NEWS

May 16, 2019

Power Equipment Rentals

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Guide to Renting Power Equipment

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The spring and summer months are perfect for hosting outdoor and indoor events, making renovations and organizing your storage items. From homeowners to contractors and workers, many people make long warm-weather to-do lists.

With the heat waves hitting, you’ll want to be as efficient as possible when taking on tasks. Are you prepared with the tools you need to make your summer projects a success? Don’t sweat it — you can find what you need by using this guide. Make it your one-stop source for renting the power equipment you need for the season.

Benefits of Renting Power Equipment

If you’re stuck between whether to buy or rent power equipment, then renting is for you. With no unnecessarily pricey investment or risk of being unable to return machinery, AC and other rentals for events allow you to get your projects done fast and hassle-free. With rental power equipment, you’ll benefit from:

  • Low-commitment: Buying is a costly, long-term investment. Renting allows you to get to work faster and with less expense and return the equipment at your leisure, no worries about storage or hastily deciding on a purchase. It’s perfect for short-term needs and seasonal work.
  • No troubleshooting: Trained mechanics handle all repairs and maintenance services necessary to keep equipment running smoothly and efficiently. Unlike digging out that compressor after a year of settling, you’re guaranteed a working, well-oiled machine every time.
  • Access to new tech: Quality rental businesses keep their equipment young, replacing machines and tools with newer, upgraded versions. You’ll be able to work with the latest and best models in the industry, keeping you and your team efficient.
  • All-around assistance: Not sure what to rent or how to operate a machine you need? Technicians can train you on the proper safety techniques and advise you on exactly what you need for the job you’re tackling.
  • Experimentation: With rental units, you have the opportunity to try out different levels and types of equipment. If you want to try using something bigger, smaller or even completely different, there are many options for your choice of machine.

Now that you know why to rent, here are some options for what to rent in the summer and spring.

Portable Air Compressors for Rent

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Portable rental air compressors are versatile pieces of equipment. They serve as a source of power for many different pneumatic tools, such as nail and spray guns, air ratchets and drills. With the right tools and attachments, an air compressor can suit almost any need. Compressors work perfectly for spring and summer projects such as sandblasting, spray painting and blowing out filters or small areas, such as pipes or lines. With so much versatility in one machine, you’ll be able to accomplish tasks more efficiently than using several different electric tools. Other benefits include:

  • No need to worry about running out of battery or struggling to make that extension cord reach. Portable air compressors run on diesel so that you can use them anywhere they’ll roll, saving you time and frustration. They operate without the use of oil, so your experience will be as clean as possible.
  • Each unit works similarly. The compressor runs on a single motor, which converts electrical energy to kinetic. Most compressors have reciprocating pistons — a small system of crankshafts, rods, pistons and a cylinder and valve head. These pistons combine with the motor — which cycles itself on and off — to maintain sufficient tank pressure.
  • High tank pressure means more efficient tools. This system, using no oil and a single motor, will save you energy and money compared to electric devices. They’re also quiet machines, meaning you won’t violate neighborhood noise codes.

Typically, compressors deliver a pressure range from about 100 to 200 pounds per square inch (psi). But more important than the psi, you’ll need to know the right air output measurement for your uses. Air output in portable compressors ranges from about 185 to 1600 cubic feet per minute (CFM). This measurement tells you the amount of air being pushed from the compressor to the tool attachment.

Machines with higher CFM capabilities are more versatile in terms of how they may be used and with what tools. Whatever tools you intend to use, they must operate within the CFM rating of the compressor. So, if you only need to use low-CFM tools, you can choose from several units. If you use high-CFM tools, you need a higher-capacity unit.

Pneumatics Tools for Rent

Pneumatic tools use pressurized air to accomplish a variety of tasks, depending on the function of each device. To use them, you’ll need an air compressor as a power source. One compressor will work with any pneumatic tool you need.

The way these machines work is relatively simple. Each tool consists of two main parts — a cylinder and a piston. When you use a pneumatic tool, air moves into the cylinder, expands and forces the piston into motion, causing it to move back and forth lengthwise in quick succession. Attachments, such as drills and hammers, fix onto the piston.

Tools that use pressurized air are far more efficient and effective than their electric counterparts. Pneumatic tools provide you with many benefits, including: width=

  • Safety: No risk of electrocution and fewer moving parts means less room for error or injury.
  • Ease of use: You won’t fumble around with buttons, switches and batteries. These tools have simple designs, making them easy to operate and efficient.
  • Compact design: Pneumatic tools are relatively lightweight, meaning you can haul more devices and easily lift and operate them.
  • Water resistance: Air pressure keeps water from getting into the device, so you can use pneumatic tools in wet areas and weather conditions without concern over electric shock or shorting any devices. This is handy in the summer, when storms and quick showers can arise without warning.
  • Versatility: Pneumatic tools have relatively simple — but strong — mechanical designs, so you can use them for multiple purposes. With different piston attachments available, you’ll have the right tool for any job.

Types of Pneumatic Tools to Use in Spring and Summer Projects

While they are versatile, many pneumatic tools are mainly used for breaking up or packing down ground material. Here are a few you might use for spring and summer undertakings:

  • Backfill tampers help with refilling trenches or repaving after winter weather that causes potholes. These tools have a flat, rectangular surface at the end, sitting perpendicular to the piston. It works well for compacting loose soil or paving materials, creating a stable, level surface. Backfill tampers weigh about 40 pounds and perform at 500 blows per minute (bpm).
  • Chipping hammers are useful for similar purposes to an ordinary hammer but with much more force. Because they deliver many strong blows quickly, these machines work best for hammering chisels or forming other tools. They weigh about 19 pounds and perform at 2280 bpm.
  • Breakers and rock drills function much like jackhammers and are used to break up existing pavement or for rock excavation. Breakers come in several sizes, weighing anywhere between about 39 to 92 pounds, and perform at about 1200 to 1380 bpm.
  • Rock drills are within the same range, weighing about 60 pounds, but perform much faster, delivering 1800 bpm.

With so many different functions and attachments available, you’ll have no problem finding the right pneumatic tool for your needs. Air power equipment means more efficiency and cost-effectiveness, so you can get back to enjoying summer faster.

Temperature Control Rentals

High temperatures can make any event, workspace or storage area unbearable. The heat can spoil food and drinks, cause you to sweat and make you and your team feel sluggish. You don’t have to work or host in discomfort. With the help of temperature control rentals, you can beat the heat in any environment.

Rent Commercial and Industrial Air Conditioners

Air conditioner (AC) units are a necessity during summertime. Indoor spaces can quickly become too hot for work without a cooling unit. Even if you can open a window or door, it’s not enough to make you feel comfortable.

When people move and work in a small space, it just gets hotter. Renting commercial AC for a tent or workspace is the solution you need. With cost-effective portable and industrial models to choose from, you’ll have the ability to adjust the temperature of your environment as you please.

But rental air conditioners aren’t just for practical use — they also work well for outdoor recreational purposes. You shouldn’t have to cancel an outdoor event because of an impending heatwave. Summer heat can create an uncomfortable environment for event guests. No one wants to sweat while they’re trying to enjoy a social gathering.

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Portable AC rentals are the solution for all your outdoor parties, day or night. With a tent and an AC unit, you can welcome your guests outside with confidence. Rental AC units also provide fast relief in emergency situations. During the summer, power outages and broken HVAC systems can force businesses to shut down entirely while maintenance crews make repairs. With no air system, conditions can become unfit for work.

The Benefits of Using Commercial Air Conditioners for Rent

Keep your crew on schedule with a temporary solution. Renting an AC unit is perfect for short- and long-term needs, and will allow you and your team to continue projects while figuring out a more permanent fix. AC machines work by way of a condenser, compressor and evaporator:

  • Cooling fluid begins as a low-pressure gas at the compressor.
  • It leaves the compressor and enters the condenser as a high-pressure, hot gas.
  • It leaves the condenser and enters the evaporator as a liquid.
  • The evaporator creates a drop in pressure, allowing the fluid to turn back into gas.

But how does this make air cooler? In the final step, as the refrigerant evaporates back into a low-pressure gas, the process extracts heat from air that has been sucked into the ducts. As the gas cools, so does the air, which the unit then pushes out through ducts and into your area.

While this system is complex, it makes cooling your indoor and tented spaces a breeze. Thermostats on the AC units allow you to set your desired temperature. When the surrounding area reaches that temperature, the machine shuts off. When it detects the space heating up again, it turns back on, saving you energy and time and keeping you consistently cool.

Portable AC machines are available in sizes from 1- to 80-ton units, so you can find the right size for any intended use. Whether you need air conditioner rentals for weddings or a small tented party, you will stay comfortable despite the heat.

Commercial and Industrial Chillers for Rent

Warehouses, storage units and other industrial buildings can heat up quickly in the summer. Add moving workers and heavy machinery to the mix, and you could face severely uncomfortable conditions.

Even worse, if your HVAC system breaks or fails, you’ll have to make a quick decision on how to handle it. With rental chillers available to you in a pinch, that decision will be much easier.

Chillers have a similar application to AC units — they extract heat from areas to provide a cooler environment. However, these units are much larger and better suited for buildings or industrial purposes. There are two main types of chiller system:

  • Air-cooled: These units operate independently with an air-cooled condenser. Air-cooled systems are better suited for smaller areas and work well even in confined spaces. Generally the more practical and simpler option, units are typically installed outside of buildings and are available at lower costs due to size and relative simplicity. Unless designed otherwise, these machines require a surrounding temperature of 95 degrees Fahrenheit or lower to function effectively.
  • Water-cooled: These units operate with a water-cooled condenser and cooling tower. Well-suited for larger spaces with an accessible and ample water supply, these machines are better for commercial and industrial uses. The water system provides more consistent performance and higher efficiency, ensuring you stay cool. Units are typically installed indoors.

What Type of Commercial Chiller Rentals Are Available?

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Chillers operate on the principles of vapor compression or vapor absorption, but the cooling cycle is similar. Liquid refrigerant changes to a gas through an evaporator, absorbing heat. The compressor then pressurizes the gas and reverts back into its liquid state by a condenser, rejecting heat. The gas returns to the evaporator as a low-pressure liquid and gas mix to repeat the cycle.

Air-cooled chillers operate using propellor fans or cycles of mechanical refrigeration. These systems pull surrounding air across finned coils, condensing the cooling refrigerant vapor. The condensation process creates the heat transfer necessary to cool air.

Water-cooled chillers are even more complicated, with a condenser and an added cooling tower, which holds a water supply. Heat moves its way from the refrigerant vapor into condenser water. Cooling water circulates in and out of the condenser from the tower, condensing the refrigerant vapor and removing heat. Available from smaller, 30-ton air-cooled units to 525-ton water-cooled units, chillers can handle your temperature control needs, no matter how small or large.

Where Can I Rent Chillers and Other Equipment Near Me?

Trust Altorfer CAT with all of your summer rental needs. Serving Central Illinois, Northern Missouri and Eastern Iowa, we provide reliable, well-maintained machines, so you can get your projects started and finished sooner.

We keep our tools new and updated, replacing fleets and providing low-age machines. You can access to the latest technology available in power equipment, all at a cost that fits your budget.

Still not sure what you need for the job? Our highly trained technicians and specialists can help you compare machines and models before you rent, ensuring your experience is a positive one. Browse our power equipment rentals page to see our selection of quality machines, and contact us with any questions or to book your rental.