Why Water Filtration Is Essential In Your Restaurant

Water FilterWater filtration systems provide two key benefits for your commercial kitchen or restaurant: restaurant equipment maintenance and breakdown is reduced by as much as 75% Beverages and ice tastes (and smells) better for customers. Restaurant equipment that use water like ice machines, coffee and espresso makers, steamers, and dishwashers can all benefit from a water filtration system.

Mineral deposits (also known as “scale”) build up in these machines, causing maintenance problems and breakdowns.  Water filtration systems with scale inhibitors prevent the buildup of scale as well as filter the water in the commercial kitchen equipment you use every day. Water filters with scale inhibitors are particularly beneficial for ice machines, as ice will appear clearer and break up easier than non-filtered ice, not to mention taste better to the customer.

Water filtration removes:

  • Chemicals
  • Sediment
  • Minerals
  • Organic matter

The presence of these elements in your commercial kitchen or restaurant’s water affects water taste and odor and increase the likelihood of maintenance problems or equipment breakdown.

Types of Water Filters

Not all water filters and water filtration systems are the same. Some water filtration systems feature a drop-in replacement cartridge whereas others are screwed into the filter head. Some water filters need to be activated by cycling water through them for a period of time before use.  Other types allow you to simply drop in the cartridge and put it to work right away.

Some systems require multiple filter cartridges, especially for higher volume applications whereas others, most notably Cuno, have single cartridge systems for all capacities, saving space and money since you only have to purchase one replacement cartridge at a time.

When To Replace Your Water Filter

It’s probably time to replace your water filter cartridge if:

  • Water pressure drops significantly.  Many water filtration systems have a PSI (pounds per square inch) indicator needle.  If that needle is in the red or below 30 PSI, replace your filter
  • The water in your restaurant or commercial kitchen tastes or smells funny
  • Mineral deposits or “scale” start building up in your restaurant equipment
  • More than six months have passed since the last time you replaced the filter

The best way to avoid problems with your water filtration system is to replace filters every six months. If your water filter cartridge is clogging or going bad in less than six months, you may need a pre filter for your water filtration system. A pre filter removes larger organic matter and sediment before it reaches your main filter, improving the main filter’s lifespan and effectiveness. Different geographic areas have different water qualities, but in general if your area has especially “hard” water (it contains lots of minerals), has a lot of sediment or debris, algae, or other organic matter problems, installing a pre filter is a good idea. Wherever your restaurant is, you should have a robust water filtration system in place.  It’s good for your equipment, your product, and your customers.  There’s not three more compelling reasons for a restaurateur out there.

About Don Moyer

Don is a Sr. Online Marketing Strategist at Tundra Restaurant Supply where he specializes in pay-per-click advertising and marketplace marketing, specifically eBay. With over 11 years of food service industry experience, Don brings a great wealth of knowledge to Tundra and the Back Burner blog. When Don is not working you can find him skiing in the Rockies, watching Phillies baseball or enjoying delicious Colorado micro brews.

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One comment

  1. I couldn’t agree more with this article. When I went to HVAC school, we were told that 80% of A/C calls would end tomorrow if people would start changing there filters on a timely basis.

    I would say a GREAT deal of REPAIR costs could be eliminated if all equipment that has water running thru it were filtered. Maby as much as 75% (as the article inplys). It depends on how bad the water is and how good the filtering system is.

    The problem is, that filtering water as a maintenance issue is usually “back burner” on the priority list of restaurant owners. I would advise anyone who thinks this way to adjust your attitude. I don’t know what a qualified restaurant equipment repairman costs where you are at, but around here you can buy a lot of water filters for the cost of ONE call. and don’t forget to include the downtime waiting on that high dollar repairman to get there.

    Kevin Loving
    Galveston, Texas
    Where PROACTIVE maintenance is “the thang” (this takes place right after a INTENSIVE education program from the maintenance man to the owner)

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