Swamp cooling (or evaporative cool) is a popular, economical way to cool down your home in the southwest. Swamp cooling is best used in dry, hot climates. Basic Swamp Cooler functions start with a pan of water which will gradually fill with water as it evaporates. The water is transferred from the pan to the swamp cooler pad, which absorbs and drains it back into the pan. The wet pads filter the air that is pulled from outside by an electric motor. It then gets pushed inside the house via a conduit. The wet pads cool the air, which then gains humidity. The cooler air from supply and return will cool the entire home. The supply is the air flowing out of the registers or vents within the house. The return is a window or door. The heat will be absorbed by the air in the house and pushed outside by the air. The result is a cooler, more manageable environment on a hot day.
How to Use a Swamp Cooler
Locate the swamp cooling control – A panel similar to any of the controllers shown below, the swamp cooler control is located in the middle of the control panel. There are many variations. There are also manual controllers as well as digital thermostat controllers.
Turn the pump ON – First, wet the pads with the pump before you turn on your fan. If you have a manual control keep the pump running for at least 5 minutes to make sure the pads are sufficiently wet. You can then turn the fan on high or low to circulate cool air around your home. Digital thermostat control can be used to set the fan and pump to automatically turn on by setting a temperature threshold. The cooler will turn on when the home reaches a specific temperature.
Always keep a window (or more) open while running your swamp cooling unit. The cool air from the swamp coolers is forced through the duct system of your home and hot air escapes through the windows. This is in contrast to refrigerated Air Conditioning which requires that you close all windows and doors when the air conditioner is turned on.
How to get more out of your swamp warmer
Here are some quick tips, along with a short video showing you how to get the best out of your swamp cooler.
Make sure you have your pads wet. First, check to see if your swamp cooler is cooling your home. If your pads aren’t getting wet, your swamp cooler will blow hot air from the outside into your home. Your pads may not be getting wet enough. There could be problems with your pump or clogged water lines.
You should make sure that you have sufficient windows open to allow the hot air to escape. You should also open windows in the hotter areas of your home to allow cooler air to flow through them.
Set a temperature for your swamp cooling system to turn on or off.
Humidity Cooling effectiveness of a swamp cooler depends on outside humidity. The cooler will not be able to reduce the indoor temperature of your home if the humidity is too high.
If your swamp cooler continues to be problematic after these tips have been applied, you may need to hire a professional.
