A swamp cooler, also known as an evaporative cooler, is a cost-effective and eco-friendly way to keep indoor and outdoor spaces cool and fresh. This type of cooler is often used to cool down covered porches, warehouses, living rooms, garages, and more.
Swamp coolers use evaporation to cool the air. The fan will take the warm air, and it will pass through the water-moistened cooling pads. Evaporative coolers are capable of cooling up the air up to 24 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you’ve been using your evaporative coolers for a long time, you should know how to make swamp cooler more efficient. Here are a few simple tips on how you can do it.
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Wet The Pads Before Your Turn On The Fan
One of the simplest methods to keep your swamp cooler efficient is to let the cooling pads absorb water from the reservoir before you turn on the fan. Most people will turn on the fan as soon as the tank is full, and they wait for the evaporative cooler to release cool air.
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You have to remember that it would take about 15 minutes for the pad to be fully soaked in water, so you are wasting energy for 15 minutes since the cooler will only blow up hot air during that time. Here are the things that you should do before you turn on the fan.
- Fill up the tank before you start the cooler.
- Once the tank is filled, start the cooler and let the pads become soaked with water.
- Once the pads are soaked, refill the tank so you’ll have more time to use the cooler before you refill it.
- Let the pads soak for about 12 to 15 minutes before you start the fan.
How Often Should You Change Swamp Cooler Pads?
If you are using common brands, it is better to replace it before the start of the summer season. If you are using high-quality brands, they usually last longer, so you should replace them every three to five years.
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Use Cold Water
Most of you would think that using hot water is better since it would evaporate faster than cold water. Most people thought the same thing since the process involves evaporation of water to keep the air cool and fresh.
If you want to improve your swamp cooler efficiency, it is best to use cold water or water that comes directly from the cold tap on your kitchen. A physic study already showed that evaporative coolers would work best on cold water, and the performance would decrease if you use hot water.
However, never use ice on your swamp cooler. It doesn’t help much because the ice would have to melt first before it would evaporate, instead of putting it inside the tank. Just put the ice in front of the machine. Although it will provide a burst of cold air, it won’t last long, so think about it before using ice.
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Open The Windows
The evaporative cooler is completely different from air conditioning units. When you are using an air conditioning unit, you have to keep all the doors and windows closed. Swamp coolers are different because the area should have a small space where the air can go in and out.
Swamp coolers work best if there is a steady stream of fresh and cold air from outside. You don’t have to open your windows fully. You need to open the windows a bit, just enough for the hot air to go out and the fresh air from outside to go in. It would help if you also positioned the evaporative cooler properly to maximize airflow.
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Use a Dehumidifier
If the outside is just too hot to open your windows, you can always use a dehumidifier to help with your swamp cooler. The main job of a dehumidifier is to draw excess moisture from the atmosphere and put it inside a water tank.
Using a dehumidifier can already improve the coolness of your house, but it can also be a support mechanism to make sure that your swamp cooler will be more efficient.
Using a dehumidifier can also make sure that you can minimize swamp cooler repair since the equipment won’t have to work overtime to keep the temperature tolerable. So consider a dehumidifier installation if you want your swamp cooler to be sufficient.
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Get A Digital Thermostat
If you want to make sure that your swamp cooler is more efficient and you are not wasting energy, you need to install a digital thermostat to automate its functions.
The main job of a thermostat is to make sure that it would turn on or off depending on the temperature of the area. You do not have to manually press the on and off button because if the area is cool enough, the cooler will turn off automatically. If the area starts to heat up, the cooler will turn on automatically.
If you don’t know how to install a thermostat, it is better to ask for a technician to help you because the wirings are very complicated. They can also help you program the swamp cooler depending on your preference.
Final Thoughts
When improving your home, you think of every detail – installing new floors, changing doors and windows, refinishing cabinets, making the air better. So using a swamp cooler is one of the best ways to keep your house cool. Although it doesn’t use as much energy as air conditioners, finding ways to make it more efficient is the best way to save money and to make sure that the unit will not break down easily. You can follow the simple tips above if you want your swamp cooler to always be in the best condition.
