Budgeting for preventative maintenance on your compressed air system is essential to ensure that it remains reliable and efficient. Yet it’s only about 5 to 10 percent of the yearly operating expenses.
The fact that energy-related expenses are high when it comes to owning a compressor doesn’t mean that you should overlook the proper care of your compressor system.
A proper maintenance program for your air compressor should include enough budget to ensure that your system can stay running. Advanced monitoring can help you stay aware of any issues before they become too much to handle. Without taking this step, you risk incurring expensive repair costs to keep the system operational.
Factors To Consider For Preventative Maintenance
The Type Of Compressor
All air compressors are going to require some level of maintenance, but the level and degree will vary depending on the type. For example, oil-free compressors require less routine maintenance because they operate free of oil. Centrifugal compressors have a simplistic design and are oil-free, making them pretty easy to operate.
Usage Times And Frequency
Like any other machinery, how often you use it will impact when it needs to be maintained. For instance, if there are longer rest periods between usage, it may not need to be maintained as often. It’s a good idea to have it looked at annually at the minimum, to make sure it remains in good working condition.
The Compressor Location
Where you choose to initially install your compressor can have long-lasting maintenance impacts. Some companies choose to install their air compressors outside to save space and keep the noise levels down inside. This is a valid option but may require more maintenance in the long run. If your compressor is exposed to moisture, it could be susceptible to more problems that require maintenance. Temperature and humidity fluctuations can also present long-term problems that will require added maintenance.
Even indoors, if there are temperature or humidity changes, it can be a problem. It may also be exposed to more dust or debris inside.
Meeting Safety Standards
If the regular inspection of equipment is part of your company’s safety standards, that may hold an influence on your air compressor preventative maintenance budget. To look at it another way, routine maintenance does make your facility safer. For instance, you can prevent a combustion incident by replacing a rusty tank or using non-flammable lubricants.
How Often Compressors Should Be Serviced
Planning a maintenance budget for your air compressor requires understanding how often it will need to be serviced, and that largely depends on some of the factors discussed above, and how well you maintain your compressor day-to-day.
There are routine tasks that the owner can complete on a daily basis, and more complex tasks that may need to be done monthly or annually that require the help of a maintenance provider.
Join Our Maintenance Program
Regular maintenance for your air compressor can help:
- Improve efficiency
- Extend the lifetime of the equipment
- Eliminate emergency repairs
- Reduce risk of breakdowns
- Lower cost of operations
- Maximize ROI
The friendly and experienced technicians at Compressor Services can keep your air compressor up and running with regular preventative maintenance. We’ll help you develop a maintenance schedule and answer any necessary questions when it comes to creating an air compressor maintenance budget.
Contact us to talk about a maintenance plan today!