Understanding evaporative air cooler

If you are from a coastal area you may not be familiar with evaporative coolers. The following are some guides for understanding them, and some tips for getting the most out of them.

·         Coolers don’t work well during humid times of the year.  Because coolers work by adding moisture to the air, above 50% humidity they just don’t work well. On those days you will have to run the A/C - if you have it. Also, don’t run the A/C and cooler at the same time. A/C’s remove moisture from the air, so the two will just be fighting against one another.

·         Open up some windows. Coolers work by air displacement - you must have enough windows open in order for the hot air to escape. A good way to tell if you have enough windows open is to turn the cooler on high and open your front door. Slowly close it until it is about 6 inches away from the door jam, and let it go. It should close gently on its own. If it slams shut you have too few windows open; if it doesn’t close at all you have too many open. Adjust them until you get the desired effect. Many people don’t like the idea of leaving windows open when they leave the house. In this case an attic vent will have to be installed - the windows can be left closed.

·         Regular service is a MUST - once a year at least. You may require servicing more often if the water in your area is very hard. A bleed off or cooler drainage system will reduce the mineral buildup in your cooler. They are not very expensive, and the water drained off by these devices doesn’t have to be wasted. Additional tubing can be installed so that this water can be used to water your plants and shrubbery.

·         White dust and a fishy smell are common complaints with coolers. These are the results of the minerals that are present in the water or organic matter sucked in during operation. These problems can be reduced with water additives and the bleed off devices mentioned earlier. Several old fashioned remedies, such as cider vinegar and fabric softener, can help with scale buildup and pad absorbency. And you would be surprised how far a cup or two of mouthwash will go in helping to freshen up a smelly cooler!

·         Don’t run “softened” water to the cooler. The chemicals used to soften water can aggravate scale buildup and even damage the cooler, which voids most warranties.

·         It is a good idea to turn the pump on for 5 minutes before starting the cooler fan. This will presoak the pads, and help reduce hot air coming out of the registers. There are cooler control kits available that will automatically wet the pads and cycle the unit on and off.    

          Evaporative coolers are common and perform well when the humidity is low. They are inexpensive to operate, which contributes to their popularity. Being aware of their peculiarities will save you undue stress and reduce the number of breakdowns. This short list should help toward that end. If you experience any problems, don’t hesitate to call.



Evaporative air cooler