When I picture an air compressor, I think back to when my father would be working on some project in the shop and get completely covered in sawdust. He used his air compressor for so many things, but I think my favorite use was when he used it to blast the wood shavings off before coming into the house. He used it for blowing up the many pool toys, refilling tires, for his nail/staple gun when he built our play house, on his air brush kit when he repainted the car, with his plaster gun when we remodeled the house, and so much more. My father bought tools like most women buy purses or shoes. I used to hate it when he would drag us up and down every isle in the hardware store. Always looking for another neat find to make his work faster or easier. I'm sure he had every accessory imaginable for his air compressor so he'd be ready for anything. There are so many uses for an air compressor around the average home, from repairs, improvements, or maintenance.  With the different attachments or accessories, you can easily mix up the purpose for your air compressor.  You can use sanders, wrenches, spray guns, staplers, drills and the list goes on.  What projects have you been putting off?

Owning an air compressor is not for everyone. Or is it? Whats the point in paying hundreds of dollars for one if you're only going to use it to top off your tires every now and then? But what if you're into carpentry for work or hobby, or you have kids (think of all those flat bike tires and pool toys!), or if you are making home repairs or upgrades. You can use it to blow out that dirty filter in the vacuum or air conditioner making the filter last longer. You can even use one to blow your car dry to avoid having streaks. I've used one to blow the leaves off of my front porch when my husband hadn't gotten around to raking. You don't necessarily need to purchase a big air compressor to get a lot of use out of it. I have a small 2 gallon air compressor and it can handle everything I mentioned above. Make sure you get one big enough to suit your needs, but small enough to easily store when not in use. There are hundreds of uses for an air compressor around the home.

Let's go over the different attachments for your air compressor. I know that as you read this section, you'll see all sorts of new uses for your air compressor!

Blow guns - These handy attachments are great for blasting away dirt, grease, and dust from hard-to-reach areas. Picture getting all the filth you know is hiding under the fridge, or inside your computer tower...

Nail guns - Where to start? You can use this tool in lieu of the traditional hammer, saving time and painful carpal tunnel syndrome from developing!

Air staplers - This attachment has almost the same uses as a nail gun. Air staplers would be ideal for hanging plastic, re-upholstering the furniture, or quick and easy repairs around the house.

Air sanders- This attachment has so many uses! Great for paint removal or preparation, rust removal or finish work. I used mine to buff the paint (and rust) off of my project car. Saves a lot of time and energy, and as long as you use the right sand paper grade, the results are really good.

Spray guns - These are excellent for giving you a professional and even coat of paint. They make quick work of repainting the house or your car. Consider repainting your furniture to get a whole new look!

Sandblasters - These work well for removing rust and old paint and for preparing surfaces for painting. You could also adapt it for use with soap and water for pressure washing the driveway or porch. Two tools in one!

Caulking guns- No more hand cramps trying to re-caulk around the tub! This handy attachment provides a uniform stream without the strain of the standard caulking gun. You can also use it with grease or adhesives.

Air ratchet wrenches - These make quick work of stubborn bolts when working on the car. Believe me, this was a life saver when I had to replace my rusty old muffler.

Air hammers/chisels - This attachment makes it easy to break up masonry work, knock in nails, or cut through metal (with the right tip).

Air drills- This one is pretty self explanatory. Use it to make pilot holes, or add the right bit, and drive screws.

Impact wrenches - Make your garage a NASCAR pit stop and perfect your time record with this slick attachment. Even if you're not trying to smash your current record, this tool takes the work out of rotating or swapping tires.

Think of all the uses these attachments add to your air compressor. The benefits of all these add-ons is that they don't cost too much or take up space and they save you so much time and energy!

 So now that I've gotten you started, shop around and find yourself an air compressor that meets your needs.  You'll be glad you did when you go to make a repair or do some (normally) time consuming chore.