Descaling is preventative maintenance.

Call it calcification or lime scale; it is the mineral build-up that clogs boilers, slows water flow and eventually leads to poor performance or machine failure. Regular descaling or decalcifying helps ensure a long service life.

What is scale?

Minerals can come out of solution when water is heated and deposit themselves in the water-carrying parts of an espresso or coffee machine. Boilers and other places where water sits still are often worst affected. Hard water areas and machines with high daily use can build scale faster.

Is scale a problem?

It can reduce water flow and boiler capacity and cause heating problems if left alone. The right interval depends on water quality and usage: some bore-water users may need a monthly check, while filtered water in another location may allow a year or more between services. A water hardness test kit and the scale in your kettle are useful indicators.

Always follow the machine manufacturer's instructions and use a suitable product. If the machine is heavily scaled, leaking or not heating correctly, ask a technician rather than forcing a cleaning cycle.