Air compressors have a myriad of beneficial applications, beyond the construction industry. While they normally are used to power pneumatic tools in commercial sites, they can also be used for residential tasks.
For instance, air compressors are often used to inflate tires. Similar to other heavy-duty equipment like excavators and bulldozers, air compressors carry a costly investment.
The cost of renting an air compressor will mainly depend on its power output and size. While estimating this cost, you also need to consider the cost of accessories you will be using with the compressor.
Throughout this guide, you will learn the various factors that influence the cost of renting air compressors.
Quick Navigation
Air Compressor Rental Cost & Rates – Detailed Breakdown
How Much Does It Cost to Buy a New Compressor?
Similar to the rental costs, the cost of buying an air compressor varies from one unit to another. The cost of each unit is mainly determined by its make and model, power output, and what runs the compressor.
The smallest of industrial compressors, most of which are rated 5HP are priced at $2,500 to $5,000.
As the power of the compressor increases, so does its cost. As such, you should expect to spend between $3,500 and $7,000 for a 10HP compressor and between $12,000 and $18,000 for a 50HP compressor.
Most 100HP units are priced between $20,000 and $35,000 while 200HP compressors range between $40,000 and $70,000.
Key Cost Factors
As mentioned above, air compressor rental and buying costs vary significantly. This may be attributed to several factors that are known to influence this pricing.
While trying to estimate air compressor cost, these are some of the cost factors you need to consider:
Air Compressor Size
Sizing a rotary screw air compressor to the application is a straightforward process. There are two measurements to consider: cubic feet per minute (CFM) and pounds per square inch (PSI).
As such, you only need to sum up the CFM requirements of any tools you’ll be using simultaneously.
You then need to choose the air compressor that meets that number while delivering the required PSI.
As such, you cannot just go for a less powerful compressor in order to save on the rental cost. The right size air compressor will mainly depend on its intended application.
Basically, the cost of renting or buying a compressor increases with an increase in size and power. However, some of the modern models offer variable PSI and CFM settings.
Such models will be costlier than those with fixed settings but offer more versatility.
Associated Accessories and Components
It is almost impossible to use air compressors without the right set of accessories, such as air storage tanks and horses. There is a lot to consider about hoses when renting and using an air compressor.
To begin with, make sure the hoses are rated for the pressure and temperature of the application. They should also be sized for the flow rate required.
Some of the leading providers are known to offer a range of horse sizes for use with your rented compressor.
In this regard, the provider will charge you an additional rental fee for the horses. Horse rental costs will mainly depend on the size of the horse.
For instance, a 50ft long horse with a diameter of 1” will be charged about $10 per day, $50 per week, and $209 a month.
A 3” diameter horse of the same length will be priced at about $30 daily, $150 weekly, and $600 monthly. Similarly, the pricing of air receiver tanks is priced based on their capacity.
Air Compressor Maintenance Costs
Every piece of machinery requires some form of maintenance from time to time for efficient operation. With a comprehensive maintenance review, you can easily uncover any hidden costs associated with air compressor maintenance.
If you are trying to figure out how much a compressor will cost you, here are some cost factors to consider:
Condensate Removal
Condensate will be formed in both oil-flooded and oil-free air compressors.
With an oil-flooded machine, the oil mixes with the condensate to form a water and oil mixture. This mixture is regulated at the state and local levels.
As such, condensate should be properly disposed of or passed through the right filtration system to filter the oil out.
Both alternatives can be a significant burden on operational expenses, with proper condensate disposal costing upwards of $50,000 per annum.
Air Filter and Water Separator
Although negligible, the cost of replacing air and water filters will affect the rental cost of an air compressor. For most applications, air compressors require a water separator and air filter.
These components are meant to separate and remove any water, air, and oil particles in the compressed air.
If not removed, such particles may end up damaging the equipment that ensues with the compressor or the finish you are working on during sandblasting operations.
If you have a compressor with a filter and condensate remover, be sure to check them every day. Since filters have to be replaced every once in a while, you also need to factor that cost into the overall compressor rental cost.
Consumables
Regardless of the make and model, air compressors rely on consumable products, such as filters, separators, and oil. These need to be replaced on a regular basis, which will eventually impact their maintenance cost.
The number of consumable products varies greatly based on whether the compressor is an oil-flooded or oil-free machine.
In addition to the filtration required to keep the air clean, you also need to factor in the cost of oil. It is recommended to change the oil every 6-12 months, particularly for the oil-lubricated compressors.
To operate one oil-lubricated compressor, you should expect to spend between $3,000 and $6,000 in oil change costs every year.
Oil-free compressors still require oil, but since the oil never goes into the compression process, they only require oil changes every 2-3 years.
Depending on the operating location, you may also incur oil disposal fees for properly removing oil from the site.
Source of Power
Most of the air compressors discusses above run on diesel. There are other models that are designed to run on electricity as well.
As opposed to diesel-driven models, electric air compressors are sized based on their horsepower. The pricing of the latter is somewhat different from that of the diesel-driven air compressors.
For a 50HP reciprocating air compressor, you should expect to pay about $50 daily, $200 weekly, or $800 monthly.
The more powerful 400HP rotary screw electronic air compressor will cost you about $1,000 daily, $4,000 weekly, or up to $16,000 per month.
Ready to Rent or Buy an Air Compressor?
Just as is the case with other construction equipment, the cost of air compressors varies from one model to another.
Whether you are buying or renting, the cost will depend on the size, power, and associated accessories of your preferred model.
With this guide, you should have an easy time estimating daily, monthly, and even weekly air compressor rental rates.
