How to Make an Evaporative Cooler Work Better

An evaporative cooler (also known as a swamp cooler) is a home cooling unit. It uses far less electrical power than the average air conditioning unit, in some cases only one-third or one-fourth as much. But evaporative coolers are really effective only in areas of fairly low humidity. And they don't make a house quite as cool as an air conditioner can. However, there are things you can do to make sure the unit cools to its maximum efficiency.

Instructions

1. Cover the evaporative cooler during the cool season. This will reduce wear and tear and make it work more efficiently.

2. Check the water supply leading to the evaporative cooler. Make sure the water is fully turned on. Also make sure that the connections from the water outlet and into the cooler are tight.

3. Check the line itself. This line is narrow (about the width of a coaxial cable). If it is leaking, this can reduce the efficiency of the cooler. Replace the line if it leaks.

4. Check the cooler's evaporative pads and replace them if necessary. Soiled or worn pads will hurt the cooler's efficiency.

5. Turn on the water pump switch 10-15 minutes before you turn on the cooler itself. This will fully soak the evaporative pads. If the pads are dry, the cooler will not cool.

6. Check that there is a small air outlet so that the house won't become too humid. Operating an evaporative cooler increases humidity in the house, which will in turn make the cooler less effective. The air outlet will lessen this problem.

References

• California Energy Commission: Evaporative Cooling