Prevent your compressor from overheating this summer

We’ve been waiting for a heatwave for quite some time, and now that it’s finally here (and hopefully here to stay), it’s important to prepare your air compressor for the warmer months. We’ve compiled a short but essential list of steps you can take to ensure that your compressor does not overheat and instead operates efficiently for as long as summer lasts.

Clean Air and Oil Filters

The problem with dirty or clogged up filters is that it can cause a drop in pressure, which means your compressor will have to work harder and this increases the risk of it overheating. It also increases energy consumption which means higher costs.

The performance of your filter can be affected by humidity when temperatures rise, so it is important to carry out regular checks to make sure that everything is working as it should be.

Check ventilation and drains

Making sure your air compressor is receiving adequate ventilation is very important for proper function. This means checking to make sure that the airflow is not restricted by things such as pollen which is very prevalent during the spring months, and if left to gather, can lead to obstruction during the summer months.

The high humidity levels during summer causes more condensate to drain, which means that the drains of your air compressor will be needing to work harder. Therefore, it is important to make sure that the drains are clear so that they can handle this increased flow.

Clean the refrigerator

It is important to make sure that your refrigerator is not clogged or blocked because otherwise moisture will not be effectively removed from the air compressor and this can greatly affect its performance.

A clogged refrigerator means that the flow of compressed air is restricted, this in turn causes an increase in pressure within the system and forces the compressor to work harder to maintain the desired pressure, which can lead to overheating.

Check oil and lubrication levels

Lubrication acts as a coolant, so you want this to be at the right level during the warmer months to prevent additional heat generation as a result of friction between parts. Lubricant also helps dissipate heat that gets generated during the compression process to help with the overall cooling process.

Checking the consistency of the oil is a good way to know if your air compressor is overheating. For instance, if the oil appears thin or watery it means that compressor heat level is too high.

Use genuine components

The success of an air compressor depends on the quality of its individual components, which is why it’s important to make sure that you are only using parts that have been manufactured in accordance with stringent regulations, are reliable and designed to handle changes in pressure, which is more common during the warmer months as we’ve spoken about in this article.

Genuine parts may be costlier upfront, but they are more cost-effective in the long run as you will not need to spend money on frequent repairs or replacements.

You should now feel more confident than ever about how to prevent problems with your air compressor this summer, but if you do have any more questions and want to discuss things further, the Maziak team are always on hand to help. Get in touch today at enquiries@maziak.co.uk or call us on 01933 222000.