Regular servicing is essential to maintaining a commercial dishwasher. Without it, problems quickly arise which impact performance, cause breakdown and significantly reduce the machines life span. In this article, we highlight some key signs that your commercial dishwasher is in need of a professional service.
Dirty Dishes
Dirty dishes signal the machine is dirty and requires cleaning. In this situation, we recommend booking a service as it is likely the machine needs to be cleaned thoroughly to return it to good working condition.
To prevent this problem from recurring in the future, it is essential the machine is cleaned daily, and the correct procedures are followed during operation. If plates are not rinsed prior to washing, and there is no cleaning programme, it is only a matter of time before results are affected.
For more information on the correct procedures to follow, read our guides on Commercial Dishwasher Cleaning and Commercial Dishwasher Operation.
Limescale Build Up
Limescale is a killer for commercial dishwashers. Left untreated it will damage internal components, reduce performance, and drastically shorten the lifespan of the machine. It is therefore essential to check the machine daily and if you start to see a white chalky substance forming in the wash tank or on the heating element arrange for a technician to descale the machine.
Alternatively, you can descale the machine yourself using by following instructions on How to Descale a Commercial Dishwasher. However, it’s important to note that this will only remove scale from visible components, such as the wash tank and heating element. It will not clean internal components, such as the boiler and rinse tank, which are expensive to repair and replace. Therefore, we always recommend customers book a service so the process can be completed properly.
Bad Odours
Bad smells are usually linked to poor cleaning and maintenance. This issue can be resolved without a service by implementing a daily cleaning routine when turning the machine off at the end of each day.
If the machine is not cleaned regularly and is in poor condition with dirt and grease build up, a service is needed to return the machine to the good working order.
Unusual Noises
Unusual noises are a sign that something is not right. A slight change in the sound the machine makes when washing could be a sign that the wash pump is running under more pressure due to blockages in the wash and rinse arms. The solution here is to clean the machine thoroughly, remove any blockages and if the sound persists book a service.
If you hear a rattling or grinding noise it will likely be caused by debris, such as broken crockery or cutlery, making its way into the wash motor. In this situation, the safest option is to switch the machine off and arrange a visit from a technician. Continuing to use the machine could cause further damage that requires extensive repairs.
Slow or Incomplete Draining
Drainage issues are caused by blockages in the drain pump or the drainage system external to the machine.
Most modern commercial dishwashers, such as our Advantage and Speedwash Plus ranges, have self-diagnostics that alert the user when the drain pump is blocked. Depending on the make of the machine, the blockage can usually be removed without the need for a service by following a guide, such as our Error 6 Guide. More basic models do not have this feature, so the only solution is to book a visit from a technician.
If the commercial dishwasher is not blocked and the drainage issue is caused by external plumbing, we would recommend booking a plumber.
Leaking Water
Leaks from commercial dishwashers are caused by a variety of reasons, such as loose hoses/clips or blockages cause by scale or dirt. For heavy leaks the best course of action is to switch the machine off and arrange for a technician to inspect and repair the machine. This is the quickest and safest way to get the machine back up and running and will prevent further damage.
Minor leaks, such as water leaking from the door during washing, are generally caused by dirt and scale blocking the spray arms or the door seal being worn. This should be easily resolved by either cleaning the spray arms or replacing the door seal.
Not Taking Detergent & Rinse Aid
With chemicals, the first thing to note is that detergent is used in far higher quantities than rinse aid. If the rinse aid level is not going down don’t worry, so little is used that it can often take weeks before you see a visible difference. The key is to look at the result – if water is sheeting off the surface and plates/crockery are drying the machine is working. If water droplets are forming on the surface and not drying there could be an issue with rinse aid dosing which will need to be resolved by a technician.
If you are certain the machine is not taking chemicals there will most probably be an issue with the chemical pumps or tubing, which will also require a technician’s attention.
In summary, there are a variety of indicators that a commercial dishwasher needs servicing. Our recommendation is to be proactive and not wait for these flags to arise. Commercial dishwashers should be serviced a minimum once a year, ideally twice, and for busy sites where the machine is under lots of strain as many as 4 times per year. It really is worth making the investment to prolong the lifespan of the machine and provide peace of mind that it is well looked after and unlikely to break down at the worst possible time. At the very least, we strongly recommend cleaning the machine daily and descaling it periodically, as this will go some way to preventing breakdown.
We do provide service contracts for both commercial dishwashers and glasswashers so if this is something you are interested in, please email service@nelsonwash.co.uk or call 020 8993 6199 for more information.
Thank you for reading.