Swamp coolers are an affordable alternative to full air-conditioning. Swamp coolers, also known as “evaporative coolers,” require minimal maintenance and run quite efficiently. So, how do swamp coolers work? All swamp coolers essentially work the same way. Water is pumped dripped onto sponge-like retaining inserts. A large blower pulls air into the saturated inserts and cools the air. Simply put, they take hot air and cool it by cycling it through a water reservoir and then blowing that air into your home. To make the most of a swamp cooler you should have a few windows cracked. This allows for the hot air to be blown out as the cool air is cycled in.
If you find yourself considering a swamp cooler, here’s 7 tips to keep in mind.
- Do you have a place to install your swamp cooler? Can you mount one on your roof, or would it need to be installed on a window?
- Can you provide for proper air flow? As mentioned before, air flow is important to proper cooling from a swamp cooler. If yours is installed where no open windows or ventilation can occur than you can cause excessive moisture.
- How hot is too hot? Swamp coolers work ideally when cooling average temperatures between 70-90F. If you find your temperature to frequently exceed 100F, a full air-conditioning system may be of consideration.
- Keep your water retaining pads clean. If the panels that hold the water that the swamp cooler blows through to cool are not clean, they will not retain water properly. If water cannot be retained than the cycled air won’t cool.
- Do not run a swamp cooler and air-conditioning unit at the same time. They basically work on opposite principles. One brings air in and cools it as it enters. The other keeps air out and cools it internally.
- Finally, keep water in your swamp cooler. If you cooling pads get dried out than the rest of the process of a swamp cooler will not work.