Practical guides from the field — sizing, comparisons, energy math, common failures. Written by the technicians who service these systems every day.
Rotary screw compressors run continuously, piston compressors don't. That's the simple answer. The longer answer involves duty cycle, noise, maintenance burden, and what happens to your tools when air quality degrades.
Most compressors are oversized. The result: short cycling, premature wear, and operating costs higher than they need to be. Here's the field-tested method we use to size systems correctly.
The cheapest piping material isn't usually the cheapest installed system. Here's how aluminum, galvanized steel, and black iron actually compare once you factor install time, corrosion, and the leak rate they'll have in five years.
VSD compressor manufacturers love their 35% energy-savings claim. The math is real — sometimes. Here's the demand profile that actually unlocks the savings, and the demand profile where VSD is no better than fixed-speed.
Compressors are heat engines. They run hot to start with, and the first 90°F day every summer reminds shops that ventilation matters. Here's what's actually happening when your compressor trips in July, and how to keep it running.
Most shops need a refrigerated dryer. A small minority need desiccant. The wrong choice either wastes money on capability you don't use or leaves moisture in lines that ruins downstream equipment.
Send it over. If it's a good one, we'll write the article and answer it for you first.