Ozone machines are an important part of odour management in care homes. When it comes to dealing with persistent odours caused by incontinence, illness, food, stale air or other everyday care-home challenges, they are the perfect solution. However, just like scrubber-dryers, air-con units and industrial vacuum cleaners, larger ozone-generating machines need regular servicing to maintain their performance.

Without servicing, a machine may still switch on and even appear to be working, but its ozone output or airflow may have gradually declined. Regular servicing helps ensure it continues delivering efficient and consistent results, as well as ensuring safety standards.

For our customers, ozone generators like our Eclipse Pro have become standard practice, and they tell us that they can’t imagine how they would manage without them, so that means keeping them in top operational condition.

We get a lot of worried emails and calls asking the same thing 'HELP! my ozone odour control machine isn't working properly, and we need it'

Servicing regularly prevents those issues.

How ozone works, a quick reminder!

Ozone is a naturally occurring gas consisting of three oxygen atoms rather than the two found in ordinary oxygen. We have a video explain it here.

It is highly reactive and works by:

• Reacting with the compounds responsible for unpleasant smells.
• Breaking down odours rather than covering them with perfume.
• Reaching odours held within carpets, curtains and other soft furnishings.

An ozone machine such as our Eclipse Pro is designed for professional treatments in vacant rooms, including empty resident bedrooms and other care-home areas.

Why does servicing matter?

The main reason for servicing an ozone machine is to keep it working at maximum efficiency.

Through normal use, internal components can become dirty, worn or less effective. In a busy care home, this may mean the machine begins to take longer to produce the same result or become less effective overall. As with all electrical equipment, it will also benefit from a safety check

A professional service will check:

• Ozone production and output levels.
• The condition of the ozone conversion cells.
• Fans and airflow through the machine.
• Programme timings and controls.
• The operation of the ozone destruct system.
• The machine’s general electrical and physical condition.

Servicing can identify declining performance before it becomes an operational problem and any potential safety issues.

Signs that an ozone machine may need servicing

Care-home teams may notice that:

• Familiar odours are taking longer to remove.
• Treatments have to be repeated.
• The machine sounds.
• Rooms take longer to return to service.

...Or it may simply be that the machine has not been serviced for several years.

These signs do not necessarily mean the machine needs replacing. It may simply need cleaning, adjustment or new components. In some cases, where your ozone generator is very old or have had excessive use, the machine may have reached the end of its functional life. Just as with any piece of equipment, servicing is important to delay the need for replacement.

Better efficiency means fewer disruptions

An efficient ozone machine can help care homes:

• Return resident rooms to use more quickly.
• Reduce the need for repeated treatments.
• Avoid unnecessary additional deep cleaning.
• Use less staff time dealing with persistent odours.
• Maintain a consistently fresh and welcoming environment.

If a machine is producing less ozone or circulating it poorly, staff may compensate by running longer or repeated treatments. The irony is that overuse through a lack of service, will increase the need for a service.  It also increases room downtime and reduces the value the care home receives from the equipment.

Servicing also provides a sensible safety check

Health and safety should be approached in the same practical way as it would be with any other item of professional cleaning equipment.

A service confirms that the machine is:

• Producing ozone at the expected level.
• Completing its programmes correctly.
• Operating its destruct cycle as designed.
• Electrically and physically fit for continued use.

It is simply good maintenance practice for a machine used in a professional care environment to ensure it is operating correctly.

When might replacement be more economical?

Servicing can extend the working life of an ozone machine, but older equipment will eventually reach a point where replacement offers better value.

Age does not mean a machine must be replaced. A well-maintained older unit may still have years of useful service left in it. However, if it looks like you will repeatedly need to repair a heavily worn machine, like any piece of equipment, repairing can become a false economy.

Is your ozone machine due for service?

Ozofresh recommends that Eclipse Pro machines are serviced at least once every two years. Machines used frequently or in heavily odour-affected environments may need more regular attention, and many of our customers choose to have their machines serviced every 12 or 18 months.

If you are unsure when your machine was last serviced, Ozofresh can check its service history, assess its performance and advise whether servicing, repair or replacement is the most cost-effective option for your care home. We can also service other, non-Ozofresh machines, so just call us or send us a message and we will help you resolve your service question.