What Is An Air Compressor Used For?

The best use of an air compressor depends on where it is placed and what you need it for when you purchase it. As a homeowner and handyman, you might find an air compressor on your property is useful in multiple situations that come up over the course of daily life. From inflating children pool toys and inflatables for camping to using pneumatic tools on your DIY projects and home renovations, there are many ways to use this important piece of equipment to get things done quickly. When used on a construction site to power pneumatic tools and fill flat tires, the air compressor can be a critical tool used to get the work done on time and keep the project from going over budget. 

Commercial Uses for Air Compressors 

Among the many specialized tools and large pieces of equipment on the average construction site, you’re also likely to find an air compressor. The use of air compressors in construction helps power some of the most useful tools found on any construction site. By using these tools, construction crews are able to work efficiently, taking less time to complete a project than when manual tools are used. Some air compressors even come with wheels to make it easy to position it wherever on the construction site it is most needed on that particular day. 

What Kind of Tools Use an Air Compressor?

The best use of an air compressor on a construction site is to power the tools. Each tool has a different ideal PSI level which the compressor can be set to in order to make sure the airflow is right. The air compressor also has a hose, which is attached to it at one end. The other end is attached to the tool you want to use. Once this hose is attached, the tool is ready for use.  

Some of the most popular tools that can be powered by the use of an air compressor can include:

• Jackhammers: Used in the demolition process to drill into hard surfaces and break them apart instead of using manually powered sledgehammers. This makes demolition go must faster. 
• Pneumatic drills: These high-powered drills boast more torque than battery operated ones and eliminate the need for recharging or replacing the batteries. This allows for tighter screws that create a strong bond which lasts longer. 
• Nail guns: Pressurized air helps the gun place nails precisely where they need to go and ensure they stay in place, taking away the need for hammering by hand, which can lead to wrist fatigue.
• Sanders and Grinders: Used to replace and smooth commercial flooring surfaces quickly. When a commercial flooring surface is removed from a building, there can be flooring remnants and industrial adhesive left behind. Getting rid of these surfaces is an important part of the process of putting a new floor in. 

Emergency Uses of an Air Compressor

The compressor can also help when unexpected situations arise to keep work from grinding to a halt completely, wasting time and resources. If needed, the best use of an air compressor can be to quickly fill tires and tools that need more air to work properly.  The air compressor can also be used to fill tires on construction vehicles that are going flat due to rolling over a sharp piece of debris or a discarded nail. The pressurized air can quickly fill tires or hydraulic equipment growing low on air pressure.

There are a variety of sizes and types of air compressor that you can choose from when you go shopping, depending on your needs and how much use it's going to get. You can choose from an electric, gas, or diesel powered model based on what works best for your construction site setup and budget, and pick a stationary one or one with wheels. If you want to try renting an air compressor before buying one outright to see if your team really uses it on a daily basis, IER has a range of high quality air compressors for you to choose from, all available at some of the most affordable prices on the market. Visit our website to find out more.

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