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Swamp Cooler Roof Installation

Swamp coolers are an energy-efficient alternative, particularly in low-humidity areas.

Swamp coolers -- or evaporative coolers -- utilize the natural cooling properties of evaporating water to cool the air inside homes. They function by pulling outdoor air over water-saturated cloths or pads and circulating it through the home. Swamp coolers are an energy-efficient alternative to traditional air conditioning and function particularly well in low-humidity areas. Installation requirements vary depending on the model of cooler you choose, the type and condition of your roof and the duct work in your house; however, there are several steps that apply to all installations. Have a question? Get an answer from a handyman now!

Instructions

1

Find a location on your roof for the cooler. For aesthetic reasons, you may want to locate it on the back of your roof. Swamp coolers blow cool air into a central location through a diffuser or into duct work, which distributes the cool air into different rooms in the house. Therefore, another consideration is proximity to the duct work or diffuser to which you will connect the cooler. Location of roof trusses are another important consideration as you will need to cut a hole in the roof for duct work and you do not want to cut through a truss. 

2

Determine where your cooler will distribute air through the house and install a diffuser in the ceiling at that location or locations. The simplest installations call for a single diffuser located in a central hallway beneath an attic.

3

Cut a hole in the roof. Most evaporative air coolers require either 18-by-18 inch or 20-by-20-inch duct work. Refer to your cooler's literature for the correct size. Make sure the hole is between roof trusses. Frame out the hole with additional two-by-fours between the trusses.

4

Run electrical wiring from the roof to your electrical panel. Run ¼-inch copper or plastic tubing from the roof to a cold water supply line in your house. Make sure there are no low spots that will hold water when the unit is turned off.

5

Run duct work from the diffuser or diffusers that you installed earlier through the hole in the roof. This will require rigid ducts, flexible ducts or a combination of the two. Strive for as direct a route as possible. Check all plumbing, electrical and duct work connections before running the cooler.

Evaporative air cooler roof installation

6

Install metal flashing between the duct work and the roof. Bend the 4-by-4-inch flashing on a 90-degree angle. Remove the shingles around the duct work, screw the flashing to the duct work and replace the shingles over the flashing.

7

Build a platform or support system for the cooler to sit on. You can either use roof jacks or construct a platform with pressure treated or weather treated wood. Consider the pitch when choosing an option. Also, make sure that you will be able to connect the cooler to the water supply, electrical line and duct work when it is on the platform.

8

Place the cooler onto the platform and connect the water supply, electrical line and duct work.

How to Fix Water Coolers

    You may have to change the fan motor to fix the water cooler.

    Water coolers, or evaporative air coolers, are also known as swamp coolers in the hot dry areas where they operate most effectively. The design is simple: A fan forces outside air through fiber filters that are kept wet with a water curtain that is pumped and distributed from a reservoir in the bottom of the unit. The water cooler is composed of several major components, including an electric motor, water pump, a fan blade cage and a reservoir water control float. The water cooler is fixed by replacing or adjusting these individual components as they present problems.

    Instructions

    1.Condition the water reservoir by opening the drain plug at the bottom and on the side of the unit to drain the water from the reservoir, and scrub the reservoir with a wire brush to remove all scale buildup and debris. Wipe the reservoir clean of all debris.

    2.Paint the inside of the reservoir by following label directions on special water cooler paint, available at hardware stores, and allow it to dry.

    3.Fill the reservoir to the water level mark on the inside of the unit, and follow label directions to pour special scale remover treatment, available at hardware stores, into the water in the reservoir, which will remove scale and improve water flow in the pump and the water distribution system.

    4.Replace the pump by unplugging it and disconnecting the plastic water tube. Place the new pump into the new net filter bag, connect the new plastic tubing with a plumber's clamp to the pump and plug it in.

    5.Install a new water distribution system known as the spider because of its central black hub and eight curved water tubes branching out from it. Remove the hub by unscrewing the nut that attaches the central hub to the top of the unit.

    6.Cut the new water tubes to the same size as the existing ones; glue the tubes in the holes of the new hub with PVC glue, available at hardware stores, and use the bolt to attach the hub to the top of the cooler unit.

    

water cooler

    7.Change out the old fan motor by using a crescent wrench to remove the bolt in the motor slide mount, take off the fan belt and remove the existing motor. Place the new motor in the slide mount, place the new fan belt on the flywheel and adjust the position of the motor on the mount to apply adequate pressure so the fan turns easily without producing a high squealing noise which indicates the belt is too tight.

    8.Remove all mineral deposit buildup from the inside of the unit to keep water flowing freely, by scrubbing the water troughs and water distribution ports with a stiff brush and white vinegar. Cooling efficiency is determined by how much water is evaporated when it runs through the filters.

    9.Use a toothbrush to scrub the float mechanism with white vinegar to remove buildup so the balance arm can move freely. If necessary, replace the float assembly. Adjust the float ball, much like the float ball in a toilet tank, by bending the float arm to a position that will stop the flow of new water just below the top of the drain tube that sticks up from the bottom of the reservoir floor.

  

How to Remove an Evaporative Cooler

    Evaporative air coolers eventually wear out and need to be removed. Remove your evaporative cooler when the water basin has rusted through, or the cooler housing no longer safely supports the roof and panels of the cooler. Evaporative or swamp coolers are bulky and awkward and so you should seek the assistance of two or more people when removing one. Their help can minimize the chance of you straining or injuring yourself. If you don't feel qualified to attempt this task, contact your local HVAC company for removal assistance.

   Instructions

   1 .Unplug the power cord of the evaporative cooler from its power outlet.

   2.Remove the side panels of the evaporative air cooler. Put your fingers in the handles and then lift up, pull out and slide them down. Removing these will make the cooler lighter and easier to carry.

   3.Twist the water basin drain plug counterclockwise and allow all of the water to drain from the cooler. Use your hand to untwist it.

   4.Undo the water supply line. This line attaches to a nipple on the float assembly. Just pull it off the nipple with your fingers.

   5.Have two people hold the swamp cooler to support its weight. They can hold the sides or bottom of the cooler.

   6.Open the window if the air vent of the cooler feeds through it.

   7.Undo any bolts, screws or chains that hold the evaporative cooler to the structure. Use a crescent wrench to undo the bolts and a Phillips or flat-head screwdriver on any screws. The chains will have hooks on the ends that unhook from soffit- or wall-mounted hooks.

  

   8.Pull the air vent side of the cooler out of the structure. Lift straight up if removing from a roof. Lift straight out if you're removing it from a window or wall.

   9.Run a long chain through the housing of the cooler and hook it back to itself above the cooler roof. Do this if you have to lower the chain from the roof to the ground. Ensure nobody is beneath the cooler while lowering it.

  10.Set the evaporative cooler in the back of a pickup truck and replace the side panels. Give the cooler away or haul it to your local metal recycling center.

How to Connect a Two-Speed Evaporative Cooler

   Evaporative coolers are a popular alternative to traditional air conditioning units in low-humidity areas of the country. They work on the same principles of thermal heat transfer as our bodies do. By adding moisture to the air, the units create an avenue for heat to be removed during the endothermic evaporation process. The installation of an evaporative unit usually takes place on a roof or in an upstairs window, as the moisture-laden water is heavier than the untreated air and falls to the lowest levels of the home. 

   Instructions

   Roof Installation

   1.Install the roof mounting bracket. Place the bracket directly over the venting that you will be attaching it to. Drive the mounting screws that come with the bracket into each of the four corner mounting slots. The bottom of these slots is cushioned with a rubber gasket that seals the hole, so no additional sealant is necessary. If obstacles make it impossible to mount the bracket directly over the venting, place it as close as possible up-slope from the vent.

   2.Cut a hole in the roof with a reciprocating saw where indicated by the roofing bracket.

   3.Hoist the evaporative air cooler to the roof. This will require either a small crane or hoist, which can be rented at a local equipment dealer or home improvement store.

   4.Attach the mouth of the evaporation unit to the existing ventilation system with a metal collar. Tighten this collar with the screw tightener on the outside of the collar.

   5.Install flashing around the vent pipe and seal it with roof sealant.

   Window Installation

   1.Locate the studs in the wall beneath the window you will be installing the cooler in with a stud finder.

   2.Attach the window mounting brackets that came with the unit with 2-inch screws.

   3.Screw down the mounting platform on the mounting braces.

   4.Set the unit on the platform and fill in any gaps in the window with Styrofoam board.

   Hooking Up Water and Electric

   1. Run the water line from the piping inside of the attic to the roof-mounted cooler before adding flashing. When connecting the pipes, make sure to add thread tape to the threading to prevent leakage. Window coolers are more difficult to link to an internal water source and often have to be filled periodically with a bucket.

   2.Hook the electrical line of the roof mounted unit to an internal switch. For a two-speed evaporator, get a three-way switch and wire it into a convenient location in the home. For a window unit, this is not necessary, as the switch is located on the front of the machine.

   3.Check the overflow reservoir and the drainage pan of the unit every few days to make sure that they are working properly. Also check the seal around the newly installed vent to make sure there is no leakage.