How to avoid the clogged coffee machine problem?

A clogged coffee machine is almost always limescale. Hard water leaves calcium carbonate on the heating element and in the pipes, so the machine heats slowly, runs noisily and eventually pushes through less and less water. Descale every one to three months depending on water hardness, use filtered water with a hardness under 8 °dH, and empty the water tank daily. Below you will find the warning signs, the descaling procedure and how to prevent the problem entirely.

Clogged coffee maker - what does it mean in practice

Let's see, have you noticed a hint of this problem? Maybe you've even tried troubleshooting the subsequent coffee machine errors caused by this original fault. However, these are just symptoms. The main problem is limescale clogging the coffee maker. Does this apply to your coffee machine? Think about whether it shows any of the symptoms described below.

The coffee maker heats the water for a long time and not enough

When you switch on your coffee machine, the water in the boiler takesmuch longer than usualto heat up. Alternatively, the coffee makerdoes not heat the water to the correct temperature for making coffee. You can try blaming a faulty thermostat or pressure switch. However, the most common winner of the "what's to blame for the coffee maker not heating up" contest is scale inside the boiler.

The coffee maker is heating the water for a long time and not enough.

When you turn on the coffee maker, it takes much longer than usualto heat the water in the boiler. Alternatively, the coffee machinedoes not heat the water to the correct temperature for making coffee. You can try blaming a faulty thermostat or pressure switch. However, the most common winner of the "what's to blame for the coffee maker not heating up" contest is scale inside the boiler.

The coffee maker isn't leaking water to make coffee

Whenwater doesn't flow from the head of the coffee makerwhen the button is turned on, or the flow is less than it should be, it's a sign of a cloudy coffee maker. Logically, you'd think that if water can't flow,something must beclogged somewhere. If it were to be another fault in the water line from the boiler to the head of the coffee maker, you would know it on sight. The water you're waiting for would leak along the way and you'd have a flood under the coffee maker.

It's possible you just washed the cleaner out of the coffee maker the wrong way. The residue of theundissolved cleaner may have dried and is now preventing water from passing through. However, you can easily notice this blockage by looking at the shower head of the coffee maker from underneath, andyou can remove the problem right away by manual cleaning. Unfortunately, if it is not such a fault, the headline problem will be next and the culprit is clogging thecoffee maker with scale build up.

Why is the coffee maker clogging?

All devices that work with heating water deal with limescale to varying degrees. You can encounter it in irons, washing machines, shower heads, kettles and also in coffee makers. The formation of limescale is a process that happens naturally, but it can be minimized. The simple fact is that water contains a lot of substances and their concentration then refers to its hardness.

If you have hard water,substances like calcium will be extracted from itwhen heated. This settles in the device and clusters of it then form what is called limescale. In the event that you have significantly soft water, you will have the affliction not of excess substances, but of their obliteration. Compositionally poor or straight distilled water, can increase the oxidation of the material - its corrosion.

Scale clogging is not a matter concerning only the boiler of the coffee maker. Calcium deposits occur virtually everywhere water flows. So it's a matter of your coffee maker's complete water plumbing. Once they get clogged, the coffee maker doesn't dispense water. When scale takes over the boiler heating element, you'll be angry that the coffee maker isn't heating up.

How do you avoid the coffee maker getting limescale?

It's absolutely best if you don't have to deal with the limescale problem in the coffee maker at all. An effective method to keep the inside of your coffee maker in great shape and minimize the chances of a limescaleproblem is using a water filtration system. Once you plug it in, it will work almost maintenance free. And that almost means changing the filter cartridge once a year, which is a matter of 5 minutes of work.

If you want to put that into money terms, water filtration for a coffee maker will set you back an estimated 1K/litre of filtered water. In the case of a service for descaling, it is a challenging job for tens of thousands. The price also varies according to the degree of limescale and the associated cost of affected components in the coffee machine water distribution system. With a major limescale problem , buying a brand new coffee maker can work out cheaper.

ⓘ TIP: Hundreds ofthousands due to coffee machine limescale?
In coffee shops without a replacement solution, a limed coffee machine means both money for service work and lost profits when the business cannot operate without the coffee machine. In sum, it is better to invest in a new coffee machine, and in the professional segment we are talking about at least 80-100 thousand crowns.

What if the coffee machine is already showing signs of calcification?

The first step is to get a water filtration system. This will prevent your current problem from gaining momentum. Your second move should be to treat the coffee maker with descaler. I do not recommend lemons and vinegars for this purpose. Special descalers for coffee makers have the right formulation to successfully remove limescale, but at the same time won't damage anything else around it. In addition, they leave no taste or aroma traces after use in subsequently prepared coffees from a descaled coffee maker.

Finally, there is then the thorough mechanical removal of limescaledeposits from the internal parts of the coffee machine. However, this final step is demanding and should only be carried out by a professional technician. Apart from the possible damage to the coffee maker or your health by unconscious handling, there are also the rules of warranty. By actually disassembling the coffee maker, you would forfeit your warranty rights.

Frequently asked questions

How often should you descale a coffee machine?

With soft water every three months, with medium water every two, and with hard water monthly. Many machines count the litres and warn you themselves, but that counter assumes an average hardness, so adjust it to your own water.

What are the signs of a limescaled machine?

Slower heating, a louder pump, less coffee in the cup at the same setting, and cooler drinks. When water starts trickling rather than flowing, the scale has already narrowed the pipes considerably.

Can you descale with vinegar or citric acid?

Citric acid works and is gentle: 20 g per litre of water. Vinegar is best avoided because it attacks rubber seals and the smell lingers for days. Manufacturer descalers are safest since they contain corrosion inhibitors.

What water should you use to prevent scale?

Filtered water with a hardness below 8 °dH is ideal. Distilled water is not suitable, as it lacks the minerals needed for flavour and can corrode some components. Never refill with hot water.

Can limescale ruin the machine?

Yes, if you ignore it long enough. Scale insulates the heating element, which then overheats and can burn out, and hardened deposits can block the solenoid valve. Once the machine stops pushing water through completely, repair usually costs more than years of descaling would have.

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