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Tips For Maintaining Your Restaurant's Soda Fountain

Carbon dioxide tanks have emerged as an essential item for almost any restaurant. Without these devices, it would be impossible to operate a conventional soda fountain, and this can lead to higher food costs and customer dissatisfaction. However, these devices are extremely complex and expensive. As a result, it is vital for you to follow these two tips to help ensure that your tanks do not encounter sudden and avoidable problems. 

Change Empty Syrup Bags

During a busy shift, it is not unusual for the syrup bags that supply the fountain machine to run out. While this can cause headaches for customers that are wanting refills, if this problem is not corrected, it can also result in substantially higher operating costs. 

Many restaurant managers do not realize that the carbon dioxide tank will continue to release gas as long as the empty bag is still attached to the system. This can cause your tank to quickly be depleted which can lead to further problems for your drink machine. To avoid this problem, you should inspect the syrup bags before each shift, and when one is low, it may be wise to preemptively replace it before it can run out and cause this type of expensive leak. 

Monitor For Frost

When your restaurant is busy, it is possible for the carbon dioxide tanks to start developing frost. While the appearance of frost on this tank can be somewhat unnerving, it is usually a harmless problem that will pass with time. This occurs because when the tank is in heavy use, the refrigerant that helps pressurize the carbon dioxide can become disturbed, and this may cause the temperature of the exterior of the tank to drop rapidly. 

However, there may be times when you notice frost on the tank but things are not particularly busy. When this is the case, it can be a sign of  a potential leak with the system. After noticing frost accumulations, you should inspect any areas that may have developed a leak. If you are unable to find one, you should contact an experienced repair professional to come to the restaurant and find the source of the problem. 

Using carbon dioxide tanks is a routine part of operating a restaurant with a soda fountain, but many new restaurant managers do not realize that these tanks can encounter problems. By monitoring for frost and changing out empty syrup bags, you can help ensure that your drink machine avoids these common but disruptive and costly problems. For more information on caring for your tanks, contact a local supplier, like Terry Supply Co


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