Air Leaks 101

Compressed air leaks are a major source of wasted energy in facilities. These leaks can result in a whopping wastage rate of 20% to 30%.

In order to successfully deal with a problem, you need to understand it. That’s why we’re providing you with an overview of all things air leaks—including where and how to find them & what’ll happen if you don’t repair them.

Where do air leaks happen?

Air leaks occur almost anywhere in your air compressor system. However, some areas are more likely to experience leakage such as:

- Air hoses and connections

- Shut-off and control valves

- Worn out seals, gaskets and disconnects

- Thread sealants that haven’t been properly applied

- Pneumatic equipment that’s been poorly maintained

- Filters

- Leaking drains

- Open condensate traps

What happens when an air leak is not repaired?

Unrepaired air leaks can have massive effects on your business. The actual wastage that occurs is just one of the problems caused by not repairing leaks. Many other issues can arise due to this, such as:

- Increased maintenance costs

- Increased downtime

- Decreased productivity

- Decreased equipment longevity

How to detect air leaks

Typically, detecting air leaks can be done one of two ways.

The most efficient way of detecting air leaks is through an Ultrasonic Leak Detector. These compact devices can be used in production time. Ultrasonic leak detectors can detect high-frequency noises, like that of an air leak, by utilizing microphones, amplifiers, audio filters and a type of audio or visual indicator to alert the operator of a leak. Tag these locations as you identify leaks and report them.

Another way to detect an air leak is by simply inspecting air systems when they’re not in use and listening out for any leaks that noticeably produce noise. However, this approach isn’t always recommended because facilities, especially those with running air compressors, are notoriously noisy even when not running at full capacity. On top of this, smaller leaks can’t be heard by the human ear and sometimes you can’t physically access pipes or other components.

Later, Leaks!

Unfortunately, when you’re dealing with air compressors, you’ll inevitably encounter air leaks.

Fortunately, you don’t have to deal with air leaks alone.

CDA Systems has earned its reputation as an industry leader, delivering the highest quality equipment with unmatched customer satisfaction. Book a site visit from us so we can help you: 925.667.3400/sales@cdasystems.com