With summer weather already here in the Midwest, it’s as important as ever to make sure your compressed air system is running optimally as the temperatures continue to rise. Downtime is costly to your production, so avoiding unnecessary shutdowns due to the heat is of paramount importance during the summer months.

Leading up to summer, it's all about preventative maintenance, and there are two things to keep in mind:

1. air compressor maintenance
2. air compressor ventilation

With these two services in mind, and the maintenance and ventilation checklists below, your compressed air equipment will continue running properly as the summer heats up. Here are the top things to make sure you cover:

Air Compressor Maintenance & Ventilation Checklist

Clean Air and Oil Filters

Dirty filters can cause your compressor to overheat and perform at a much lower efficiency level. It is important to regularly clean oil and air filters and replace them as necessary to maximize your equipment longevity and uptime.

Check Oil

During the hot summer months, it is critical to check your lubricant and test it for signs of degradation and change it if necessary. Lubricant is the life blood of your compressor. Heat is the largest factor in lubricant degradation. It also increases energy consumption and wear and operating temperature of the compressor.

Clean Coolers

Make sure you clean your coolers so that they function properly, preventing you compressor from overheating. Remember to clean coolers consistently throughout the summer.

Clear Drains

You also need to clean the drains. More humidity means more condensate. Get ahead of any issues by checking the drains and clearing any blockages and fixing any issues with them. Just like with coolers, remember to check your drains regularly to make sure they are working properly. Otherwise you'll be faced with condensate backup in your drains and bigger problems.

Adjust Water Cooling System

When dealing with a water-cooled unit, make sure to adjust the temperature of your compressor’s inlet water. Monitor your compressor’s temperature levels throughout the summer to see if it requires a lower temperature setting to keep it from overheating.

Keep the Compressor Room Cool

Compressor room temperatures shouldn’t get to an ambient temperature above 100°F. If the ambient temperature is too high your compressors wont run as efficiently and can overheat.

To keep the compressor room cool, you need proper ventilation and air flow to allow cool air in and there should be ducting to get the hot air out.

Check Ventilation

Speaking of ventilation, equipment needs proper airflow. Just like everything else on this list, ventilation needs attention and maintenance throughout the summer months. It’s important to check the compressor room and adjust ventilation and airflow as needed.

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
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For more general maintenance tips, equipment, and process resources, check out our resource center. To work with air compressor experts, contact us.

Related Resources

• Air Compressor Cooling Systems 101
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• Compressed Air Leak Detection 101
• Benefits of an Energy Efficient System!
• Compressed Air Applications in Summer Outdoor Recreation
• Compressed Air Applications in Water Treatment & Wastewater Treatment
• Going Green with Variable Speed Drive Controls
• Defining Compressed Air Quality
• The Cost of Compressed Air
• Compressed Air Applications in the Glass Industry

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