Ice Machine Audits

Assessment, Guidance, Education, and Filtration Solutions for Ice Machines

Can ice machines make you sick?

Ice machines are notorious environments for biofilm and slime growth, harboring millions of pathogens and creating serious risks of illness. Temperatures inside these machines can reach 100°F – a perfect breeding ground for Legionella. The growth of Legionella, and other pathogens, is an especially serious concern in hospitals and healthcare facilities where ice machines are used for patient support. As specified by the Joint Commission, ice machines in healthcare facilities are considered to be high-risk utility system components, and therefore regarded as a critical control point in a facility’s water management plan. Having a plan in place to address potential contamination in ice machines will go a long way in creating a safe environment for your patients.

Recommended maintenance for ice machines

Routine cleaning, descaling, disinfection, and sanitization help eliminate bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants from the machine’s surface and inside the bin, ultimately improving performance. We offer alternate equipment maintenance program (AEM) support which can reduce preventative maintenance and give facilities engineering departments the ability to direct their time and resources toward other activities; this support includes an audit of your machine setup and program. During an ice machine audit, we assess housings, tubings, and water sources; prime, descale and disinfect components; and evaluate filtration efficacy.

Recommended products for ice machines

If your hospital or healthcare facility utilizes ice machines for patient care, are you using a filter FDA-cleared for infection control? Commercial ice machine filters do an excellent job of solving for taste, odor, and scale, but they do not retain bacteria. The Nephros DSU-H in-line infection control filter is FDA 510(k)-cleared to retain bacteria, as well as with viruses and endotoxins. When used downstream of a standard commercial filter, the combination of solutions creates a multibarrier approach to help protect your patients, staff, and visitors.