Commercial kitchen equipment repair guides
Fault codes, likely causes, what a repair costs and when a job needs a technician. Written from manufacturer service documentation, not rewritten from other blogs.
Ice machines
- Ice machines · EmergenciesIce machine stopped working: what to do tonightYour commercial ice machine has stopped in the middle of service. How to tell whether it is broken or recovering by itself, the checks staff can make safely, how to get through service legally, and whether an after-hours call is worth it.
- Ice machines · HoshizakiHoshizaki ice machine error codes and beep alarmsWhat Hoshizaki fault codes mean on KM, IM and DCM machines, the causes in the order a technician checks them, and what the repair costs.
- Ice machines · ManitowocManitowoc ice machine error codesThe full Manitowoc event log, E01 to E34, not the four codes everyone reprints. Plus Safe Mode, the 72-hour clock, and why E01 means different things on different generations.
- Ice machines · ScotsmanScotsman ice machine error codesWhat the code display and lights mean on Scotsman Prodigy and Prodigy Plus cubers, why a flashing code is different from a solid one, and why code 2 fixes itself after 50 minutes.
- Ice machines · Ice-O-MaticIce-O-Matic error codes and status lightsIce-O-Matic has two completely different fault systems. Elevation cubers flash codes on the Power LED; GEM nugget machines use named lights. Both, with the reset that catches people out.
- Ice machines · TroubleshootingCommercial ice machine not making iceWhy a commercial ice machine stops making ice, makes too little, or freezes a slab it will not drop: the causes by symptom, with the limits and timings from Hoshizaki, Manitowoc, Scotsman and Ice-O-Matic manuals.
- Ice machines · LeaksCommercial ice machine leaking waterWhy a commercial ice machine leaks: drain problems, an out-of-level machine, an overflowing bin, splashing past the curtain, or a valve that won’t close. How to find which one, using Hoshizaki and Manitowoc installation requirements.
- Ice machines · CleaningHow to clean a commercial ice machineHow to descale and sanitize a commercial ice machine, which cleaner Hoshizaki, Manitowoc, Scotsman and Ice-O-Matic specify, how much and how often, and why "nickel-safe" matters.
- Ice machines · Mold and slimeMold and pink slime in a commercial ice machineWhat the black mold and pink slime in a commercial ice machine are, what the food code says about it, how to clean it out properly, and why it comes back — for restaurants, bars and hotels, not countertop ice makers.
- Ice machines · Water filtersCommercial ice machine water filtersWhen to change a commercial ice machine water filter (6 months, a pressure reading, or a gallon limit — whichever comes first), how to size one to your machine, what the filter does about scale, and the warranty benefit most owners miss.
- Ice machines · CostsWhat does commercial ice machine repair cost?The average commercial ice machine repair bill, what drives it up, what the Hoshizaki, Manitowoc, Scotsman and Ice-O-Matic warranties do and do not cover, and when replacing beats repairing.
Walk-ins & refrigeration
- Walk-ins · CoolersWalk-in cooler not coolingA walk-in cooler running warm: what to do with the food first, then the checks in the order a technician makes them, which ones you can do yourself, and what the repair costs.
- Walk-ins · FreezersWalk-in freezer problemsIce on the ceiling, a door frozen to its frame or hard to pull open, a frozen drain, or a freezer that will not hold temperature: what each one means, what you can check, and what to do with the food.
- Refrigeration · True reach-insTrue freezer not freezingWhy a True reach-in freezer or refrigerator won’t get cold: the condenser True says to clean every 30 days, airflow and loading, defrost, start-up time, electrical rules that void the warranty, and what needs a technician.
Fryers
- Fryers · PitcoPitco fryer troubleshootingPitco fryer won’t turn on, won’t heat, shows HEAT FAILURE or DRAINING, won’t drain, or the filter won’t return oil: the causes and fixes from Pitco’s own troubleshooting charts.
- Fryers · Gas pilotsFryer pilot won't stay litWhy a commercial gas fryer pilot lights but goes out when you let go of the knob, or dies during service: the checks in order, Pitco's thermopile numbers, the high limit reset, and which jobs need a gas technician.
- Fryers · OilHow often should fryer oil be changed?Why a fixed number of days is the wrong answer, the 24% total polar materials (TPM) benchmark used across Europe, what a study of real restaurant fryers found, and how filtering, topping off and temperature make oil last longer.
Hoods & exhaust
- Hoods · NFPA 96How often should restaurant hoods be cleaned?The NFPA 96 schedule by type of cooking, why it is an inspection schedule rather than a cleaning schedule, how local fire codes change it, and what the sticker on your hood should say.
- Hoods · Fire suppressionAnsul system inspectionHow often a kitchen fire suppression system must be inspected, what the 6-monthly service covers, the monthly checks the owner is responsible for, fusible links, the 12-year test, and what to do after a discharge.
- Hoods · CostsWhat does hood cleaning cost?Real kitchen exhaust hood cleaning prices from public bid results — Chatham County, Cobb County Schools, Garland ISD and Council Rock — why identical jobs drew quotes three times apart, what drives the price, and how to compare quotes.
Grease traps
- Grease traps · CalculatorGrease trap sizing calculatorSize a grease trap from your sinks (flow rate in gpm) or a grease interceptor from your seats (gallons), using the fixture method and the Uniform Plumbing Code formula. Shows every step, plus the typical pumping cost for that size.
- Grease traps · PumpingHow often should a grease trap be pumped?Grease trap maintenance in full: the 25% rule, the pumping intervals Phoenix, San Jose and other cities write into law, a daily-to-quarterly maintenance checklist, what makes a trap fill faster, and the records you must keep.
- Grease traps · CostsWhat does grease trap pumping cost?Grease trap and interceptor pumping prices by size from the City of Tempe’s published 2025 price list, the add-on fees that change the bill, what a year of pumping costs, and why a neglected trap costs more.