An evaporative cooling device uses an electrical-powered fan that draws hot, dry heat through a dampened pad. Then, the fan blows the cooled air outside. This simple process uses less energy than standard air conditioners and does not require harmful refrigerants. Air evaporative coolers also cost less to install and maintain than central AC.
How Does An Evaporative Cooler Work?
The expert explains that evaporative coolers use evaporation to cool the air. "The liquid becomes gas when it evaporates. This causes the temperature to drop and releases the highest energy particles. This is why you feel cooler when your forehead gets wet on hot days.
Four essential components make up an evaporative cool: a fan and a water tank. Filter pads (sometimes known as media) are also included. After the process of evaporation, the temperature is quickly lowered before it is circulated again into the room. The internal pads act as a filter, removing dust and allergens.
Expert states that evaporative coolers work best in dry climates where there is a minimum of a 30-degree temperature drop. Expert states that although they may not be as efficient in less arid environments, they can still cool the surrounding air by five- to fifteen degrees. Expert recommends opening nearby windows to refresh the air and keep the breeze cool.
How Is An Evaporative Cooler Different From An A/C Unit?
Different technologies can be used with A/C and evaporative coolers.
Expert states that air conditioners are made up of chemical refrigerants. They use tubes and coils to heat and remove the hot air from your house, leaving behind dry and cooler air. Because the coils and tubes of the air conditioner absorb heat from the inside and let it out, they can be connected to the outdoor in many situations. For this reason, you can feel warm air outside from an air conditioner.
Evaporative coolers use the power of evaporation to naturally cool the air. Expert states that an evaporative cooler is more environmentally friendly because it consumes only one-fourth of the energy and costs half as much to set up as an air conditioner. The cooler air is not pushed through ductwork like central air conditioning units.
What Types Of Evaporative Coolers Are There?
Portable coolers have a lightweight design that is easy to transport. Expert says that larger models can cool spaces ranging from 500 to 3,000 square feet.
These indoor evaporative coolers are suitable for cooling single rooms or garages.
These outdoor evaporative coolers (also called Down discharge or down draft coolers) are intended to be installed on the roof.
Side draft (or side discharge) coolers are intended to cool the entire house. Most models are installed on the exterior of the building. However, some can be installed on its roof.
What Size Evaporative Cooler Should I Buy?
Check the CFM (cubic feet per hour) rating to find out how large an efficient evaporative cooler is. This refers to the cooling capacity of the unit in cubic feet per minute. The minimum CFM required to cool the area you desire is calculated by multiplying your length in feet by your height by the volume of the cooling space.
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers recommends that residential rooms get between five and nine air-conditioning changes per hour. Divide this total by 60 (minutes). This will give you the CFM rating. Some coolers also have a square-foot rating. Although it is not as precise as the CFM rating, it can still help choose the right cooler.