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A typical commercial dishwasher can consume anywhere from 240-360 gallons per day, according to GoFoodService. That means up to 132,000 gallons annually! That’s a lot of water down the drain, not to mention the energy required to heat it. But there’s good news. With a few strategic adjustments, equipment considerations, and some maintenance, both water and energy costs can be dramatically cut. In this post, we’ll look at some things you can do to improve dish washing efficiency, without sacrificing efficacy.

Pre-Rinse

The best place to start is by making sure you have an efficient pre-rinse process in place. This helps remove food and debris before it enters the machine, reducing its burden. We know what you might be thinking: pre-rinsing still uses water, so what exactly are we achieving here? The reality is that if your dish room rinses with a low-volume, high-pressure sprayer at a cooler temperature, less water and energy will be required in the machine. You can now dial down the pressure on your dishwasher without compromising results.

Maximize Load Size

Running a partial load is leaving money on the table. This might sound obvious but remember that a cycle will use as much water and energy to clean a small load as it would a full one. And a full machine is an efficient one! Make sure your staff knows that every cycle should be running at (or close to) full capacity.

Technical Optimization

Modern dishwashers contain many features that are designed to increase efficiency and use less resources. For instance, if your conveyor system has an auto mode, make sure you’re using it. It will automatically stop the conveyor when dishes aren’t processing and reduce energy consumption. You can also adjust your rinse and flow pressures. Test a few settings to see if you can achieve favorable results, but with less water.

Install a Booster Heater

Standard water heaters aren’t enough to properly heat water used in dishwashers, particularly for the rinse cycle. To compensate for this, many facilities will raise their central water temperature to the required 180°, which is legally required for the rinse cycle. But this temperature isn’t applied selectively. It comes out of all fixtures including the dishwasher. Operators are constantly heating water way hotter than needed and wasting energy. Booster heaters, such as our electric and tankless models, solve this challenge by increasing the temperature only at the point of use: the dishwasher. Further, booster heaters help reduce or eliminate chemical costs and provide faster drying.

Routine Maintenance

It’s tempting. If the machine appears to be operating well, just leave it alone, right? But the old principle of fair wear and tear still applies here—and needs to be addressed. Breakdowns will always happen at the worst possible time. It’s better to stay on top of maintenance to prevent them. Having a profession service provider look at your machines periodically will help avoid emergencies. There are a few key components to keep your eyes on:

Dirty Filters - force your pump to work harder, which leads to more waste and premature pump wear. Have filters cleaned and replaced according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Arm Bearings - over time, these bearings will wear. This leads to reduced cleaning performance and forces the machine to compensate by eating up more water and energy. You’ll want to get them serviced before this happens.

Seals – are other critical components that help prevent water leakage and maintain proper temperature. Seals will deteriorate over time due to thermal cycling, chemicals, and mechanical wear. Make sure your seals are tight and functioning properly. If they are dry, rotting or failing, it’s time to replace them.

Conclusion

Commercial dishwashers are thirsty machines. We can’t help that. But by implementing these helpful tips, they’ll run more efficiently. As a result, you’ll reduce energy and water consumption and help extend their life.

Considering a booster heater to help make your commercial dishwashing more efficient? Our line of electric booster heaters are designed to do exactly that — for any size operation. Shop online today!