Why Do You Need a Compressed Air Audit?

Compressed air systems are integral to the day-to-day running of countless businesses in numerous industries. However, like all other industrial equipment, air compressors sustain wear and tear over time, losing efficiency. But it is not just time that can take its toll on your vital tools and equipment.

As businesses grow, their compressed air needs often change. While your system might have been perfectly calibrated until a few years ago, it may no longer be running optimally if your requirements have changed. For example, you might have plugged new tools and equipment into your system without tweaking its settings and calibration for optimum efficiency.

Moreover, tiny inconsistencies in air pressure may now go unnoticed, but the extra electricity required to achieve the air pressure you desire could add up to a small fortune over the space of several months or years.

Fortunately, by hiring our experts for a compressed air audit, you can maximise the lifespan of your equipment while shaving a few zeros off your annual energy bill. You can also do your part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, remain compliant with ever-changing regulations, improve workplace productivity, and much more. When it comes down to it, a compressed air audit will likely pay for itself in no time.

Below, we discuss the details of compressed air audits, including why you need them, what they involve, their key benefits, and how to prepare for your audit. If you need specific advice, do not hesitate to call us.

Understanding Compressed Air Audits

Compressed air is crucial in various industrial environments, whether packaging food items, powering heavy machinery, processing chemicals, or simply inflating tyres. Even though ambient air is free, producing compressed air can cost an arm and a leg, particularly if your systems are inefficient or faulty.

It is common for air compressors to become wasteful through time or improper usage. Air leaks within the system, infrequent operations, air quality issues, and flow rate inconsistencies can all lead to wasted energy and unnecessarily high running costs. When problems go unnoticed, many people raise the air pressure setting to achieve the required pressure, leading to even more wastage and wear and tear.

A compressed air audit enables you to identify and fix these problems and inconsistencies, which could dramatically reduce your operating costs. In fact, some businesses see up to 50% savings by repairing the issues identified by one of our compressed air audits.

Key Benefits of Conducting a Compressed Air Audit

A compressed air assessment can be a huge benefit to just about any business. Here are just some of the key advantages of a professional audit:

Increased Energy Efficiency

An audit can identify ways to improve the efficiency of your air compressor and find issues that may be causing your system to waste energy.

Reduced Business Downtime

Many workplaces rely on their air compressors for a wide array of daily tasks. If your compressor has an issue, you may not be able to do your job – any amount of downtime can cause serious harm to your business. Call us for an audit, and we will catch small issues before they become costly problems.

Reduced Operating Costs

Increasing your system’s efficiency can translate into significant savings on your operating costs. As mentioned above, some businesses reduce their total energy expenditure by up to 50% following an audit.

Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Keeping your systems in full working order can significantly reduce your C02 emissions, helping you do your part for the environment.

UK Standards Compliance

Trust us to carry out your audit. You can feel confident that you will always remain compliant with ever-changing quality, safety and efficiency regulations.

Why Do You Need a Compressed Air Audit

Common Issues Identified During Audits

Some of the most common issues found during a compressed air audit include:

Air Leaks

Air leaks in an air compressor can account for up to 50% of the system’s energy loss. They are often caused by poor maintenance, improperly installed connections, and general wear and tear.

Inappropriate Pressure Settings

If your air compressor’s usage has changed, you might no longer have the air pressure settings appropriately optimised, which can lead to premature wear and tear and high energy bills.

Incorrectly Sized Equipment

If you are using dryers, filters, or compressors that are not the correct size for your system’s demand, you may be spending much more than necessary on energy.

Contamination and Moisture Issues

Inadequate drying processes and poor air filtration can lead to contaminants like water, oil, and particles infiltrating the system and damaging your equipment.

The Audit Process – What to Expect

Our experts will thoroughly audit your compressed air systems by first getting to know your workplace’s layout, your equipment’s setup, and your current operational challenges. We will then use sophisticated diagnostics equipment to monitor your airflow rates, pressure levels, and energy usage over a set period. After identifying issues and inefficiencies, we will provide detailed reports with recommended corrective actions and projected savings. The level of audit you require largely depends on the size of your system and needs, but you can rest assured that we will leave no stone unturned.

How to Prepare for a Compressed Air Audit

Depending on your unique situation, we will let you know exactly what we need to perform your audit as efficiently and effectively as possible. However, it will be a great help if you can provide us with documentation such as your system manuals, maintenance logs, and energy usage data. You can also help speed things up by ensuring we can easily access all your equipment, including the piping, end-use points, and compressors.

Book Your Compressed Air Audit Today

At Seach Air, we have been at the forefront of the compressed air industry for over 75 years. We have also been a premier distributor for Atlas Copco since 2001 – and we were named Atlas Copco Compressor’s Distributor of the Year in 2022. If you want a team of highly experienced experts with a proven track record to perform your compressed air audit, you have come to the right place. So, contact us today to book an audit at a time that works with your busy schedule.