Evaporative coolers have the ability to quickly cool a home, business, or warehouse. Not only can they lower the temperature significantly, but they can also add in some much-needed humidity. Understanding how an evaporative cooler works and how to increase its effectiveness can ensure you make the most of your unit.
You have to ask yourself: how can the effectiveness of evaporative cooling be increased? There are a few tips that you can follow.
Understand the Basics
An evaporative cooler works completely differently from a traditional HVAC system. The system uses evaporation. Air passes over a cooling pad that is soaked with water. The dampness creates evaporation, which allows the air to flow out at a cooler temperature than when it entered. Additionally, the air has more humidity in the air, which can also offer a cooling effect.
If your evaporative cooler isn’t working efficiently, one of the first things you want to explore is how much humidity is in the air. These coolers are known as swamp coolers because they produce humidity. High humidity areas won’t allow your system to work effectively. These systems work best when the air is hot and dry, such as in desert environments.
Get Sufficient Air Flow
The airflow inside of a room or building needs to be balanced. The amount of air flowing in should be similar to the amount of air flowing out.
There are a few ways to adjust the airflow. First, open a window or door to help with the overall air pressure. Second, consider installing ducts in the various rooms to help the airflow across the space.
Depending on the unit you install in your residential or industrial space, there may be ways for you to adjust the blower, too. This can ensure that you are cooling the areas you need in the most effective way possible.
Choose the Right Unit
It’s important to find an evaporative cooler that is properly sized for your space. It’s better to have a unit that is slightly larger than what you need as opposed to too small. You don’t want a unit that is incapable of providing you with sufficient airflow.
Working with a professional and reputable dealer will help you to explore the proper size cooler for your space and ensure that you have all of the necessary features.
Clean the Cooling Pads Regularly
The cooling pads are one of the most important aspects of an evaporative cooler. They are there to help cool the air. If the pads break down (and they will over time), you’ll want to clean and/or replace them. At the very least, you will want to replace your pads once a year.
Throughout the year, you can clean your pads. If there’s a significant amount of debris, it can block the airflow. Most pads can simply be rinsed off. If you find that there’s a significant amount of debris on the pads, you may want to look at your water reservoir and even your water resource to address filtration issues.
There are all sorts of different cooling pads – and they vary based on the type of unit that you have. Be sure to know what kind of pad your unit uses. If you find that your pad is breaking down quickly, consider investing in a higher-end pad.
Maintain the System
Maintaining a system is easy as long as you know what to do. You can either choose to have a company come in to service the evaporative cooler periodically or you can do everything on your own.
There are a few tasks involved with system maintenance:
Change old pads. Pads that can no longer be cleaned should be replaced. Be sure to clean the pad frame, too.
Scrape away mineral deposits. As mineral deposits appear, they can start to take a toll on your system. Over time, it can lead to more repairs. As such, you’ll want to clean the deposits at least on an annual basis.
Drain and flush the reservoir. The reservoir should be drained and flushed periodically so that there is freshwater. When this happens, scrape away scale as you see it, too.
Clean the water system. The water distribution system should be cleaned if you find that the pad isn’t getting wet enough. When you clean the system, make sure that the pump screen, water distribution tubes, and pump impeller are clean. If you see cracked tubing, be sure to replace it.
Lubricate the water pump. Use SAW 20 motor oil to make sure that the pump is properly lubricated so that it works efficiently.
Inspect parts so that wear and tear can be addressed. One of the issues you will want to be particularly aware of is the motor bolts. The belts should always have proper tension.
Most of the maintenance should be performed at the end of the season when you are ready to “winterize” your unit. However, if there are issues throughout the summer, you can perform these on an as-needed basis.
If you have any issues with maintaining the system, or you need to have parts replaced, be sure you call a professional who specializes in servicing evaporative coolers.
Address Issues Quickly
Finally, if you are having any kind of issue, whether it’s with the efficiency of the unit or insufficient cooling, call for maintenance. It may be possible that there’s a repair that needs to be made.
In some instances, various sensors and technologies can be incorporated into your evaporative cooler. This includes such things as an advanced monitoring system and even an app. It will make it easier for you to know what the temperature is and how effectively your unit is cooling the air.
Evaporative coolers have the potential to reduce the temperature in a space by 20 or 30 degrees. If you feel as though your unit is working on overdrive to produce a comfortable temperature, don’t hesitate to contact your dealer or a repair technician, such as Premier Industries, for help.
