Spring is here, which means summer is not too far on the horizon. Heat, humidity, and a bevy of other hazards come with the season, and CompressAir wants to make sure its customers’ equipment is ready to run through those challenges.
Compressors are powerful machines, and they need regular maintenance and diligent preparation to ensure they perform at their best for the longest time possible. Machines face different challenges in the spring and summer months compared to winter and fall. The heat and humidity introduce excess moisture that can dramatically affect your compressor’s air quality and contaminate products. Cottonwood can quickly clog filters and block coolers, overheating and damaging your compressor. It’s a challenging, often extreme season, but routine maintenance and careful preparation this spring can keep your business running smoothly.
The first thing to do is to make sure you are following your compressor’s recommended service intervals – ensuring it gets attended to by an expert technician after a certain amount of operating hours. It is a number that can vary dramatically depending on your machine’s use and environment. Even specific parts might require a shorter service interval than another part on the same machine.
Oil samplings, air filter cartridge replacements, motor greasing – all of these and more are critical tasks, and even more so as the air warms up. Some tasks, such as checking operating temperatures as well as oil and condensate levels, should be performed daily.
If you are already familiar with your service intervals, there is no better time to schedule a visit from a technician than spring. If you are unfamiliar, consulting with CompressAir’s experts can get your maintenance schedule on track quickly.
Other compressor components might fall outside of your routine service intervals but still play an essential role in your machine’s summer health. The first place to look is your compressor’s air cooler. These are exposed to the elements, leaving them vulnerable to collecting dust, dirt, and other obstructions. One of the most common blockages are bugs, which are sometimes acidic and can deteriorate the cooler’s surface.
Compressors in Northern Indiana also face another challenge – the summer deluge of cottonwood seeds. These are fluffy, white seeds that float through the air and build up anywhere there is space for them. Some parts of Northern Indiana are so dense with cottonwood trees that the seeds can completely cover the ground like a layer of snow for months. These seeds can quickly obstruct a cooler if left unchecked, making it even more important to ensure your machine is clear of blockages before they can add to your troubles.
CompressAir also pointed to checking cooling water quality as an essential part of preparing for the summer heat. Water must maintain certain pH and sediment values, and water containing certain minerals can quickly sap your compressor’s cooling capabilities. Some customers might even run very cold water through the cooling system with high chemical and contaminate concentrations. Doing that means that sediments fall out of the water when it touches hot fluid tubes, causing buildup that reduces cooling capabilities. Left unchecked, that buildup can lead to overheating and unreliability.
To make sure your machine is ready to beat the heat, consult with CompressAir. Its team is equipped to keep your compressor in top shape, and has an emergency service team on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To learn more, visit compressair.net.
Cooler and sediment photos courtesy of Sullair America