Can You Use Evaporative Cooling Indoors Instead of AC?

AC is what most people think of in order to cool off their homes. While central AC is beneficial in some situations, it isn’t always ideal. An indoor evaporative cooler can be used in a number of instances, especially when you live in dry conditions with low humidity levels. Knowing when it’s time to explore an evaporative cooler (also known as a swamp cooler) can help to save you money and infuse humidity into the areas where you need it the most.

How An Indoor Evaporative Cooler Works

Indoor evaporative coolers don’t require ductwork to operate properly. In fact, they operate more effectively on an open circuit where doors and/or windows are left open to help with circulation. Since there is no ductwork, many are portable. You can move them to the room where you need the cooling qualities at the moment.

There are only two things needed for an evaporative cooler fan to work: AC and water. Depending on the model, the water can be piped in, or it can be placed into a water reservoir.

Dry air is pulled into the system. The air moves over a water-saturated cooling media. Then, through the process of evaporation, the air is cooled and dispersed back into the room.

As long as there is a constant supply of fresh air, you are able to use an evaporative cooler. Since it produces moist air, it works best in hot, dry climates. When it is more arid, the system works more efficiently.

Particularly when you find that you are in need of more humidity, the evaporative cooler can be a better solution in comparison to AC.

When It’s Best to Use an Evaporative Cooler Fan Instead of AC

You’ll want to really look at the temperatures inside – and what the humidity levels are. Should evaporative coolers be used over AC? Is it possible to use both?

Ideally, an evaporative cooler works best when it is hot and the humidity is below 70%. Places like Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas are constantly benefitting from evaporative coolers over AC.

It’s even possible to use both – just not at the same time.

You may want to use an evaporative cooler during the hottest months of the year. It can cool the air by 20 degrees quickly and without constantly running the system. Especially when the air is particularly dry, you will want the humidity to help to cool things down and make everything more comfortable for you. Even your skin will thank you for the extra moisture in the air.

On days when it’s not as hot or in the evenings when the humidity is on the rise, you may actually benefit from the AC. That’s when you’d turn the evaporative cooler off, close all of the doors and windows, and operate your AC. You can set the exact temperature that you want and forget about it.

You can also pick and choose where you want to use the evaporative cooler. For example, if you’ve added onto your home, you may want to use the evaporative cooler where you don’t have air ducts – or in areas that are closed off – such as a garage or basement.

The Benefits of Using an Indoor Evaporative Cooler

You will find that there are a lot of benefits of using an indoor evaporative cooler instead of AC – and these are the case regardless of whether the AC is a portable unit, or it is installed with ductwork.

Works Well in Dry Areas

Humidity is a must in order to remain healthy. If you are in a dry area, the evaporative cooler fan can produce more of the humidity that you are missing. The added moisture in the air can improve your sinuses and reduce your allergies. Additionally, the moisture can also help to protect your furnishings – if the air is too dry, it can have a negative impact on leather, wood, and other elements.

It’s Easy to Install

You will be able to set up an indoor evaporative cooler and begin seeing it work in just minutes. All you need is an electrical source and a water source.

It’s Easy to Maintain

There’s no refrigerant and not a lot of moving parts. This is beneficial when you look at the time and cost it will take to maintain the unit in comparison to AC. Evaporative coolers are known to work without a lot of maintenance. All you really have to do is remember to change/clean the cooling media periodically.

The System is Portable

You can use an evaporative cooler throughout the inside of your home or business as well as in outdoor areas. Many of the models have wheels, allowing you to easily move them anywhere that is too hot and dry. You can utilize it in a garage, a patio, or even a warehouse – areas where you cannot use AC.

It’s Energy Efficient

Evaporative coolers rely more heavily on the process of evaporation than anything else. There’s only a small amount of energy used. This means that they are considerably more efficient than traditional AC units. You’ll see the savings on your energy bill – and it will be a lot quieter to operate on a regular basis, too.

Final Thoughts

Evaporative cooling is a popular way to cool off any space, whether it is indoors or outdoors. It works in the complete opposite way of AC and doesn’t depend on refrigerant or ducts.

You have to take the time to learn more about the environment you’re in to decide if evaporative cooling will work better than AC. If you live in an area where there’s a significant amount of humidity in the air, AC may actually be the best option for you.

If you think that it’s time to benefit from an indoor evaporative cooler for your home or business, contact us at Premier Industries. We’ll take the time to analyze your property and recommend a unit that will work well to cool your space while saving you money on your energy bill

Categorised in: Evaporative Cooling, Uncategorized

This post was written by Mike Nicolini