We take a look at the impact that freezing temperatures can have in your espresso machine, and preventative measures to take.
BY JON FERGUSON
BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE
Images courtesy of Jon Ferguson
Have you ever ever imagined what it might be like to mix “Automotive Discuss“ radio and “Pricey Abby“ to create a column that focuses on espresso gear service points? Our new “Tech Discuss On-line” collection may simply be your reply!
On this biweekly column, gear skilled Jon Ferguson will probably be offering responses to frequent questions on espresso tech and serving to troubleshoot points that baristas, café house owners, and different espresso professionals have about any and all espresso and brewing gear. In at the moment’s installment, he’ll be discussing how freezing temperatures in winter months can simply destroy your espresso machine, and how one can shield yours.
Acquired a query for Jon about café gear? E-mail techtalk@baristamagazine.com and let him know!
This Week’s Query: Is it OK to have my espresso machine saved (or turned off and left with out energy for prolonged hours) in a location that would probably attain freezing temperatures in a single day?
Jon’s Response:
There isn’t any trick reply to this. The brief reply is: No, it isn’t clever to depart your espresso machine in a spot the place it might attain freezing temperatures (32 º Fahrenheit / 0º Celsius).
Prepared for the analogy? Have you ever ever left an unopened soda or beer can outdoors to freeze, solely to seek out that it has ruptured and made a multitude and wasted beverage? When water turns to ice, it expands by round 9% in quantity. Even when each the espresso boiler and the steam boiler in your espresso machine have been drained, there will probably be hydraulic strains within the machine which might be tough to clear effectively sufficient to keep away from harm to parts.
Except “winterization” is carried out and carried out by a certified skilled, merely draining the machine boiler(s) is not going to be enough to keep away from catastrophic harm.
So, let’s evaluation a number of the kinds of harm that will happen to your machine when frozen!
Degree 1 Harm: Gauges
The primary parts to go when your espresso machine is uncovered to freezing temperatures are often the strain gauges. Since their tubes are tiny and delicate, you’ll see these damages usually. Seeing this harm additionally offers proof that extra potential harm might have occurred.
Degree 2 Harm: Solenoid Valves
Practically each solenoid valve within the machine will probably have leftover quantities of water inside them, with out a lot room for growth (actually not 9% of quantity), so these parts usually rupture subsequent. Ice can probably destroy every considered one of your grouphead brew valves, fill valves, and extra! The substitute of every valve can add up rapidly, particularly because the components are usually not low cost and the labor concerned could be expensive.
Degree 3 Harm: Warmth Exchangers and Heating Parts
Now, we get to the costlier and concerned repairs: ruptured warmth exchangers and busted-out heating components! In case your machine has any kind of system that has chilly water passing via a boiler to warmth up, then you definately’ll have a heck of an issue in your fingers.
Moreover, if heating components are left submerged within the water left in your steam boiler, the growth of ice might harm the integrity of your heating components. For those who assume valves are costly, wait till you hear what changing a warmth exchanger will price you!
Degree 4 Harm: Espresso and Steam Boilers
Lastly, in some excessive (and sadly frequent) circumstances, you may witness a totally saturated espresso boiler or the bodily grouphead rupture from the growth of water turned to ice. I’ve seen it occur, as have most techs who work in areas the place winter temperatures dip effectively beneath freezing. These are sometimes probably the most dramatic photographs to share amongst service techs!
Location, Location, Location
These points are typically extra frequent in areas the place out of doors eating and cellular trailers are extra prevalent. The parts listed above are a basic checklist of attainable damages—I didn’t embody dialogue on how some fittings might barely broaden to trigger drips or annoying leaks.
The very best determination you’ll ever make with reference to your espresso machine is to retailer it in an surroundings that’s at room temperature, all 12 months spherical. In any other case, you might simply transfer to Thailand or Cambodia, the place you’ll by no means have to fret about freezing temperatures once more.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jon Ferguson has practically 20 years of expertise throughout varied aspects of the espresso business. He believes that with a deeper understanding of kit used all through all the espresso provide chain, we are able to acquire a deeper respect for the labor and know-how required to rework fruit seeds into the drinks all of us dearly love.
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