Mechanical · Updated 4 October 2026
Compressed air leak cost and repair payback
Estimate leakage cost using measured flow, pressure-network hours and your electricity tariff.
Use measured free-air flow
Record each leak separately using a suitable measurement method. Flow and compressor specific power must share a reference basis. Do not multiply a litres-per-minute value directly by specific power expressed per cubic metre per minute: divide the flow by 1000 first.
Include pressurization outside production
A plant may stop production while its air network remains pressurized. The leakage can continue during breaks, nights and weekends. Count the hours the relevant part of the network is actually pressurized. Isolated sections should not be assigned the same hours as a continuously pressurized main.
Work through a cost example
A measured 150 L/min total leak is 0.15 cubic metres per minute. At 6 kW per cubic metre per minute, the proportional electrical requirement is 0.9 kW. For 4,000 pressurized hours, that is 3,600 kWh. A tariff of 0.20 per kWh gives an annual cost estimate of 720 in the tariff currency.
Estimate savings and verify after repair
If a repair removes 50% of this leakage, the estimated annual saving is 360. A repair costing 360 then has a simple payback of one year. This assumes electrical power falls proportionally with the leak flow. Actual savings depend on compressor controls and unloaded operation, so verify flow and electricity behavior after the repair. Do not present a screening estimate as a guaranteed bill reduction.