Episode 39: Rethinking Leak Detection in Compressed Air Systems

Jason Reed

Alright everyone, welcome back to The Big Dog Podcast! I’m Jason Reed—your guide for everything air that keeps the real world running. And as always, I’ve got Lisa Saunders here with me. Lisa, you ready to rattle some cages today?

Lisa Saunders

You know it, Jason! And today we’re talking leaks—not the little drip-drip kind but the kind that gnaw a hole straight through your energy budget if you’re not paying attention. This is probably one of the most overlooked money pits in any plant. I mean, you’d never just throw cash out the window, but that’s basically what leaks are doing in compressed air systems.

Jason Reed

Yeah, if you care about the bottom line—and let’s be honest, who doesn’t—it’s wild how much gets lost to leaks. I’m talking real numbers here. According to industry reports, $3.2 billion, that’s billion with a B, gets wasted every year in the U.S. on compressed air leaks. And I think a lot of people still don’t realize how big that number is or where it’s coming from. It’s not just poor luck or bad maintenance—you get leaks from lousy installation, bad sealing materials, corrosion, workarounds that are meant to be temporary but stick around forever. Even stuff like bumping up the pressure to “solve” a problem, which—spoiler—that never actually solves anything.

Lisa Saunders

Exactly. There are real-world examples all over. We had that one facility, right, where a 5-HP compressor just couldn’t keep up. The manager was sure they needed a bigger machine. But turns out, when we walked through and just listened—literally with our ears—there were 20 leaks, just hissing away. The whole compressor’s output, poof, gone. Another one I liked was the company wasting the entire output of a 500 HP compressor. That’s not dime-sized loss, that’s a disaster. Fixing the leaks was a fraction of what a new compressor would cost. I think they spent like, what, twenty to thirty grand to patch things up and saved themselves from buying and running another monster compressor.

Jason Reed

Yeah, and I’ve gotta share this—I remember walking into a plant and before I even got to the production floor, you could hear that classic sssss in the air. I don’t wanna brag, but, you know, trusty ears and all—I tracked down six leaks in maybe fifteen minutes. The maintenance guys were standing around debating why their compressors were always “maxed out,” and here were all these little air geysers just hiding right under their noses. It wasn’t the compressor’s fault, not even close. Sometimes we get so fixated on “do I need a bigger compressor?” when the real answer is stop leaking all that air first. And it’s not always obvious, either, because the leaks can sound tiny, but you add them up? That’s a lot of horsepower just… gone.

Lisa Saunders

And it can all come back to temporary solutions, too, right? Like, someone doesn’t have the right parts, so they rig something up—maybe with rigid piping where you should have flexible tubing. Those short-term fixes turn into long-term headaches. Corrosion, vibration, wear—it all adds up, and sooner or later, that patch just becomes another leak.

Lisa Saunders

So, let’s talk about where these leaks are actually hiding. Because if you think it’s some mystery deep inside the compressor, well, think again. Most of them show up in what the pros call the “dirty 30”—the last 30 feet of piping before you actually use the air. That’s hoses, reels, filters, regulators, worn-out tools. Just the crazy number of connectors you get at the end of the line. It’s not surprising—there are so many failure points in that last stretch, and a lot of them are totally out of sight and out of mind.

Jason Reed

Yeah, absolutely. You see this all the time—people do the walk-through and listen for leaks, which is a fine place to start. I mean, your ears can get you only so far, though, especially in a noisy plant. The truth is, about 80% of leaks are inaudible, so good luck picking them out over all that background noise. It’s kinda shocking.

Lisa Saunders

And that’s where old-school handheld leak guns come in—but they’re honestly pretty limited, especially with all those other noises flying around. They pick up stray signals from tools or even weird things like cathode ray tubes—wait, does anyone even still have those? Anyway, you know what I mean. They’re not going to catch it all. The real upgrade happens when you bring in ultrasonic detection. That’s a game changer—especially with something like the Fluke ii905 Acoustic Imager. It doesn’t just listen for leaks, it actually shows you a visual leak map on a screen, pinpointing exactly where the air’s escaping, even through the loudest environments.

Jason Reed

Yeah, and plus, those ultrasonic imagers estimate how much you’re losing, so you’re not just finding the leak; you’re seeing the dollars fly out the door. And if you’re running a plant with leaks up on high racks or behind machines, knowing where they are—before you rent a lift or pull a crew off the line—saves a ton of time and money. With the ultrasonic stuff, you’re making actual data-driven decisions. I mean, look, fixing leaks is already the smart move, but if you can put a number on it—“Hey, this leak is costing us $2,000 a year”—people finally start paying attention.

Lisa Saunders

Exactly. And these systems are way less likely to get fooled by sound reflecting off a wall or picking up something from a motor across the room. They’re just so much more precise because of how the microphones work, triangulating the leak’s position and filtering out everything else. Sometimes you find leaks in lines you didn’t even realize had a problem—like ducts for vacuum, steam, or even other gases. I mean, for most people, compressed air is the big focus, but there can be bonus savings if you catch those other leaks too.

Jason Reed

Which is all to say, if you’re still only relying on the old “listen and feel” routine, you’re gonna miss out on the majority of what’s actually costing you. Imagine the maintenance hours saved, too—no more chasing ghosts all shift or getting distracted by a noise that turns out to be nothing.

Jason Reed

Alright, so this is the part I probably harp on too much but—raising header pressure? That’s not a fix, don’t let anybody tell you it is. Every time you turn the header pressure up just to make up for leaks or pressure drops, you’re actually making things worse. You use more energy, you wear out the compressor faster, leaks get bigger, then you’re right back where you started but with higher costs and more downtime. It’s that classic false solution, and it’s one of the fastest ways to burn cash without solving anything.

Lisa Saunders

Absolutely. The real solution isn’t hiding in the control panel or maxing out the compressor—it’s a proper leak audit. We’re talking factory-trained professionals walking your plant with advanced tech—ultrasonic detectors, imagers, the whole deal. Not only do they find leaks you’d never see otherwise, but they also hand you a clear, actionable report with real savings attached. You get data, priorities, locations, and a plan that actually works. And with the right audit, you can maximize efficiency and minimize downtime—both of which equal dollars in your pocket.

Jason Reed

And there are the success stories to prove it. I know one refinery that took this approach, repaired about 70% of their leaks, and were able to shut down three massive, 3,000-CFM compressors. Three. Imagine the electricity and maintenance they saved. That’s millions back, not just a nice round number for the accountants. That’s game-changing stuff—and you’ll never see results like that by just cranking up pressure or patching a hose with duct tape.

Lisa Saunders

And I want to say—you get those results with local, independent experts. People who know your industry, who want to build a partnership, not just sell you something and disappear. It’s not just about finding the leaks, it’s having someone you trust help set system pressure, pick the right parts, and support you when stuff happens. We’ve seen it—plants cut downtime, boost reliability, shave massive chunks off energy bills just by partnering with the right folks. To me, that’s what makes audit programs really stick.

Jason Reed

Bottom line—don’t fall for quick fixes. Take the time to do a real audit, invest in smart tech, and work with people who actually care about your facility. You’ll save money, your systems will run cleaner, and you’ll buy yourself a little peace of mind along the way. Lisa, I think we’re about out of time—but this is the kind of thing that’s never “one and done,” right?

Lisa Saunders

Not even close. There’s always something new out there—tech, case studies, things we learn the hard way. So, if you care about turning air into profit, or just not lighting money on fire, stay tuned. We’ll keep digging into what matters most.

Jason Reed

Alright, thanks for joining us on The Big Dog Podcast. Lisa, always fun—

Lisa Saunders

Always. Take care, everyone—we’ll see you next episode.