BY STEVE WOLFSON, ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANING SYSTEMS
Compactors are similar to automobiles, they need maintenance on a regular basis! Like an automobile, proper servicing will extend the life of the machine and give you better performance.
On a daily basis a building maintenance person has to check the equipment. A good check starts with safety. When the door to the compactor is opened, the machine should immediately shut off.
Garbage around the machine should be swept up and full bags removed. Outside the machine is a photo electric cell and a reflector plate. When the cell's beam is broken it tells the compactor to turn on and begin to compress the garbage. The cell and the reflector should be cleaned regularly, if not daily at least every other day. The interval varies with how much volume the compactor is handling. A compactor in a building compressing garbage for a fifty-unit building is not necessarily doing less work than one in a two hundred unit building. The smaller building has a smaller compactor. Without a clean cell and reflector, the compactor cannot work properly regardless of the size of the building or the machine. After a short instruction period regular building workers can handle these chores
Building personnel should also look for leaks of the hydraulic fluid. Similar to periodically checking your car's oil level, compactor levels must be checked and fluid added when necessary.
PROFESSIONAL INSPECTIONS/MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL
Yearly is the norm for a professional to inspect the entire machine. Since the machine is metal with moving parts, it must be checked for signs of metal fatigue. Metal rubbing against metal, must be checked for wear. Often a simple correction can save a considerable amount of money.
Similar to an oil change for an automobile, the hydraulic fluid level in a compactor must be changed. There is also a filter in the hydraulic system that should also be changed. When removing the fluid the technician feels the fluid to see if there are any metallic particles in it. Excessive particles can be a sign of problems. They must check (for signs of wear) and correct the piston that operates the ram for proper garbage compression.
The electrical system is also important since it is the basis for the machine's operation. Most of the electrical wiring is incased in piping. Therefore, the integrity of the piping should be visually inspected.
YEARLY CLEANING
Once a year a professional cleaning service should be called in to internally clean, deodorize and disinfect the compactor and chute. A complete application of bacteria hungry enzymes should be applied. Hopper doors on each floor should be cleaned, adjusted for tension and aligned.
EXTENDING COMPACTOR LIFE
Just like your automobile, proper maintenance will greatly extend the life of a compactor. The basic steps outlined serve as guidelines, but building personnel should be encouraged to look and listen to the compactor regularly. A good manager can often hear or see changes in the machine that serve as a warning sign that something is wrong. There is no substitute for vigilant daily observations that can shortcut costly repairs.
Steve Wolfson is President of Environmental Cleaning Systems, Inc. (ECS) providing a variety of indoor environmental services. ECS uses state-of-the-art equipment and patented processes to maintain environmental standards in all types of structures. Under a separate division ECS installs and maintains compactors, chutes and hopper doors. Steve can be reached at 888-CLEARAIR (888 253-2724) or on the Internet at www.ecsclearair.com.