Portable ice makers are easy to use and most models of high quality, but still more and more people start complaining about a short “life” of their machines. Perhaps, manufacturers are to blame, but you also might be ruining your ice maker without realizing it.
Avoiding the next biggest mistakes that kill portable ice makers will help you keep your machine “healthy” and happy for many years to come.
1. You run hard water through your ice maker
Tap water is clear water, yet it can be hard too. Hard water has a high mineral content, particularly magnesium, iron, and calcium, which often get into the water supply. When you regularly run hard water through your portable ice maker machine, those mineral deposits bind to the filter and piping, blocking them and preventing proper water flow.
Mineral deposits in hard water can also build up in the water pump, preventing it from turning and making the motor stop working. If your motor doesn’t work when you turn on your ice maker, it may be an alarming sign the pump has been disabled.
Before you start using your portable ice machine, test the water you’re going to run through it. Consider using water softeners to eliminate hardness from your tap water.
2. You clean it with harsh chemicals
A portable ice maker doesn’t contain grease, bacteria, or dirt to use the harsh chemicals to clean it. Not only can those chemicals ruin your machine, but they can also negatively affect your health. If your ice machine doesn’t feature a self-cleaning option, you can clean it yourself without any cleaners and detergents.
Clean the tray and run 2 cleaning cycles using clean water. If your machine has unpleasant odors or it has a mold, add a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice or vinegar to water that you’re going to clean your ice maker with.
3. You never check the water levels
Watching the water levels ensures a good ice production. Oftentimes, portable ice machines stop making ice or make tiny pieces of it because of very low water levels. If the water level in the reservoir is always low, this can lead to more serious problems like debris built-in and even a breakage.
4. You never rinse and replace the air filters
It’s a daunting task and we’re all guilty of forgetting about the air filters. But it turns out, dirty and old air filters can make your ice machine stop working anytime. Keep an eye on the machine’s filters and make sure you replace them as soon as they get too worn. Experts recommend replacing the filters at least twice a year. It depends on how often you use the machine.
Quality is definitely an important factor when it comes to portable ice makers. But even the cheapest models can serve you for 10 years if you take a good care of it. Fix these 4 mistakes before they turn into the troubles. Prevention is better than cure, after all.
