Friday, September 15
Compressed Air Equipment Not Operating Properly: Should I Repair or Replace?
So, your air compressor just failed and you’re deciding whether you should get it repaired or invest in a new one altogether. It’s hard to know which is the right choice and that will maximize your ROI. What should you do next? Well, to start, check out the following post that provides a few guidelines to help you make the right choice. But as always, consult a compressed air expert for your specific system and its failures to ensure you can choose the correct solution.
Information To Take into Consideration
There are a few aspects about your system that you will want to know to help you make a strategic, informed decision on whether to repair or replace it:
- Age of the equipment
- Records of servicing
- Energy efficiency of system
- Forecasted production needs
- Future parts upgrade requirements
- Previous failures and shutoffs
- Location of equipment
- Available capital and resources
- Facility’s goals reliable on your system
Common Issues that Require a Repair or Replacement
Pressure Levels Keep Declining
The Noises Are Louder Than Usual
Trouble Starting or Stopping
Oil Leaking
Frequent Overheating
Excessive Moisture Levels
Broken Hard Parts
When to Repair
Buying a new compressor is a large investment for any business, so, if a repair protects your investment and presents a better ROI, then a repair is the best way to go! A few things that can indicate that a repair is the better option include:
- Your compressor is still under warranty that covers the cost of repairs.
- Your compressor is fairly new.
- Replacing the necessary parts is easy to do and affordable.
- Up until this issue arose, the unit is consistently reliable and in good operating condition.
- When the compressor is functioning properly, it can keep up with demand.
- You have an expert opinion from Zorn Compressor & Equipment that a repair us an acceptable option and a qualified service technician from Zorn who can complete the repairs and/or maintenance.
When to Replace
Sometimes a repair is only a short-term solution that is only postponing the inevitable: that you need to buy a new compressor. While it is a higher cost upfront, it may lead to less occurring costs in the long run and better efficiencies when it comes to energy usage and cost. A few things that can indicate that investing in a new compressor is the better option include:
- Your current unit is consistently unreliable and needs constant repairs.
- Compressed air is a vital source to your operations and your business relies on 100% compressed air uptime, but you have been experiencing decreased performance or increased downtime repeatedly.
- Your unit is coming near the end of or is past its service life.
- It is an older model that makes it hard to find the proper parts for repairs.
- Most (if not all) qualified service technicians are no longer trained on these older models and no longer know how to fix them.
- Your compressor cannot keep up with your facility’s demands or you anticipate major growth that your compressor cannot handle.
Final Insights
With all these aspects in mind, ultimately it comes down to the cost to repair your compressor vs. the cost to replace it. If your cost to repair the compressor is close to half or over half of the cost to replace it, your best bet to maximize ROI is to invest in a new compressor instead. The actual price of a new compressor is only a small portion of the overall cost to owning one. Energy consumption makes up to 80% of the total cost of owning an air compressor, making electricity the costliest aspect of compressed air. This means, if you have an older machine that constantly falls short of efficiencies and needs frequent repairs, you will probably be witnessing a higher electricity bill as well, confirming that investing in a new machine is the right option for you.
ZORN'S PROMISE
Zorn is the Midwest leader of custom, engineered compressed air and vacuum solutions. We provide the best customer experience by understanding your applications and needs and offering an unparalleled commitment to customer satisfaction.
Our comprehensive product and service solutions keep you running 24/7.
- Reliable equipment
- Trusted brands
- Seamless, easy installation
- Post-sales support
- Local, 24/7 service
Our compressed air experts look forward to meeting you to discuss your equipment and support needs. Please contact us directly at (262) 695-7000 with any questions or to schedule service for your system moving forward.
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