You are about to enjoy your favorite morning beverage and now become your tradition since buying your Keurig, you go and fire it up.
To your dismay, however, instead of the usual sounds that you hear when fixing your cuppa, you just hear a the descale light comes on and stays on.
What does this mean and how do you fix it? I want to answer this question in the best way possible in this article so we will start off by looking at just how exactly the Keurig single-cup beverage maker works.
First of all, the word Keurig is of Dutch origin and means excellence. That’s what the inventors had in mind when they went about developing the product.
First of all, they wanted the perfect beverage and secondly, they wanted a machine that was able to make a single cup at a time instead of brewing a whole pot.
The unique thing about the Keurig is that in order to make your beverage, you use what is known as K-pods and to date there are more than 400 beverage variations on offer.
The Keurig works by filtering water through the K-pod producing the best beverage possible.
What does descale on a Keurig mean?
Descaling means you are removing most of the calcium and other sediments inside the brewer. When this happens, you will hear a series of gurgling and bubbling sounds coming from it. To help prevent these sediments from building up again, make sure to descale it every three months.
Why is the descale light on?
When the water passes through the machine, some scaling begins to happen. This is when particles of calcium and other sediments collect on the inner parts of the machine.
When this happens, the descale light will come on. This generally means that the machine needs to be cleaned (descaled).
In some instances, the machine will actually stop working. Some people have actually thrown out their Keurig thinking that it was dead when all that’s needed is some descaling.
How to Prevent/ Slow Down Scaling
How often you descale your Keurig depends on the hardness of the water in your area. If your water is hard, you will need to descale your Keurig more often than if the water in your area is softer.
One way to get around and slow downscaling is to use filtered water. There are water filtration units that can be fitted directly onto the pipes of your home.
A cheaper alternative is to buy a tabletop water filtration system I recommend Apex Drinking water Filter (See current price on Amazon). Using filtered water reduces and in some cases eliminate scaling of your Keurig.
How to Descale your Keurig
Now that you know why the to descale light is on, let’s look at exactly how you can fix this. Keurig recommends that you use a chemical called Dezcal to descale your machine.
Alternatively, you can use diluted vinegar which works just as well. To descale, all you need is to run the Dezcal or diluted vinegar through the machine and you should see the descale light switch off.
why does the descale light come on Keurig?
In order to maintain your Keurig, you may need to descale it from time to time. This helps get rid of most calcium and other sediments that may have collected in the machine. When this happens, the descaling light will automatically turn on. This Causes the Descale Light to Come on.
How Often Should I Descale My Keurig?
You should descale your Keurig brewer once every three months. This will keep it running smoothly and keep the coffee tasting fresh. If you notice the taste of the coffee is getting weaker, this may be an indication that it needs to be descaled more often.
Cleaning the Keurig exit needle
When the descale light comes on, it may also indicate that the exit needle needs to be cleaned. This is located at the bottom of the Keurig with a black cap. You can remove this by using a pair of needle-nosed pliers to loosen it. Be careful when doing so because there are sharp edges inside.
Conclusion on troubleshooting Keurig Descale Light
At some point during the course of your use of the Keurig, you will need o to descale. It’s are almost inevitable. You can prevent or at least slow down the scaling of your Keurig by making sure you use filtered water only.
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