How to Buy an Evaporative Cooler

Global warming heats the planet and we'll only make the situation worse by retreating to air conditioned oasis. Yet, sometimes a fan is simply not enough. A good middle ground can be struck by installing an evaporative cooler.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

1. Know how the process works. If you've ever cooled off next to waterfall on a summer day, you've experienced evaporative cooling. Evaporative coolers work best in climates blessed by low humidity. It's a natural way to cool that literally dates back to antiquity. The process was first used by tribesmen who put water-soaked blankets in the doors of their huts to humidify dry breezes and chill the air.

   Evaporative coolers were popular in the American southwest in the days before cheap energy. Old timers know them as swamp coolers. Today's models work better than ever. Parts are now made of plastic that won't rust, and the pads are synthetic so they won't rot.

2. Understand what happens in the unit. In an evaporative cooler a fan draws air from your home into a box where it flows through pads soaked in water. Here the air is filtered. It sponges-up water causing its temperature to drop between 15 and 40 degrees.

   The cooled air then blows into your home, where it pushes warmer air out through your windows. You regulate the cooling not only with the fan's speed but by how far you open your windows.

   This is another advantage over air conditioning; you'll get flow of fresh air.

3. Distinguish between different options. Evaporative coolers are rated by the amount of cubic feet per minute of chilled air they can deliver.

   Like air conditioners, they are either installed centrally or set in individual windows to chill specific rooms. You can't use an air conditioner at the same time as a swamp cooler since the first dehumidifies, while the second adds moisture.

   If you live in one of the United States' hotter regions, a two-stage cooler is the better choice. These models are newer, more efficient, add less humidity to the air and can handle higher air temperatures. Two stage coolers are more expensive and are usually centrally installed.

4. Know the drawbacks. Compared to air conditioners, all evaporative coolers require more maintenance such a regular cleaning, and need a steady water supply. Still, the water consumed is minimal, compared to other use in a home, a couple of gallons a day for a portable model.

5. The best news about evaporative coolers is that they cost about half as much to install as central air conditioning and use about one-quarter as much power.