Swamp cooling, also known as evaporative cooling is a popular and cost-effective way to cool your southwest home. Swamp cooling is most effective in hot, dry climates . The basic swamp cooler function begins with a pan that is filled with water. As water evaporates, the pan will fill up. The water is then pumped to a pad that absorbs water and drains into the pan. The wet pad filters out the air drawn from the outside by a blower motor. This air is then pushed into the house via a duct. The wet pad cools the air and makes it humid. This is the point where evaporation occurs. Cooler air will condition all the spaces in the home by alternating supply and return. The air that comes out of the vents in the house is called supply. The return is the air that comes out of an open door or window. Air moving through the house will absorb some heat and push some out. This results in a more comfortable living environment during hot dry days. Following are the points to remember to operate a swamp cooler:
Turn on the pump – Before turning on the fan, turn on the pump to wet the pads. If your manual control is enabled, you should leave the pump on for 5 minutes to get the pads wet enough. To circulate cool air throughout your home, turn the fan on or off. You can also set a temperature threshold to control the fan and pump so that the cooler turns on when the temperature in your home is above a certain level.
When running your swamp cooler, always open a window – Cool air is pushed through your home’s duct system by swamp coolers. Hot air is pushed out of windows and doors as the hot air cools. This is the opposite of refrigerated AC, where you close your doors and windows when the air conditioner turns on.
How To Get The Maximum Use Of Your Swamp Cooler
These are some tips to help you make sure your swamp cooler stays cool. Contact a professional if you are uncomfortable doing any of these things or climbing on top of your swamp cooler.
- Check that your pads are not getting too wet. If your swamp cooler doesn’t cool your home, you should first check that your pads have gotten wet. Your swamp cooler won’t blow hot air outside if the pads aren’t wet. You may have a problem if your pads don’t get wet. Your pump could be clogged or your water lines may be clogged.
- Are you getting enough relief air? Make sure you have enough windows to let the cool air out. To bring in cooler air, open the windows in the hottest areas of your house.
- A digital thermostat allows you to set the temperature for your swamp cooler so it will turn on and off automatically. This gives you better control over your home’s temperature.
- The cooling power of a swamp cooler is dependent on the humidity outside. Your cooler will struggle to lower your indoor temperature if the humidity is too high. You can see the video below for more information about humidity levels.