Health risk of air compressors?

by Gerald Henderson
(New York, NY)

Can air compressors be used in homes to power common appliances such as a cake mixer? Or, is there a health risk involved? Just wondering why they aren't used more in homes. When they are so common in factories?
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Hi Gerald, welcome to you and all the other New York visitors.

No, there is no inherent risk with using a compressor in the house. When you go to the dentist, for example, when they are working on your teeth, their tools are powered by compressed air.

It's what's in the air that's blowing out of the compressor air tool (be it an air hammer or an air mixer) that could be the issue.

Have a look at this page about water issues.

This page talks about compressed air filters. You also want to read up on coalescent filters on this website too.

The issue isn't the use of the compressed air, it's what might end up in your cake mix if you aren't treating the compressed air properly.

Also, unless you have a remote air compressor and have air plumbed into, for example, the kitchen, lower end air compressors are very, very noisy and that would be an problem for most folks if they are contemplating using a compressor in the house.

Cheers,

Bill