Top 5 Ways To Protect Your Air Compressor From Heat & Humidity

With recent spikes of extreme heat and humidity, the factors contributing to equipment failure increase substantially. Equipment failure leads to higher repair costs and sometimes loss of production resulting in lost revenue. To help avoid those worst-case scenarios, we compiled the top 5 ways you can start protecting your compressor today. Be sure to have a trained professional doing the work and follow necessary safety measures.

1. Cooler, Heat Exchanger & Air Dryer - Inspect the quality of your compressor heat exchanger, air dryer, and cooling components. Clear any debris or dirt that may have accumulated on condenser coils. Clogged heat exchangers can cause compressors to overheat and fail. If your heat exchanger has not been serviced for a while, it may need to be removed for deeper cleaning. Verify the temperature control on your air dryer is in proper working order, check for leaks, and confirm the exhaust fan is in optimum condition.
2. Check Drains & Oil/Water Separators – Higher levels of humidity mean more moisture in the air and create more condensate. Be sure your drains and solenoid valves are in proper working order to handle the additional demand. Along with more condensate comes more oil vapor. To prevent that oil vapor from being released in the drain, confirm your oil/water separators have the capacity to handle the increased output.
3. Filters & Oil - We cannot stress enough the importance of proper oil and filter maintenance. Dirty air filters lead to pressure drops, making compressors work harder, resulting in higher running temps and more energy consumption. Higher temperatures deteriorate oil quality and decrease life expectancy. Deteriorated oil creates greater deposits in filters, causing compressors to work harder and hotter. We believe clean oil is so important, since day one, we’ve offered free oil testing. Keeping your filters and oil clean will help ensure your compressor runs cooler and consumes less energy.
4. Check Ventilation - Proper ventilation is crucial to a compressor’s performance. Confirm there is nothing restricting airflow around the unit. Good airflow helps dissipate heat from the compressor and prevents overheating.
5. Ambient Temperature - A crucial but often overlooked factor in compressor performance is ambient temperature. It is crucial to maintain the recommended ambient temperature where the compressor is located. If the ambient temperature is higher, the air entering the compressor is warmer. Warmer air contains less oxygen, making it less dense, resulting in reduced compressor efficiency and output.

By regularly inspecting and cleaning your compressor, ensuring proper ventilation/cooling, and addressing any signs of overheating promptly, you can help extend its life and maintain performance through any season.