Why Do I Have Water in my Compressor Lines in the Winter When I Have a Dryer?

The ambient temperature in an air compressor’s environment can greatly affect your air compressor’s performance. All air compressors will generate some amount of water, but depending on inlet air conditions some can produce large amounts of water. Making sure your air compressor is properly ridding itself of excess water is crucial to keeping your machine running properly. 

Many air compressors are equipped with water separators that remove water from the airstream. However, the air leaving your compressor is typically warmer than the ambient air around your compressor. As that warm air cools inside of the piping, any moisture will condense and build up in the piping that needs to be removed. This is when your dryer takes over, by cooling down that warm air to 35°F and removing the condensation. However, if your pipes cool down to 35°F as well, this is when you will run into excess water in your pipes. Winter weather around this temperature can pose the problem of excess water in your compressor’s pipes. In some cases (mainly colder climates), a desiccant dryer may need to be used to drop the dew point lower to avoid any water.

If you are using a dryer but are noticing a considerable amount of water in your lines, there are a few common areas you can check:

Although colder ambient temperatures are usually better for your compressor, winter climate can also affect the amount of condensation and overall water in your compressor’s lines. It is always important to regularly check for common condensation issues on your compressor, especially during harsher seasons.

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Just like any other equipment, a compressed air installation also requires the necessary maintenance work during its entire lifespan. Even though maintenance costs are only about 5 to 10% of a machine's annual operating costs, failure to budget for maintenance can have potentially disastrous consequences.


The air dyer is one of the most ignored cooler in the system. A dirty condenser will cause water in the lines, or worse it will cause complete dryer failure.