What Signs Show My Coffee Machine Needs Descaling?

Warning Signs It’s Time to Descale Your Coffee Machine 

Limescale buildup inside a coffee machine isn’t the worst problem to have, but it will certainly impact the process of brewing coffee. From the volume of water to the extraction of the coffee grounds, scale buildup doesn’t go unnoticed. 

Scale buildup can impact the timing of your brewing process by slowing down the water flow. Limescale can produce an unpleasant taste, and it can cause your machine to have to work harder each time it brews. 

By paying attention to the brewing process you should be able to familiarize yourself with timing, water output, sounds, taste, and any other signs that something requires troubleshooting and maintenance. Paying attention will go a long way in helping you maintain your equipment! Continue reading to learn more about the importance of descaling, and what signs to watch for. 

What is Scale Buildup?

Scale buildup is often one of the last maintenance tasks people think about when cleaning their coffee machine. Through learning about limescale, why it happens, and why descaling is important, you will understand that descaling your brewer should be a part of your maintenance checklist every few months. In general, every espresso machine will have automatic functions in place to wash out coffee residue after brewing. However, these functions don’t protect the machine from scale buildup in your equipment. Hard water deposits calcium carbonate when it is heated and moves through the machine. These deposits will be left along the inside the water lines of your coffee machine, and will continuously build up over many uses. Water lines will become clogged as the limescale deposits build up, which will impact the flow of water. Water flow will make a big impact on the extraction from your coffee as it brews, which will have a noticeable impact on the taste. Scale buildup in a coffee machine isn’t typically visibly noticeable unless the problem is severe. By looking out for different signs and by performing regulating cleaning maintenance you can avoid any serious problems. 

Why Descaling Coffee Machines is Important

Water flow is one of the key variables for brewing great coffee, so if the water lines are clogged inside of your coffee machine it can have a significant impact on your final product. The taste of your coffee can be altered when you aren’t descaling regularly causing the coffee to have an unpleasant metallic taste. Scale buildup can burn out some of the mechanical parts of a coffee machine. As the water lines get clogged and the pathway for water narrows the pumps in the machine must work harder to output the required volume of water. The reduction in water flow efficiency may also impact the length of time it takes to brew the coffee. Depending on the style of the coffee machine, scale can even build up on heating elements. A heating element that has scale buildup is much less efficient at heating the water. A machine with scale buildup works harder, uses more energy, and can even be damaged in severe cases. Whether you’re brewing with a standard drip coffee maker, or are operating a professional espresso machine, descaling your equipment is important! 

How Often You Should Clean Your Coffee Maker

Cleaning your coffee machine with a descaler every few months should be a priority. In order to maintain a coffee maker you shouldn’t let scale buildup enough where it can have a noticeable impact. Depending on how frequently your coffee maker is being used you may need to descale more frequently. A coffee machine used in a professional restaurant or cafe may be used frequently every day of the week, and will likely need descaling more frequently than a coffee maker in a less trafficked area. 

The water quality and water source are other major factors in how quickly scale buildup can occur in a coffee machine. The hardness of the water is determined by the levels of minerals left in the water. Hard water will cause more scale buildup than soft water. When brewing excellent coffee it’s important to have the right amount of minerals in the water. If you are filtering your own water and controlling the mineral content you won’t experience scale buildup as quickly as if you were using strictly hard water. 

If you notice any changes in the way your coffee maker is functioning or the taste of the coffee it may be time to descale the machine. Adopt a descaling procedure to ensure your machine is descaled regularly and you shouldn’t have any major issues. 

A Malfunctioning Coffee Machine 

In the event that you begin encountering frequent problems with your machine, or you start seeing error messages it may be a scale buildup issue. Many problems can cause a coffee machine to malfunction, however, by keeping proper maintenance you can eliminate certain common issues. Scale buildup is a very common problem that people face with professional coffee equipment. If your machine is having problems, speak with a professional coffee equipment service provider so they can assess the situation. If the machine requires descaling it can be fixed quickly. 

Unusual Issues with Your Coffee Brewer 

Sometimes there are noticeable signs that scale buildup has occurred. These signs of buildup will not typically be visible, like you would see on a showerhead or sink faucet, but can present in other ways. Reduced water flow is almost always a sign of scale buildup. As buildup occurs in the water lines it takes longer for the same volume of water to flow through. The water flow may also be inconsistent and output different levels of water each time. All of these can impact brewing, efficiency, and the flavor of the coffee. Be sure to pay attention when brewing so you can recognize any signs early on. 

When in Doubt Taste Your Coffee

If you’re drinking coffee out of your coffee machine frequently, if not daily, you should be able to notice subtle differences occurring. There are many controllable variables that go into the process of brewing coffee, but if everything seems to be performing correctly it might be time to descale. You should be able to notice an unpleasant odor or taste from the coffee. In the event that scale buildup is impacting your coffee, you will notice a metallic taste, or possibly even extreme bitterness. This will obviously impact the quality of your coffee, and be a good indicator that something is not working correctly. 

Professional Coffee Equipment Maintenance

Specialty equipment typically requires a technical understanding to be properly serviced. In some cases, it may be more efficient to hire a trained technician to provide those maintenance services. Ohio Specialty Coffee Equipment provides regular maintenance for our clients across Ohio to ensure their equipment never goes down. 

Ohio Specialty Coffee Equipment Services

Ohio Specialty Coffee Equipment has a passion for the coffee industry. We provide our services to cafes, restaurants, coffee houses, business campuses, office buildings, and more. We help our clients understand their equipment needs and are a top equipment provider in Ohio. We provide maintenance services to ensure our client’s equipment is always running smoothly. We are a full-service repair team and can handle emergency repairs and installations. In emergency situations we can provide emergency services within a quick time frame. To learn more about our services contact OSCE today.