Air Compressor Servicing & Maintenance

Most rotary screw compressors need servicing every 2,000 running hours, or at minimum once per year. Oil separator elements typically last 4,000 to 8,000 hours depending on operating temperature and oil quality. Reciprocating compressors may need valve plate inspection at 2,000 to 4,000 hours. Scroll compressors have longer intervals (up to 5,000 hours) but tip seal wear needs monitoring. Environmental factors shorten intervals: dusty environments, high ambient temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius, high humidity, and frequent start/stop cycling all increase wear. Running hours matter more than calendar time for machines on heavy duty. We set service intervals based on manufacturer recommendations and actual operating conditions at each site, not a generic calendar schedule.

Three guarantees as standard. On Time Service Guarantee: we attend on the scheduled date or you receive a service credit. Paperwork and Reminder Guarantee: digital job sheets within 48 hours of every visit and automated reminders before every due date. First Cycle Easy Exit: if the service does not meet the agreed standard in the first billing cycle, you can exit the plan with no penalty.

Yes. We service every major compressed air brand including CompAir, Hydrovane, Atlas Copco, Boge, Kaeser, and others. As authorised distributors for CompAir and Hydrovane, we carry genuine OEM parts for those brands. For other brands, we use approved parts that meet the original specification. No forced brand changes.

Manufacturers and processors who rely on compressed air daily. Sites with mixed compressor brands and ages. Businesses moving from reactive callouts to planned maintenance. National operations that want one contract, one standard, and one report covering every site. Minimum unit size 5.5 kW. A typical Uptime Protection client runs 5 to 30 sites with a mix of compressor brands and ages, and an annual compressed air spend above £10,000. If you are currently managing separate service contracts at each site with different providers, different standards, and different paperwork, this replaces all of that with one contract and one report.

A full PPM visit covers 11 checks as standard: oil change, air filter element, oil filter element, oil separator element at manufacturer intervals (typically every 4,000 to 8,000 hours), drive belt inspection and tensioning, oil cooler and aftercooler cleaning, condensate drain test and trap cleaning, intake valve and minimum pressure valve inspection, motor current and bearing temperature checks, control panel fault log download, and an air receiver internal condition check where accessible. You receive a digital service report with photographs within 48 hours of every visit.

Yes. Rotary screw compressors make up the majority of the machines we maintain, from 5.5 kW workshop units to multi-compressor plant rooms above 250 kW. Screw compressor servicing covers oil, filter, and separator changes, airend condition monitoring via motor current and bearing temperature, and fault log review on fixed speed and VSD machines. Where a screw compressor needs repair between services, contract customers get priority breakdown scheduling with sub 24 hour average response. We are authorised distributors for CompAir and Hydrovane and service Atlas Copco, Kaeser, Boge, ABAC, Champion, and all other major brands.

The costs stack up in four places. Energy: a poorly maintained compressor uses up to 15% more electricity, and on a 22 kW machine running a single shift that is roughly £900 per year at 25p per kWh. Breakdowns: reactive callouts cost two to three times a planned visit, plus downtime while you wait. Compliance: PSSR examinations rely on maintenance records, and gaps in the service history are the first thing an inspector or insurer asks about. Lifespan: separator blockages and degraded oil shorten airend life, turning a £300 service item into a £5,000+ overhaul. On one national contract, moving from reactive cover to planned maintenance cut repeat faults by 43% in the first year.

All of the UK. Engineers are based from our Nuneaton headquarters and cover the Midlands daily, with scheduled routes covering London and the South East, Yorkshire, the North West, the East of England, and Scotland. Multi-site contracts get one contract, one standard, and one report across every site regardless of location: DPD's five Midlands hubs and a national warehouse estate run on exactly that model.

No, and the difference matters. Servicing is planned maintenance that keeps the machine efficient and reliable. A PSSR examination is a statutory inspection of your pressure system, carried out under a written scheme of examination by a competent person, required by the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000. You need both: the examination checks the system is safe, the servicing keeps it that way, and examiners rely on your maintenance records. We coordinate PSSR due dates alongside your service schedule so neither gets missed. We advise sensibly on compliance, we do not provide legal advice.

Pricing is per compressor per year, based on machine size, duty, and your chosen service interval. Billing runs on a 4 weekly cycle (13 cycles per year) so costs are spread evenly and predictable. We quote a fixed price after the site assessment. No hourly rates, no variable charges for standard PPM visits. As a guide, a standard PPM plan for a single 22 kW rotary screw compressor serviced twice per year typically costs between £800 and £1,200 per year depending on service interval and parts specification. Multi-site contracts benefit from volume pricing across the estate.