Compressor Rooms... Clean them and they will come

So what do you do when you get a rust primed receiver tank and you can’t decide between “compressed air blue” and “safety yellow”? An IAC Air Compression customer decided to bring a little fun into his room. Who says compressor rooms can’t be fun?

Compressor rooms are not typically the cleanest rooms in the facility, nor appealing to your eyes, nose and ears. Walking through them can sometimes be an obstacle course of low hanging pipes, water puddles with the layer of dirty oil, rust, dust and grime. A place where you say to yourself, “There is no way this will never wash off” and “why didn’t I bring in my hard hat?”.

Environments that discourage walkthroughs will get just that, a lack of attention. If maintenance personnel do not want to go into to the room, they will spend as little time as possible there, even if there is a known problem. Why take pride in a room that the company does not take pride in?

Facilities that take pride in their utility rooms go as far as regularly cleaned and even epoxied floors, painted walls and colored piping designating cooling water from gas lines, compressed air from vacuum, and fire systems from potable water. Equipment is wiped down and cleaned, water on the floor is immediately cleaned up and issues such as failed drains are a priority because nobody wants a mess. Lighting is improved and ventilation sets an environment that is favorable to work in.

So what am I trying to say?

Compressor rooms that are good working environments will get more attention, resulting in a much better chance of finding energy saving opportunities. Air leaks are easily identified because they make a mess. Failed drains will get noticed. Issues with equipment, such as controls, will be recognized by someone who is familiar with the “normal” sounds in the compressor room. Keep them clean, safe and lighted, and you will save money in the long run.

If you have questions about your system, feel free to contact your IAC Air Compression Area Manager or Service Team Member. 877-IACSERV, www.iacserv.com, [email protected].