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What is a swamp cooler? A swamp cooler (also sometimes known as an evaporative cooler) is essentially a box-like frame containing a fan that is walled in by water-wetted pads, that are usually made of cedar shavings or cellulose. The fan sends the hot air through the dripping pads (which are continually soaked by a water pump) in the swamp cooler, cooling the air by about 20? F as the air evaporates water molecules from the pads. The fan then blows the water-cooled air through the house and out a vent (usually an open door or window) to maintain a balance in the air pressure of the building. Swamp cooling units can be either portable or stationary (roof or window mounted) systems. Portable swamp coolers can be moved from room to room while the stationary systems, especially the roof mounted units, remain in one place and create a central cooling system for the entire building. How are swamp coolers different from air conditioners? Air conditioners use a compressor to cool the air and they are a lot more efficient than swamp cooling units when it comes to cooling the air. They can bring down the temperature based on the thermostat so they shut off and on automatically, rather than having to be turned on or off manually or by remote control, as is the case with swamp coolers. They displace hot air to the outside and cool the inside air with refrigerant that is contained in the system. However, air conditioners require venting kits to aid in hot air removal and they also dehumidify the air. If you are in a dryer climate, where the relative humidity is below 50%, a swamp cooler may be a better choice for your cooling needs. Not only is it a more cost effective means of cooling your building but it will humidify the air as well. What size of swamp cooler should you use? Swamp coolers vary in size from small, portable units to large, roof mounted units. The size you need will depend on how much space you want to cool down and what the relative humidity is in your area. Portable swamp coolers are the most versatile systems for homes or small offices. They can be moved from one room to another to cool smaller areas, which can be more cost effective when there are specific areas or rooms where people tend to congregate regularly. Portable swamp coolers can range in size from approximately 20 inches high to approximately 42 inches high. Don't be fooled by the size of the portable cooler, though. Some of the smaller units can cool up to 600 square feet of area while some of the larger units may cool smaller areas. For larger buildings, such as office buildings, in arid climates, a roof mounted swamp cooler may be the better choice because it acts like a central air conditioning unit. Using the same type of duct work as a central air conditioner, the swamp cooler can be used to cool many rooms in one building. Whatever the size of the swamp cooler you choose, remember that it has to be used in a fairly dry climate to work effectively/efficiently. Swamp coolers can cool the air by about 20? F and can also act as a humidifier. How does a swamp cooler work? The way a swamp cooler operates is fairly simple. There is a motor which pumps the water from the bottom of the cooler to the top, where it falls down the sides, along porous filter pads. A second motor drives a fan which pulls hot air through the swamp cooler and then pushes it into the hot room. The main cooling action is the water evaporating as the air passes through the cooling unit. (Coincidentally, the water level is kept constant in the larger units with the help of a floating sphere functioning similar to the one in a toilet tank reservoir. The portable units have tanks that require filling on a regular basis or have tanks for ice, which also needs to be replaced on a regular basis.) The hot air enters the swamp cooler, where two small motors power nothing more than a fan and a pump, which sends cool air into the hot room. What kind of maintenance does a swamp cooler require? The larger window and roof mounted swamp coolers typically need to be maintained at the beginning of the cooling season (usually around May or June) and at the end of fall, depending on your location. To maintain the large swamp coolers, be sure to have all of the necessary tools at hand. A screw driver will be needed to remove screws for the access panel. Wrenches or pliers to hook up the water supply and an oil can for oiling the motor on the swamp cooler are also handy items to have ready. Use your garden hose for cleaning up any debris and a flashlight helps you look into the corners of the cooling unit for anything that might clog the air or water passage. If the swamp cooler is mounted on the roof, this will mean that you will have to climb up to perform the maintenance. Please be sure to take all necessary precautions when maintaining any outside cooling unit. Maintaining a portable swamp cooler is quite a bit easier than maintaining the larger units. In fact, most portable swamp coolers don't require any maintenance at all, other than adding water to the tank when necessary. Depending on your needs, and on whether you are able to climb or tolerate heights, a portable swamp cooler may be the better choice when it comes to maintenance. For more information on swamp coolers, see our web site at: Air and Water, Inc.
Article Source: http://www.articledestination.com
Vicki Hartman works for Air & Water, Inc. Please see the company web site for more information on Evaporative Swamp Coolers.
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