Water quality is often an overlooked factor that can impact the success of convenience stores, new and old. From the efficiency of equipment, maintenance costs, taste of beverages and the customer experience, poor water quality carries hidden costs and challenges. By addressing these issues, convenience store owners can enhance operations, reduce expenses, and improve the bottom line.
5 Things You Should Know About C-store Water
- The Hidden Costs of Hard Water: Many c-stores face hidden costs due to hard water. Mineral buildup in ice makers, coffee makers, F’real machines, and water heaters can lead to frequent maintenance, reduced equipment lifespan and early replacement, and increased energy bills.
- Impact on Beverage Quality: Water quality directly affects the taste and quality of beverages like coffee and soda. Poor water quality can result in off-flavors, which can negatively impact the customer experience.
- Importance of Clean Ice Machines: Ice machines are often overlooked, but they can harbor bacteria and biofilm if not properly maintained. This can lead to health concerns and affect the overall hygiene standards of the store.
- Energy Efficiency: Hard water scale buildup in water heaters and pipes reduces their efficiency, leading to higher energy consumption. Removing existing limescale can help maintain energy efficiency and lower utility bills.
- Car Wash Challenges: For convenience stores with car wash facilities, limescale, bacteria, and biofouling can clog nozzles and cause unpleasant odors. Effective water treatment is crucial for maintaining the smooth operation of car washes and ensuring a positive customer experience.
Checklist for Hidden Water Quality Issues
If your convenience stores are experiencing issues caused by limescale buildup or biofouling, it’s often difficult to identify these problems without a closer inspection. The checklists below provide a straightforward guide to help you spot potential areas where limescale might be impacting your operations and increasing your costs.
C-Stores
- Check maintenance or service software for ice makers, coffee machines, or other equipment callout/service history
- Check the faucets in kitchen and bathrooms for limescale buildup.
- Examine the ice machine compartment above the soft drink machine for limescale buildup.
- Check coffee machines and their water reservoirs for limescale buildup.
- Inspect boiler hot plates for signs of limescale.
- Check around water heaters and heating elements for limescale.
- Inspect dishwashers and their heating elements for signs of limescale.
Car Washes
- Check spray nozzles for limescale buildup.
- Check flow patterns coming out of spray nozzles—non uniform spray patterns indicate clogged nozzles from limescale deposits.
- Check how often you are replacing RO membranes.
- Check maintenance or service software for history on how regularly you are maintaining pumps and valves due to clogging.
I found limescale buildup – what now?
While there are many water softening and filtration systems on the market, many don’t adequately address the issues c-store owners face with limescale buildup and biofouling. They also generally require regular maintenance and a large footprint for installation. The alternative? HydroFlow technology.
- HydroFlow Tackles More Than Just Limescale. HydroFlow’s cutting-edge technology isn’t just about combating limescale buildup. It also targets corrosion, bacteria, and algae, making it a comprehensive solution for maintaining the efficiency and longevity of equipment throughout your C-store.
- Significant Cost Savings for Convenience Stores: Convenience stores face frequent maintenance issues and increased energy costs due to poor water quality. HydroFlow reduces maintenance time, extends the lifespan of appliances like Ice Makers and coffee machines, and improves energy efficiency, resulting in substantial cost savings.
- Chemical-Free Solution: Unlike traditional water softeners that require ongoing maintenance and regular replenishment of salt tablets, HydroFlow is a non-intrusive electronic water conditioner. It works without harsh chemicals, making it an environmentally friendly option for your business.
- Ease of Installation: In-house technicians can install HyrdoFlow and check the operation of the equipment without the need for any plumbing or electrical modifications.
- Car Wash Benefits: Car washes can suffer from limescale, bacteria, and biofouling, leading to clogged nozzles, unpleasant odors, reduced efficiency, and reduced RO membrane lifespan. HydroFlow technology helps to prevent these issues, ensuring smooth operations and better customer experience.
Want to know more?
Contact Fluirco to find out if HydroFlow technology is a good fit for your c-store or car wash operation.
