Espresso machine repair performs regular maintenance of commercial machines. If a machine is cleaned regularly, there might not be the need for servicing. Coffee machines often fill up with resins deriving from the oil in the coffee. This accumulates on important parts and can turn rancid in just under 45 minutes making your coffee bitter.
Different cleaning methods
Espresso machine repair may not be required frequently if your machine is cleaned properly at regular intervals
• Scrub, rinse, wipe: areas to clean include the group heads, the shower screens, and the filter basket. Make use of a small scrubbing pad and coffee detergent. However, do not let any detergent reach any internal parts of the espresso machine
• Soaking: At least twice a week, the filter basket, group heads, and shower screen have to be soaked in a solution of coffee detergent and hot water.
• Descaling: espresso machine repair services recommend descaling your machine often but a full descaling should be performed at least once a year or every six months. It is recommended to use filtered water to increase the length of the machine and preserve its integrity.
• Purging: this is quite important to be done after every cup. The remaining water and milk should be blown out of the steam wand.
• Backflushing: This is more appropriate for espresso machines having three-way valves. It loosens and eliminates contaminants from the brewing valves and from where water is dispensed.
Machine maintenance FAQ
Espresso machine repair keeps your machine functioning and increases its lifespan, however, to be certain that you are doing everything necessary to keep your machine operational, some frequently asked questions include:
• How often should an espresso machine be serviced?
The recommendation is for domestic machines to be seen by a qualified technician every 12 months and for commercial machines every 6 months.
• How often should the espresso machine be descaled?
The water quality that you are using is very important. Tap waters often contain small particles of calcium and minerals, invisible, but that can accumulate in the machine. The recommendation is to use filtered water. Calcium builds up if not removed can grow and become concrete making removing difficult without damaging other parts of the machine. It is recommended to de-scale the machine at least every 6 to 8 weeks.
• How to know if a machine needs to be serviced?
Espresso machine repair may not be needed frequently if the machine is serviced when required. The time to service a machine will greatly depend on the different symptoms being displayed. Machines that are fully automatic have built-in systems that tell the user that it's time for the machine to undergo maintenance. Other machines without such a capacity, it's recommended to follow the manufacturer's recommendations. The recommendation is, however, for domestic espresso machines that are being used in the home environment to be serviced at least every 6 to 8 months depending on how often the usage of the machine.
