Maintenance tip: Encourage the urge to purge!

The Alterra Service crew often gets calls from customers who find that their steam valves have stopped working. More often than not, this is the result of an obstruction in the steam wand. Such clogs can be avoided by purging your steam wand before and after every use, allowing the wand to be cleared of milk that can crawl back into it. As the heat of the machine dehydrates this milk, build-up forms and eventually damages the valve.

It’s also important to note that purging before each use will eject anything that has accumulated in the valve. (Water always condenses in these wands and that is not something you want to include in your customer’s latte or mocha!)

If you do encounter problems with your steam wand, check out our troubleshooting guide, which can also be found in the Equipment Troubleshooting section of our Web site:
Problem: Espresso machine won’t steam.
Possible Causes:
a. steam wand obstruction
b. machine is not turned on
c. boiler problems

Possible Solutions:
a. Check the steam wand tip for clogs and use a paper clip or similar object to poke out the steam tip holes.
b. Make sure the machine is on. Some machines have a three-way power switch:
Off, Fill, On (Heat). Turn the power switch to the On (Heat) position.
c. If the steam boiler gauge reads above 1.5, turn off the machine and call your service tech.