Even if you’ve never used an air compressor yourself, you’ve likely reaped their benefits in your everyday life. They’re used to utilize air in specialized ways, such as cooling down engines in vehicles or providing power to pneumatic tools, like a nail framing gun. Air compressors are a lot like power generators – only instead of providing electricity, they provide pressurized air.

But what kind of tasks can you accomplish with an air compressor? Whether you’re a professional contractor or a DIY hobbyist, you’ll find many uses for air compressors. Below are some of their most common applications.

Cleaning Other Equipment and Small Spaces

Air compressors come in different shapes and sizes, with different types rented/sold at industrial and consumer levels. What they all have in common is featuring at least one canister of compressed air. Various attachments are available for users to utilize the pressurized air in a variety of ways.

One such use is for cleaning equipment and tight spaces. With the addition of a simple hose attachment, you can clean hard-to-reach areas, fine nooks and crannies, or even sharp blades without the risk of harming yourself. A flexible hose makes air compressors ideal for cleaning up a dusty workshop.

Cleaning with an air compressor has some limitations. It’s not effective for liquids or spills, and you shouldn’t use it on protective equipment like goggles or aprons. However, you can use pressurized air to move liquids across a surface. It’s handy to have when there are indoor floods or leaks.

Power Washing

Whether you need to clear a pathway or the side of a building, you don’t need to rent a power washer when you have an air compressor at hand. The pressurized air is excellent at blasting away dirt, grime, and debris. 

A variety of attachments allow you to widen or concentrate the targeted area for less or more strength. Depending on what needs to be 

Painting

Airbrushing is a form of painting that utilizes a special paint gun attachment and an air compressor. Airbrushing is unique in that you can control the spray’s width, from wide to narrow, delivering a uniform coat faster than manual brushing. The way the spray distributes paint prevents notable drips and spots. 

Farmers can make great use of airbrushing to paint fences, large structures like barns and silos, and even vehicles. The ability to quickly get such massive jobs done fast is key to maintaining operations.

Airbrushing can also be used to apply a finish to wood and metal surfaces. Weatherproofing structures and vehicles helps protect your investment and extend their lifespans. 

Spraying Agriculture

Much like painting, spraying, and spreading fungicide, fertilizer, and pesticide makes managing gardens, lawns, and farms that much easier. However, the key difference is size: while painting a structure will take some movement to complete, covering large land sections, be it crops or trees, will require more. It usually requires a larger model air compressor as well.

Farmers often treat large acreages of land by loading the air compressor on the back of a truck. One person drives, another will spray. The pressure behind the compressed air can propel chemicals farther and, in the case of trees, higher. 

Inflating Tires

The one place you’ve likely seen an air compressor is at a mechanic’s garage. No other tool can safely and adequately inflate a tire, and thus compressors are a must-have. Most of us probably don’t think much about it, though, since there’s seemingly no need to own one yourself if a garage is nearby. 

But what if you don’t live near a garage? Or you need to refill the tires on larger equipment, like tractors or trailers? Having an air compressor of your own ensures that the problem gets resolved quickly, but it also saves you money. Why pay someone else extra to bring the same equipment out to you when you can do the job yourself. 

Providing Strength to Power Tools

Earlier, we mentioned pneumatic tools, which are tools powered by pressurized air rather than electricity. Contractors and construction crews favor them because they’re generally safer than their electric counterparts, provide more strength, and are usually less expensive. Hobbyists and DIY enthusiasts favor tools like the air compressor jackhammer for the same reasons. 

Using pneumatic tools for your construction project has another advantage, too. An air compressor rental can be used to power multiple tools throughout a project. Since air compressors power pneumatic tools, you don’t have to worry about securing a power generator rental or connecting your tools to other power sources.

Elephant Rental Can Lend A Hand

Whether you need scaffolds, power tools, lawnmowers, or anything in between, Elephant Construction Solutions can help you complete your next project. We provide the Rio Grande Valley with the best construction equipment for rent, including oil-free air compressor rental, air tool rental, generator rental, and more. Visit us today to get your free quote for any machinery your site may need. Whether it’s as simple as a lawnmower, as important as scaffolding, or as small as a nail gun, we have the tools you need to successfully finish your next project and stay under budget while doing it.