Commercial ice makers have evolved greatly in the last decade. Many models are Energy Star rated (you love paying those ever increasing utility bills), many have a smaller footprint (you always have extra room in your kitchen, right?) and there are various options that help insure that Carefree Ice installs the correct ice maker for your business.
5 Ways to waste money on an ice maker:
Using a water cooled ice maker
A water cooled ice maker uses an immense amount of water- an ever decreasing resource in the Denver area! On average, a water cooled ice maker uses about 130 gallons of water for every 100 pounds of ice made- if your water cooled ice maker makes 500 pounds of ice per day, you are pouring 650 gallons of water down the drain every day!!! That is over 237,000 gallons per year! And, in some cities along the front range, water cooled ice makers are prohibited…period (Denver Water, Operating Rules, 14.03.3). After surveying your business, the Carefree Ice specialist will be able to explain the best alternative ice maker for your use.
Approximate yearly water costs for a water-cooled ice maker:
Arapahoe County | $2,225 |
Aurora | $1,547 |
Castle Rock | $1,252 |
Denver | $873 |
Parker | $1,273 |
Going “maintenance free” on your ice maker
Commercial ice makers are like mini manufacturing plants- you utilize water and electricity and out comes ice! A couple of issues; water leaves mineral deposits on the inside of the ice maker that, over time, can greatly diminish the ice maker’s efficiency and reducing it’s ice production capacity. Also, if using an air cooled ice maker, the dust, dirt and grease particles in the air become trapped in the air condenser, also reducing the ice maker’s production capacity. Not so with a Carefree Ice leased ice maker, we maintain (cleaning & sanitizing) the ice maker every six months to insure that your business has an uninterrupted supply of sanitary, pure ice.
Not using a water filter
Face it; ice is a food…you use it in storing, prepping, preparing food that you serve and, of course, in most of the beverages. Water has many contaminants as well as additives to make it safe to drink- chlorine. This is all added to your food and beverages and can affect the taste of your preparations. Also, a water filter that removes these contaminates and additives will prolong the life of your equipment as well as maintaining peak ice production. The Carefree Ice specialist will be able to explain how a water filter will help you save money as well as giving you the best alternative for your business.
Repairing an old ice maker
Ice makers are designed to last 10 plus years and after that time period can become a money pit! Because ice makers are a workhorse in the kitchen, after 10 years most parts have a great deal of wear, so when a major component fails (say, a compressor) this can cost you hundreds of dollars to have repaired! That does not insure that another component will not fail shortly after that can result in more repair costs. Not so with a Carefree Ice leased ice maker, you will have one low monthly cost that insures your business an uninterrupted supply of sanitary, pure ice…never a repair cost.
Size Matters
You pay for the square footage of your business, right? Having a large foot print on your ice maker (and storage bin or dispenser) costs you money. Many new ice makers offer options (remote air cooled, top air discharge) that help reduce the footprint of the ice maker package and instead of a wide storage bin a tall storage bin may fit your needs better. After surveying your business, the Carefree Ice specialist will be able to explain the best alternative ice maker, stage bin and/or dispenser for your use.
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