For a dry cleaner's, a canopied screw compressor is the quietest choice: the S 55 is rated at 65 to 68 dB(A) and the K 75 at 66 ± 2 dB(A), with a steady sound and none of the hammering of a piston unit. The biggest gain, however, comes from where you put it: a partition and a closed door between the compressor and the counter count for more than a few metres of distance. In a basement or back room, the space must stay ventilated, cool and accessible for maintenance.
The air needs of the trade are covered in detail on our page compressor for dry cleaners. Here, we deal with noise and installation.
Why does noise matter more in a dry cleaner's?
A dry cleaner's is a shop: the customer waits at the counter, the assistant talks to them, the phone rings. The compressor runs throughout opening hours, often in a room of a few square metres right next to the shop. The neighbours, above or next door, hear it too in the evening if the work goes on late. Our article compressor noise and the neighbours covers this point.
How many decibels for a dry cleaner's compressor?
The noise level is shown on the data sheet, in dB(A), with a tolerance. For a cautious estimate, take the top of the range plus the tolerance.
| Model | Type | Rated level | Cautious estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| S 55 | Standalone screw, 5.5 kW, 0.6 m³/min at 8 bar | 65 to 68 ± 2 dB(A) | 70 dB(A) |
| K 75 | 4-in-1 screw, 7.5 kW, 1.1 m³/min at 8 bar | 66 ± 2 dB(A) | 68 dB(A) |
| K 110 | 4-in-1 screw, 11 kW, 1.7 m³/min at 8 bar | 68 to 72 ± 2 dB(A) | 74 dB(A) |
Two reference points for reading these figures:
- +3 dB(A) means double the sound energy. Two identical compressors side by side are 3 dB(A) louder than one.
- +10 dB(A) is perceived as roughly twice as loud.
Our E series piston compressors have no dB(A) value on their data sheet. The finding is still clear: a piston compressor compresses in pulses and can be heard every time it starts. For a shop, the screw compressor is the right choice. Our guide to compressor noise in dB(A) explains these ideas in detail.
Where should a dry cleaner's compressor go?
In the shop
This is the worst option, to keep for cases where there is no other space. If you have no choice, put the machine in a ventilated plant cupboard, on a base that does not resonate, well away from the counter. Point the hot air outlet towards the workroom and not towards the customers, and leave enough space around the machine for it to breathe: a cupboard that is too small turns a quiet compressor into one that overheats and cuts out.
In the back room or workroom
This is the most common case. Put the compressor in a corner separated by a partition, with a door. Keep it away from the steam generator, the presses and the tumble dryers: the heat of the workroom is the enemy of both compressor and dryer.
In a basement or cellar
The basement keeps the noise away, but it calls for three checks:
- Ventilation. A compressor gives off almost all the energy it consumes as heat. In a closed cellar, the temperature rises quickly and the compressor trips on its safety cut-out. You need a fresh air inlet low down and a hot air outlet high up, or a duct to carry the hot air away. Our article compressor overheating lists the symptoms.
- Damp. A damp cellar means more condensate and wears out the dryer. Keep the room dry and frost-free.
- Access. The compressor must be able to go down the stairs or through a hatch, and the technician must be able to get all the way round it for servicing. The S 55 measures 750 × 550 × 750 mm and weighs 98 kg: check the passageways before ordering.
Our article on the compressor room gives the general rules.
Calculation: ventilating a dry cleaner's plant room
Example with an S 55, indicative figures:
- The compressor draws about 5.5 kW when it runs at full load.
- Almost all of that power ends up as heat in the room, so about 5.5 kW.
- That is the heat of a large electric heater, running continuously at busy times.
- In a 6 m² room with no ventilation, the temperature quickly goes above what the compressor can tolerate.
Variable speed helps: at quiet times, the compressor slows down and gives off less heat. But the room is sized for busy times. To recover this heat and warm the workroom in winter, our heat recovery calculator gives an order of magnitude.
Steps that reduce noise
- A stable base, level, on a floor that does not resonate: no wooden floor without mounts.
- Flexible connection hoses between the compressor and the network, so that vibration is not passed on to the pipes running along the shop.
- A door that closes, without leaving the ventilation grille facing the counter.
- Variable speed: between two customers, the motor slows down instead of running off-load.
- Regular maintenance: an intake filter clogged with lint makes the machine strain. Our article compressor noise and vibration covers the causes of abnormal noise in detail.
Condensate and the electrical supply
Condensate contains oil. In a basement or a back room alike, it goes neither down the sink nor into the floor drain: an automatic condensate drain sends it to an oil/water separator or a collection container.
Our compressors run on 380 V three-phase. Many shops have a limited supply: have your electrician check the installation before choosing the model and the location.
To choose the model, enter your machines in the configurator, then send us a plan or a photo of the room with a quote request.
For your trade: Compressor for dry cleaners and dry cleaning shops.