How Do I Maintain my Paint Booth to Extend Usability?
Even after ten years or more of steady use, our Acccudraft Paint Booths are built to last. However with proper maintenance and strategic upgrades, you can make your paint booth last even longer adding up to big savings over the life of your equipment.
Regular Maintenance Extends the Life of Your Paint Booth
How many paint booth operators know that they could use an upgrade of their air makeup unit or need to add touchpad controls but hesitate to spend the money? Frankly, even when an Accudraft paint booth needs an upgrade it still does an outstanding job.
But why invest in a top of the line paint booth without giving it the type of regular maintenance it needs to perform at its maximum? Not only will the performance of your paint booth improve greatly but it will last a lot longer than if you refuse to give your unit the type of maintenance it needs to thrive.
The Type of Maintenance Matters
The mistake that many paint booth operators make is only performing an annual inspection. Just because your paint booth passes inspection does not mean that it does not need an upgrade or even maintenance.
With that said, annual inspections are crucial in order to keep your booth operational and compliant. Some paint booth manufacturers will provide you with an annual inspection as part of your service package. Your unit should be inspected on an annual basis for:
- Exhaust Systems
- Airflow
- Air Recirculation
- Ventilation
- Air Quality
- Overspray Contamination
- Proper Layout
- And More
Once you have cleared your annual inspection, you will need to continue regular maintenance checks either on a monthly basis or every two weeks. Particularly if your shop sees a high volume of business, the more regularly you evaluate your paint booth, the better able you are to catch problems before they shut your shop down.
Certain Upgrades Greatly Improve Performance
Regular maintenance must go hand-in-hand with strategic upgrades to extend the life of your paint booths. Some upgrades are more expensive than others. In general, any upgrades that can improve air quality, curing speed, and worker safety will go a long way to helping you operate your paint booth longer.
Take a look at this article from Accudraft Paint Booths about how accessories can greatly improve your paint booth performance. Some of our recommended upgrades include:
- Accudraft Xcelerator High-Speed Jet Drying System
- Waterborne Paint Drying System
- EnergySmart VFD Drive
- And the VentusPro Cross-Flow Cross Draft Paint Booth
Our VentusPro paint booth is a major upgrade but if you are operating an outdated paint booth it can drastically enhance your operations. There are many innovative features that come with this highly advanced paint booth but the highlighted functions include:
- Interior Paint Booth Lighting
- Cleaner Work Environment
- Temperature Control
- Exceptional Ventilation
- Multi-purpose Capabilities
- High-Speed Jet Drying System
It depends largely on the state of your current shop equipment whether or not you need a small upgrade or a large upgrade to increase your paint booth’s longevity. Not sure if a small upgrade will do? Talk to one of our pros.
Filter Maintenance is Imperative
Before you throw out the baby with the bath water though, maybe all you need is better filter maintenance to revive the effectiveness of your paint booth. Filter maintenance is imperative if your goal is to get the most out of your Accudraft Paint Booths.
Of all of the components that make up your paint booth, your filters need the most attention and will require regular maintenance. With all of the different types of chemicals and heavy paints rushing through your filters day in and day out, it’s no wonder that they need to be monitored closely and often.
The Type of Filter Matters
There are intake filters and exhaust filters in your paint booth. Your air makeup unit which brings in fresh air as you operate your booth gets contaminated with debris from outside of the booth. Intake filters get clotted up with paint and other chemicals and both debris and paint hammer exhaust filters.
For that reason, exhaust filters need to be changed typically every few weeks even if you run a low volume shop that sees about 5 or fewer cars a day. Intake filters often last a few months before needing to be changed. Many of the most advanced paint booths have built-in alerts that inform you when filters need to be changed.
For Pitted Booths
It is crucial that you maintain your lifts including chains, pulleys, and cables when operating pitted booths. Lubricant is your number one tool for keeping cars and workers safe inside of your paint booths. Schedule regular maintenance on a daily, weekly, and bi-weekly basis to:
- Check Hydraulic Fluid Levels
- Adjust Lift Cables
- Add Lubricant to Rub Blocks
- Lubricate Chains and Rollers
Accudraft Paint Booths is Here to Help You!
Have questions? Connect with our team today to discuss your particular setup and what maintenance items may be needed over the life of your system.