Commercial Ice Machine Repair Service
Ice machine not making ice, making it slowly, leaking or dropping small cubes? ALAS Appliance Repair repairs commercial cube, nugget and flake ice machines and ice dispensers for restaurants, bars, hotels and senior living communities across Dallas–Fort Worth.
- Cube, nugget and flake machines
- Written quote before work begins
- After-hours emergency service
- 12-month sealed-system warranty
Business Profile
Book Ice Machine Repair
Commercial Ice Machine Repair for Every Type of Ice
Ice runs out fast on a busy shift, and an ice machine that stops producing turns into bagged-ice runs and unhappy guests. A commercial ice machine is a refrigeration system and a water system working together: it freezes water on an evaporator, then warms it to release the ice into the bin, over and over all day. That means problems can start with the refrigeration, the water supply, mineral scale or the controls. ALAS Appliance Repair has repaired commercial refrigeration in Dallas–Fort Worth since 2019. We find the actual cause, give you a written quote, and start the repair once you approve it.
We work on almost all commercial ice machine brands sold in the U.S., including Hoshizaki, Manitowoc, Scotsman, Ice-O-Matic, Follett, Kold-Draft, Cornelius and Maxx Ice.
Common ice machine problems
What’s Wrong With Your Ice Machine?
These are the commercial ice machine problems we see most often in Dallas–Fort Worth restaurants, bars and facilities, with the causes a technician checks and a quick, safe check you can do before you call.
| Symptom | Common causes a technician checks | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Not making any ice | Water supply off or low pressure, clogged water filter, failed water inlet valve, bin control stuck in the full position, dirty condenser, low refrigerant, failed compressor or control board | Check that the water valve is open, note when the filter was last changed, and make sure ice isn’t holding the bin control.Possible causes a technician checks: Water supply off or low pressure, clogged water filter, failed water inlet valve, bin control stuck in the full position, dirty condenser, low refrigerant, failed compressor or control board Schedule a diagnosis |
| Making much less ice than usual | Mineral scale on the evaporator, dirty condenser coil, hot room or poor airflow around the machine, restricted water flow, low refrigerant | Check the space around the machine. Boxes or a hot back room cut production quickly.Possible causes a technician checks: Mineral scale on the evaporator, dirty condenser coil, hot room or poor airflow around the machine, restricted water flow, low refrigerant Schedule a diagnosis |
| Ice won’t drop into the bin | Scale making the ice stick, failed hot gas valve, failed harvest assist, stuck curtain or bin switch, faulty thermistor or probe | Look inside the machine. A solid slab still stuck to the evaporator points to a harvest problem.Possible causes a technician checks: Scale making the ice stick, failed hot gas valve, failed harvest assist, stuck curtain or bin switch, faulty thermistor or probe Schedule a diagnosis |
| Small, cloudy, hollow or misshapen cubes | Low water level or pressure, clogged water distribution tube, failing water pump, scale buildup, clogged filter | Compare cubes from one side of the evaporator to the other. Uneven cubes usually mean a water flow problem.Possible causes a technician checks: Low water level or pressure, clogged water distribution tube, failing water pump, scale buildup, clogged filter Schedule a diagnosis |
| Water leaking around the machine or bin | Clogged or kinked drain line, missing air gap, cracked water trough, loose tubing, failing water pump, bin drain blocked | Check the floor drain and the bin drain for standing water or slow draining.Possible causes a technician checks: Clogged or kinked drain line, missing air gap, cracked water trough, loose tubing, failing water pump, bin drain blocked Schedule a diagnosis |
| Bad taste or smell, slime or mold | Cleaning and sanitizing overdue, expired water filter, biofilm in the water system, bin or chute contamination | Stop serving the ice if you see slime or mold, and schedule a cleaning and sanitizing.Possible causes a technician checks: Cleaning and sanitizing overdue, expired water filter, biofilm in the water system, bin or chute contamination Schedule a diagnosis |
| Error lights or the machine keeps shutting off | High-pressure safety trip, water fault, harvest timeout, failed probe or control board | Write down the light pattern or code and the model number before you reset anything.Possible causes a technician checks: High-pressure safety trip, water fault, harvest timeout, failed probe or control board Schedule a diagnosis |
| Loud noise, grinding or rattling | Failing water pump, condenser fan motor, auger or gear motor on nugget and flake machines, compressor wear | Note whether the noise happens during freezing or during harvest.Possible causes a technician checks: Failing water pump, condenser fan motor, auger or gear motor on nugget and flake machines, compressor wear Schedule a diagnosis |
Ice Machines and Parts We Repair
Commercial ice equipment for kitchens, bars, hotels and care facilities.
Modular cube ice machines
Full-cube, half-cube and dice machines mounted on bins and dispensers.
Undercounter ice machines
Self-contained undercounter cube and nugget machines for bars and small kitchens.
Nugget and flake ice machines
Auger, gear motor and bearing repairs on nugget, chewable and flake ice machines.
Ice and water dispensers
Countertop and hotel-style ice and water dispensers, including dispensing mechanisms.
Air-cooled, water-cooled and remote
Condensers, condenser fans and remote condenser systems on rooftops and outside walls.
Harvest and water systems
Hot gas valves, harvest assists, water pumps, inlet valves, distribution tubes and probes.
Compressors and refrigerant
Compressors, refrigerant leaks, expansion valves, filter driers and recharge.
Cleaning, descaling and sanitizing
Scale removal, evaporator cleaning, bin sanitizing and water filter replacement.
Repair or replace
Repair or Replace Your Ice Machine?
Water valves, pumps, probes, harvest parts and controls are usually worth repairing on a commercial ice machine. A failed compressor or a major refrigerant leak on an older machine is the point to compare the repair cost against a new machine.
Usually worth repairing
- A water pump, inlet valve, probe or control has failed
- The machine needs descaling and a new water filter
- A harvest part, such as a hot gas valve, has failed
- The evaporator is in good condition
Worth weighing carefully
- The compressor failed on an older machine
- The evaporator coating is damaged or pitted
- The machine keeps needing sealed-system repairs
- It no longer makes enough ice for your volume
Not sure which way to go? Book a diagnosis
Urgent repair
Ice Machine Down Before a Busy Shift?
Ice is something guests notice right away. These steps help you get through the shift while we diagnose the machine. After-hours and emergency service is available at an additional charge.
How it works
How Our Ice Machine Repair Works
Call or book online
Tell us the brand and model, the type of ice, whether it is air-cooled, water-cooled or remote, and what it is doing. A photo of the data plate helps us bring the right parts.
On-site diagnosis
A technician checks the water supply, filter, scale, harvest components and condenser before testing the refrigeration system, so the real cause is found instead of guessed.
Written quote and approval
You receive a written quote for the repair. The diagnostic visit is billed separately, and no repair work begins until you approve the quote.
Repair and verify
We complete the repair, run the machine through full freeze and harvest cycles, and confirm it is producing and dropping ice normally.
Related
More for Commercial Kitchens
The rest of the refrigeration in your kitchen and bar.
Learn more
Commercial reach-in refrigerator repair
Reach-ins, prep tables, undercounter and bar refrigeration.
Learn more
Commercial walk-in cooler repair
Warm boxes, iced coils, water on the floor and door problems in walk-in coolers.
Learn more
Home ice maker repair
Refrigerator ice makers and freestanding home ice machines.
Where we work
Commercial Ice Machine Repair Service Area
ALAS provides commercial ice machine repair for restaurants, bars, hotels, senior living communities and other businesses in Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Allen, Prosper, Lucas, Parker, Richardson, Dallas, Highland Park, University Park, Coppell, Flower Mound, Southlake, Westlake, Colleyville, Keller, Grapevine, Argyle and Trophy Club, and across the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
Commercial Ice Machine Repair FAQs
Start with the water: a closed supply valve, low water pressure or a clogged filter stops production. Other common causes are a failed water inlet valve, a bin control stuck in the full position, a dirty condenser, low refrigerant, or a failed compressor or control board.
The most common causes are mineral scale on the evaporator, a dirty condenser coil, a hot room or blocked airflow around the machine, and restricted water flow. Ice machines are rated at specific air and water temperatures, so output drops in a hot back room or during Texas summers.
When ice stays stuck on the evaporator, the usual causes are scale that makes the ice cling, a failed hot gas valve or harvest assist, a stuck curtain or bin switch, or a faulty temperature probe that keeps the machine from switching into harvest.
Small or hollow cubes usually point to a water flow problem: low water level or pressure, a clogged distribution tube, a failing water pump, a clogged filter or scale buildup. Cloudy ice is often linked to water quality and scale.
Leaks usually come from a clogged or kinked drain line, a blocked bin drain, a cracked water trough, loose tubing or a failing water pump. A drain line without a proper air gap can also back up.
Most manufacturers recommend cleaning and sanitizing at least every six months. High-volume kitchens, bars, hard water and warm back rooms often need it every three months or more often.
Yes. We clean, descale and sanitize commercial ice machines, including the evaporator, water system, bin and chute, and we replace the water filter when it is due. Many businesses schedule it every six months, or every three months in busy kitchens and bars.
Pink or black slime is usually biofilm or mold growing in the water system, bin or chute. Stop serving the ice, and have the machine cleaned and sanitized and the water filter replaced.
Most commercial ice machine filters are changed about every six months, or as the filter manufacturer recommends. Hard water and high volume can shorten that, and an overdue filter is a common cause of slow production and scale.
Air-cooled machines use a fan to move heat into the room, so they need clearance and a reasonably cool space. Water-cooled machines use water to carry heat away. Remote machines move the condenser to the roof or an outside wall to keep heat and noise out of the kitchen.
Yes. Our commercial service hours are 8 AM to 7 PM, and after-hours and emergency service is available at an additional charge. For an after-hours emergency, call us directly so we can arrange a technician.
Every call starts with an on-site diagnosis. The technician finds the cause and gives you a written quote for the repair. The diagnostic visit is a separate charge from the repair, and no repair work starts until you approve the quote.
Repairs carry a 90-day warranty, or 6 months for commercial maintenance plan members. Sealed-system repairs, such as compressor replacement and refrigerant leak repair, carry a 12-month warranty. If your machine is still under the manufacturer’s warranty, check with the manufacturer first.
We work on almost all commercial ice machine brands sold in the U.S., including Hoshizaki, Manitowoc, Scotsman, Ice-O-Matic, Follett, Kold-Draft, Cornelius and Maxx Ice. If you aren’t sure what you have, send us a photo of the data plate.
Water valves, pumps, probes, harvest parts and controls are usually worth repairing. When the compressor fails on an older machine or the evaporator is damaged, compare the repair quote against a new machine, and we’ll give you an honest recommendation.
Yes. ALAS offers commercial maintenance plans for restaurants, bars, hotels, senior living communities and other facilities, which cover scheduled care of your equipment. See our commercial plans page or call us to talk through your equipment.
Yes. For refrigerator ice makers and freestanding home ice machines, see our home ice maker repair page.
We serve businesses in Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Allen, Prosper, Lucas, Parker, Richardson, Dallas, Highland Park, University Park, Coppell, Flower Mound, Southlake, Westlake, Colleyville, Keller, Grapevine, Argyle and Trophy Club, and across the Dallas–Fort Worth area.