Q: Should I fix my compressor or get a new one?
A: Understand your options.
If your daily business operations depend heavily on having compressed air, this question is extremely important. Should you repair your broken compressor or get a new one?
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The biggest consideration that comes to mind is cost; the immediate cost vs. the long-term sunk cost of repairing. Besides paying for the new machine or the expense to repair, make sure you take into consideration the energy efficiency of your air compressor. Newer machines usually offer more efficiency, which will help lower your electricity bills.
When to Repair your Air Compressor:
Everyone fears repairing their compressor and then having another issue arise a week later. Here are a few situations in which your best choice may be to repair your compressor.
- The compressor is routinely reliable and the repair is not symptomatic of a larger problem.
- The compressor is still covered by the factory warranty.
- The compressor is fairly new with minimal operation hours logged.
- The compressor can be repaired in a timely manner with easily accessible parts.
When to Replace your Air Compressor:
- The compressor is an old machine with obsolete parts or difficult to access parts.
- The compressor is down and not energy efficient. The payoff of saving energy would make up for the cost of a new compressor.
- When the compressor repairs outweigh 50 percent or more of the cost of a replacement unit.
- Your old compressor may be too small for your company’s current needs, so replacing it with a larger unit could be an ideal opportunity.
Information provided by Chicago Pneumatics
