Water is essential to many businesses, especially those in the food industry. Restaurants, fast-casual establishments, grocery stores and others rely on water to provide quality foods and beverages that meet safety standards. Commercial refrigeration equipment, such as kegerators or ice makers, and appliances like dishwashers and coffee machines, all require water. A commercial water filtration system provides a significant upside to your business. Here are some benefits and things to consider when choosing the right one.
Water Treatment Impacts Quality and Taste
The food and beverages you serve to customers are top priorities. Unwanted sediment or hard water will affect the taste and may result in unhappy customers. Water filtration systems remove impurities such as chemicals, sediment, minerals and organic matter. When your business uses a water filter for restaurants or a commercial water purification system, you’ll notice a difference: coffee tastes fresher, ice is clearer and glasses are free of water spots. Water treatment also removes water impurities like chemicals and organic matter. This leaves your water with the highest hygiene standards.
Filtration Helps Decrease Repair Costs
Hard water or scale build-up can reduce the functioning of your appliances and even cause them to stop working, leading to costly repairs. Properly filtered water helps to reduce complications within your appliances and avoid losses due to workflow stoppage. With a water filtration system, you’ll be able to extend the lifespan of your appliances and could cut the cost of repairs by up to 50% or more.
Considerations To Find the Best Filtration System
There are several types of water filtration systems. Choosing the one that makes sense for your business depends on the size of your restaurant or commercial kitchen and the number of appliances that require water.
There are two main types of systems:
- Central Water Filtration System (also known as point-of-entry system): A central water filtration system filters water for multiple appliances. It is typically installed at the main water line, requires less maintenance and takes up less space.
- Separate Water Filters: These filters can be installed under a counter or sink, in an ice line, ice maker or refrigerator. If you have fewer appliances, it might make sense to have separate filtration systems installed for each one.
There are a variety of water filtration types, including carbon block filters, reverse osmosis filters and sediment filters. They can be used alone or combined to improve the quality and function of your restaurant’s water supply:
- Carbon Filters: These are commonly referred to as charcoal filters. The granular or powder carbon has pores that allow dust, mold and airborne contaminants to stick to the filter. Carbon filters are often considered the easiest to maintain and the most economical.
- Reverse Osmosis Systems (RO): These systems use applied pressure to filter out chlorine and residue through membranes. Many believe that the RO system is the most effective.
- Sediment Filters: These systems use mechanical filtration. This process allows water to pass through a small net or screen while keeping it free from dirt and debris.
It’s important to know that a water filtration system requires filters. All filters need to be replaced over time, but:
- The cost of replacement filters is typically low.
- Most of the time, the filter cartridges only need to be replaced 1-2 times per year. Here are tips for changing a water filter in a commercial refrigerator.
- It is vital to remember that you will need to change the filters more frequently if you live in an area with especially hard water.
Water Filtration Systems for Restaurants
After facing costly repairs on ice makers or dishwashers, restaurant owners recognize the importance of commercial water filters and water filtration systems. If your commercial kitchen relies on multiple water-using appliances, installing a filtration system has many benefits. This includes reduced maintenance costs, improved food and water taste and enhanced hygiene by removing chemicals. When choosing a commercial water filtration system, select the right filter type, especially when deciding between a central or separate system, and remember to change the filters 1-2 times a year. Here are water filtration mistakes to avoid in restaurants.
Systems to Fit Your Needs
Iron Mountain Refrigeration offers a variety of water filtration systems for commercial refrigeration products and appliances like ice makers, steamers and coffee makers. Consider the best type of filtration system for your business and reach out if you have questions. We are not only experts in commercial refrigeration, but we’re rated 5 stars for customer service, warranties and shipping. Browse all our commercial refrigeration equipment.