can affect the quality of the ice cubes. The presence of scale and contaminants can result in cloudy or discolored ice cubes, affecting their visual appeal and potentially impacting the taste of beverages served to customers.
5. Increased Maintenance and Cleaning: Operating an ice machine without a water filter often requires more frequent and intensive cleaning and maintenance. Regular descaling and removal of mineral deposits become necessary to maintain optimal ice production and quality. This can be time-consuming, labor-intensive, and may require the use of descaling agents or vinegar, which can be costly and potentially harmful if not used correctly.
6. Potential Health Concerns: Unfiltered water may contain impurities, bacteria, or other microorganisms that can be present in ice cubes. These contaminants can pose a health risk if consumed by customers, leading to potential illness or foodborne infections.

Steam ovens

If you don’t use a water filter in a steam oven, several potential issues can arise:

1. Scaling: Tap water often contains minerals like calcium and magnesium. When the water is heated in a steam oven, these minerals can precipitate and form a hard layer of scale on the interior surfaces, including the steam generator, steam jets, and other components. Scale build-up can hinder steam production, reduce steam quality, and impede the oven’s performance.
2. Clogging and Malfunction: Mineral deposits present in unfiltered water can accumulate in the water supply system of the steam oven, leading to clogged pipes, valves, and nozzles. This can result in reduced water flow, uneven steam distribution, and impaired functionality of the oven. It may affect the oven’s ability to generate and maintain steam at the desired levels.
3. Uneven Cooking: Scaling and clogging caused by mineral deposits can impact the steam oven’s ability to distribute steam evenly. Uneven steam distribution may lead to inconsistent cooking results, with some food items receiving insufficient steam while others may be overcooked. This can affect the overall quality and consistency of the food being prepared.
4. Equipment Damage: The accumulation of mineral deposits and scale in the steam oven can damage its internal components over time. The heating elements may burn out, valves can become stuck or leaky, and the steam generator may experience reduced efficiency or failure. These issues can result in costly repairs, downtime, and potentially the need for a replacement oven.
5. Increased Maintenance: Without a water filter, regular descaling and maintenance become necessary to remove scale and mineral deposits from the steam oven. These procedures can be time-consuming and often require the use of descaling agents or vinegar to dissolve the scale. Neglecting regular maintenance can lead to more frequent breakdowns, reduced performance, and higher maintenance costs.

The most common problems are equipment damage and increased maintenance, therefore it is important to not use cheap filtration systems – just to say you have filtration. We will always guide you in finding the right filtration system for your equipment. At the end of the day we are a solution based company, and we want to make sure we save you money on costly maintenance and damages as well as loosing money due to downtime.

Yes we also make sure you have good tasting beverages, clean clear ice, and safe consumable water in your kitchen.

We will give you the support you need so you can focus on what you do best!

Contact us for more information and let us help you get a filtration system in your kitchen / restaurant / home.