For many businesses, summer brings vacations, holiday weekends, and summer maintenance shutdowns. While you’re checking and maintaining your other equipment, why not also give your dust collector a summer shutdown checkup?
In the lovely winters of western Pennsylvania where we’re located, nobody wants to be outside changing filters in the freezing rain. So, if your location has winters like ours, consider doing your dust collector maintenance during a summer shutdown.
The biggest advantage of doing your maintenance in the summer is that, well, it’s summer. Plus, many companies have downtime over the July 4th holiday and do all their shutdown work then. However you do it, plan ahead so you’re not doing it in the snow.
MAKING A PLAN FOR SUMMER FILTER CHANGEOUTS
With cold weather hanging on for what seems like an eternity, summer might seem like a distant daydream. But it’s going to happen faster than we think, so now is a good time to start planning.
You certainly don’t want to reach your shutdown time and find out that you need new filters. If you’re ordering filters for your Imperial Systems dust collector, we usually (but not always) have them in stock. Otherwise, some filters have a lead time of several weeks.
We never want to have a customer frustrated because their filters won’t arrive in time for their July 4th shutdown. Therefore, we will help you get your order ahead of time so you have them in stock when changeout time comes.
OTHER SUMMER SHUTDOWN CHECKUPS
It’s the right time of year to check your differential pressure gauge if you haven’t checked it lately. If the differential pressure gauge is reading close to 5”, it’s time to order replacement filters.
Inspect the diaphragm valves for damage or leaks. We can assist you with replacement kits. But ordering them before you actually need them will make sure you’ve got them on hand.
There’s also a small filter called the gauge or intake filter. This should be replaced every time the cartridge filters get replaced. But if you’re not sure where to find this on your equipment, contact us and we’ll help you.
Another neglected part, the airlock needs a little care as well. To meet NFPA standards, airlock wipers need to maintain a seal as they rotate. Some people change their airlock wipers each year, which we recommend. Meanwhile, some people have NEVER changed their airlock wipers. They just don’t know that they need to be changed. If it’s been a while since you took a look at those wipers, check to make sure they aren’t worn or damaged.
If you’re going to replace your airlock wipers, we recommend that you buy a set of bearings at the same time. Regardless of how careful you are, these bearings often break while you’re changing the wipers. So, make sure you don’t get caught with brand new wipers and broken bearings. In short, add them to your plan.
YOUR TIME MATTERS
You probably don’t have much time to shut down your dust collector for maintenance during most of the year. After all, that might mean shutting down some major parts of production. Many companies have a shutdown in the summer. Therefore, now’s a good time for you to get ready and order those parts as soon as you can.
If you need help inspecting or figuring out what you need, we’re here for you. Schedule a visit from our ServiceMAXX team or check out our Dust Collector Maintenance Checklist. Our ServiceMAXX team can also help you with your summer maintenance projects. But call now, because they’ll be booked fast!
AFTERMARKET FILTERS
Ready to start preparing for summer shutdown? Fill out the form below to receive a filter quote from our aftermarket team.
