How to Know When Your Industrial Air Compressor Needs Servicing

Even the sturdiest of equipment requires servicing, whether it’s routinely by law and regulation, when outside forces cause damage, or when the ravages of use slowly build up over time.

Knowing the telltale signs of wear and tear, understanding your product’s specifications and usability guidelines, and knowing when it’s prudent to call in repairs are skills that could save you a lot of time, effort, and money in the long term.

Service early

Ultimately, it’s always going to be a better idea to call in a service than it is to call in for repairs, especially for often core pieces of machinery such as air compressors that serve a multitude of applications.

By servicing early, you’re going to be gaining a lot of benefits over leaving a piece of machinery out until it breaks, or until it’s necessitated servicing time occurs.

Firstly, by calling in service when you spot signs rather than when you need it immediately, you’ll be able to tailor the timeline of repairs to suit you. Repair during times when you’ll need the equipment, rather than during times of high use, to maximise efficiency and lower possible downtime.

Secondly, you prevent the risk of total plant shutdown while you wait for core machinery to be repaired. A critical machine going offline can be a disastrous occurrence, especially during high workloads or in industries with strict, competitive deadlines to beat.

Thirdly, air compressors in particular work off efficiency. While a air compressor may be ‘working’ effectively, leaks and other routine maintenance-fixable things can use up 20-30% of your air flow, with an average of 19% across all tested. Over the first ten years of use, an air compressor’s initial capital cost and maintenance cost make up 18% and 7% of total expenditure, while energy accounts for a gigantic 73%.

By servicing early, you’ll cut down leaks that can reach as high as 40-50% loss, and reduce your overall expenditure down significantly. The better maintained, the larger reduction (for 7% average costs) you’ll get your leakage (0.2-0.3 of 72% energy costs).

Knowing the signs

First - Check your manuals

Firstly, it’s important to understand your air compressor. Check how long it recommends before servicing, as most petroleum-based compressors need changing every 500 hours or so, and synthetics around 2,000.

Alongside this, check your console regularly to see if any errors or issues pop up. This might sound simple, but it’s amazing how often such simple issues are overlooked.

It won’t matter how telltale the signs are if you don’t know the equipment you’re dealing with, or aren’t even checking your basic inbuilt warning signs often.

Excess moisture

Whenever an air compressor is running, it accumulates moisture that must be in some way reduced. If your compressor is producing excess condensation, it may be experiencing a fault in the automatic drain system.

Loud noises

Our compressors come with a sealed, in-built noise reduction chamber. If your compressor is beginning to make either:

Then you may either have a broken component rattling around, or a fault in the motor.

Frequent tripping breakers

Equipment tripping breakers can signify a multitude of things. Your first response should be to immediately check the electrical circuit powering the compressor, but if there’s no fault there and the system continues to trip breakers or blow fuses, you should have a serviceman or woman come immediately.

High loss of pressure, or low overall air pressure

If your compressor is reporting no air pressure, you more than likely have a reporting problem (unless you truly do have zero). Simply having low air pressure is a mark of either reporting issues, wear and tear on internal or external parts, or sometimes a simple technical issue.

Sometimes this can be easily fixed, but if there is no significant and easy to spot issue at hand, you’ll be racking up a huge amounts of losses in energy costs to keep it running without one.

On/off unresponsive

If you can’t get the air compressor working in the first place, odds are you’re not going to be able to get a good read on what’s wrong with it. The first thing to do is check the circuit and any obvious things, but again: if it’s not obvious, it might be time for a repair job.



Call an expert

If you’re experiencing any of these signs with your industrial air compressor, or just want to make sure that you're able to get the most efficient air compression possible, get in touch with us.

Who we are and how Ash Air can help your business!

Ash Air has been around in New Zealand since 1979, and we’ve grown into a nationwide company with international support and a reputation for quality and reliability.We look after all things compressed air for your business!

  • Reciprocating, Screw, air compressors
  • Vacuum pumps
  • Nitrogen
  • An extensive line of air treatment components

Ash Air's range of Chicago Pneumatic, Alup, Pneumatech, and Quincy compressors are used extensively around the world in industries ranging from oil and gas to food, automotive and farming, and we bring you these world class compressors here in the land of the long white cloud.Our technicians are compressed air equipment experts and are dedicated to addressing customer needs. Supported by a 13 locations nationwide, Ash Air offers one of the widest selections of compressed air equipment and parts available today in New Zealand.

Reliability and Efficiency

With Ash Air compressors, you can count on reliability and high performance for even the most demanding applications. We focus our efforts on the following:

  • Increasing uptime
  • Reducing unexpected repairs
  • Reducing energy consumption
  • Improving the cleanliness of compressed air


Read more from our #expertcorner

Talk to the team today:  CONTACT US CONTACT US


Air compressor leaks can be a substantial source of wasted energy in any system, sometimes wasting 20-30% of a compressor's production. Worst of all, a poorly maintained compressor can have a leak rate expected to equal 20% of total compressed air... …


Choosing the right compressor is essential to your long-term satisfaction and maybe, to the profitability of your business. Many times compressors are based on a single factor alone, such as horsepower or tank size, which is only part of the story. …


In oil injected screw compressors, there is a thin layer of oil found between the rotors to create a seal and maintain proper efficiency as the compression occurs. The unfortunate side effect of this solution is that oil may carry over to the point of use in your air system. This can be mitigated by having correct filtration in place to remove the oil contaminants in your air. Additionally, many individuals may decide to opt for a completely oil-free solution, with the use of a scroll compressor or water injected screw compressor. …


Most businesses concentrate on the air compressor and consider the piping as a secondary concern. The piping system can make or break your business. Faulty, inefficient piping can cause pressure loss and lost power. Keeping a close eye on the overall layout, installations and maintenance of your air piping system will help keep your business running at its’ optimal efficiency. …


Our #1 Focus is Customer Service! Whether you have questions about which compressor is right for you, or if you’re ready to improve your operations and start saving on expenses. Ash Air has been around for over 40 years because we offer reliable and hardworking air compressors, vacuum pumps, and services as well as expert advice and support. …


An oil analysis can prevent problems later down the road. It's often been referred to as the blood test for your compressor. Just like a blood test can tell you about your health and early alerts to impending problems, an analysis can do the same for your compressor. …




Did you know that pressure drops and leaks are the two largest areas of energy loss on your air compressors? It’s easy to understand why a leaking pipe or fitting creates energy loss. Pressure drops are not quite as noticeable, since you cannot hear ... …


Whenever anything doesn't work properly, it's frustrating and we get it. If this is your first time experiencing troubles with your dryer, you're probably unsure where to even start. Getting your dryer repaired and back up and working is critical to ... …


Screw compressors are helpful for an enormous range of applications such as air filling, packaging, tools, HVAC control, and more! One possible drawback is the amount of electricity they use; air compressors can be a huge drain on energy if used ​ine... …



Most air compressors require constant oil lubrication to prevent friction on the pistons or screws and other moving parts. To make sure your air compressor is running efficiently, it is important to check your oil level regularly and to know how much... …


Have you heard of the term "Total Air Solutions"? A total air solution means everything that goes with the compressor for your business’s air system. 90% of companies require more than just an air compressor.  …


When speaking of air compressors, compressed air treatment is a process that dehumidifies and cleans air before entering the compressor. Most commonly, this process involves air filters and an air dryer. …


Air compressors are used in many different applications and provide essential compressed air to many businesses and individuals with different air needs. No matter what your CFM, PSI and HP requirements are, the electronic controller on your air compressor is the motherboard for keeping your unit running as efficiently as possible. It is your eyes into your machine. …


Air compressors are helpful for an enormous range of applications such as air filling, packaging, tools, HVAC control, and more! One possible drawback is the amount of electricity they use; air compressors can be a huge drain on energy if used ​inefficiently​. If you are running them too long, allowing leaks to exist, or using the wrong type of compressor, you are wasting ​energy and money​. This article will go over some of the biggest power-wasters and how to
stop/prevent them! …



In the following guide, we want to try to answer some of the questions you may have been asking yourself in regards to screw air compressors. If you do not find the answer you are looking for, please get in touch with us. …


Compressed air is a key utility supporting the food packaging and food processing industries. It is used in machines that fill products such as cakes, pies, and liquid products, as well as during the packaging and transportation of snacks, vegetables, beer, soda and other items.. Compressed air must be moisture and contaminant-free to ensure the protection of the food products processed in each facility.  …


Minimizing the risk of accidents in the workplace is a top priority in industry, and it is especially important when working with pneumatic power tools. Ensuring that all safety precautions have been taken to protect the health and wellbeing of operators is vital. With this in mind, here are seven simple steps to reduce the risk of accidents and improve operator safety …


Regardless of the type of compressor you have, vibration issues can be troubling for any business. The root of the vibration can stem from multiple sources, some internally and others externally. Understanding the cause of the vibration and how to resolve them will be critical in keeping your compressor in proper working order. …


Air compressors are essential to your business, but they can also become a safety hazard when used improperly. Reading your owner’s manual and following all proper safety precautions before use is vital in keeping your compressor in great, working condition. …


Corrosion in the pipeline is due to insufficient condensation drainage that occurs during compression. The resulting condensate, together with the compressed air, flow further into the compressed air line network and has a negative effect on the pipes. Find out more about how you can prevent corrosion here. …


FRLs – Filters, Regulators and Lubricators – guarantee the efficiency and durability of pneumatic tools. Including an FRL in your air system is vital to running an efficient air line set-up and key to achieving a good return on investment. Read more here! …


Check out this blog and video included to help you know what you should be looking for when you're thinking about purchasing a Chicago Pneumatic Rotary Screw Compressor for your shop or application. If you want to learn about what a screw compressor actually is, check out this article   …


There are 3 simple steps to make sure your air line installation is providing the right pressure and that your accessories selection is correct, so you can ultimately work productively. It does not take long and it is something you can easily do yourself using our self-diagnostic checklist.  …


Okay, okay, we're a bit excited. With the recent launch of our air tools in our online shop. Here's a 101 for you about what air tools you might need in your air compressor tool kit. Air tools are prevalent in automotive industries, woodworking, construction, metalwork and more. Did you know that there's pretty much an air-powered version nearly any power tool on the market? We want to share with you our 'Must have Air Tools'. …


When you are thinking about an air compressor, you might be have the image of the super popular piston or reciprocating compressor in your mind. The compressor that you see in home workshops, automotive garages pumping up tyres and assisting in spray painting cars. …


As a follow on to our Why You Should Not Use PVC Piping for Your Compressed Air System blog, we share with you what piping you shouldbe using to get the most out of your compressed air system. Here at Ash Air we have the perfect solution if you're wanting to match your great compressor with a fast, easy and reliable piping solution that supports the operational excellence of your whole compressed air system.  …


An air compressor is a big purchase for any business. It is visibly important to properly maintain the air compressor and filter elements to protect that investment. Air intake filters are installed in an air compressor to remove any dust or debris the compress may suck in. Dust will cause wear to the compressor element, valves, filters, compressor oil and any moving parts. …


So you have a vacuum pump installed and you rely on it for your business operations and performance? Here are some reasons why you should consider overhauling your vacuum pump! s with all machinery and compressed air equipment, regular maintenance can help ensure optimised safer performance of your vacuum pump. Learn more about benefits of restoring, rebuilding and repairing your vacuum pump. …


Air compressors are used every day, by many industries around the world. They are often considered the heart of a business, in that most companies will rely on their performance and efficiency to run their operations, to get work done effectively and safely. In your day to day, you've probably seen air compressors in use - whether at a build site powering construction equipment or in a mechanics workshop inflating tyres. …


A scroll air compressor, or spiral compressor, compresses air by drawing it it, trapping it, reducing the volume and discharging it at the outlet port. The scroll compressor that you see today, such as SpiralAIR, have been the result of modernised advancements in manufacturing technology, even thought the concept of a scroll compressor has been around for over 100 years.The scroll compressor is oil-free orbiting, or positive displacement compressor. The compressor has a stator spiral fixed in a housing, and a motor driven eccentric orbiting spiral.  …

Show More

Quick Links
Get in touch

0800 808 486

  help@ashair.co.nz

  Nationwide coverage, all regions



Keep up to date with news, promotions and more

Full URL


© 2026 Ash Air • Website design by Fuel