What Is the Difference Between Heat Pumps & Swamp Coolers?

Heat pumps and swamp coolers are both used to regulate indoor temperatures.

Heat pumps and swamp coolers serve similar functions. They are both used to condition the air inside a home, office or other building. The primary difference between them is how they do it.

Heat Pumps

Heat pumps, also referred to as geothermal heating pumps, can be used to both heat and cool indoor spaces. They pull residual warmth from the ground as a heat source in winter and transfer it back into the ground as a cooling mechanism in summer.

Swamp Coolers

Swamp coolers, also known as evaporative coolers, can only be used to cool the air. They do so by pumping air through a water-soaked filter. As the air passes through the water, it is cooled. Some water is also carried back into the room as vapor, helping to keep the air cool.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Swamp coolers, because of their simplicity, are generally less expensive than other air conditioning systems. Their main disadvantage is that they can only cool. Heat pumps, though more expensive, can serve as both a heating and a cooling system.

References

• U.S. Department of Energy: Geothermal Heat Pumps
• NAHB Research Center: Evaporative Coolers