Do You Need to Open Windows for Evaporative Cooling?

Evaporative coolers, commonly referred to as swamp coolers, have the ability to produce cooler temperatures and add to the humidity in the air. Knowing how they work is critical so that they run as efficiently as possible. This brings up a very important question: Do you need to open windows for evaporative cooling to work properly?

The answer is dependent on how you plan to adjust the airflow and what type of location you are using the cooler in.

Adjust Air Flow

There are a few ways in which you can adjust the airflow. However, there is a basic concept that needs to be maintained: balance between the amount of air entering the room and leaving the unit.

Many of the smaller units, such as what’s used for single rooms or offices, are placed in a window. The open window generates all of the airflow that is needed to keep the system running efficiently.

In larger units, it’s not always necessary to open a window. Instead, the unit can be installed outside or on a roof. Then, ducts are installed to help move the air around the space. This also means that areas without windows, such as a warehouse or an airplane hangar, can utilize an evaporative cooler because there’s always air flowing into the space.

Improve Efficiency of the Unit

Obtaining the maximum efficiency of an evaporative cooler is critical. The idea behind opening a window is that it can also let the warm air escape. As cooler air fills the room and is circulated by the cooler’s fan, the warm air needs a place to go. Otherwise, you’ll find that your unit is constantly working harder to cool air that it has already had to cool already.

You can choose how much to open a window. If it’s a windy day, you might only need to open the window a small amount. It can be a trial and error to ensure that you achieve balance.

Of course, this works completely opposite with HVAC. You’d never open a window with an HVAC system because it uses recycled air. Your system would have to work in overdrive if you were to open a window.

Since an evaporative cooler works on an open system instead of a closed system, the open window (or door) can help dramatically. Of course, there are a few other ways to improve efficiency:

• Manage the water in the system
• Clean/replace the cooling medium
• Perform regular maintenance

If you find that opening the window is a constant problem, you’ll want to consider other ways to boost airflow in the space.

Where to Install Your Unit

There are plenty of options as to where you install your evaporative cooler – and it’s all the more reason why you want to work with a reputable dealer. Much of it depends on how much space needs to be cooled.

When you’re working with a single room, it makes sense to install the unit near a window. This way, you open the window in order to get the needed airflow. The wider you open the window, the more flow you get.

If you’re not going to place the unit near the window, you’ll need some other ventilation in place. This can be a door or an open space. Ideally, your exhaust area should be twice as large as the vent opening if you have AC vents.

Get Help with Selecting an Evaporative Cooler

Evaporative coolers work completely differently from HVAC units. As such, if you are used to working with the latter, you’ll want to work with a professional who can guide you through how to use an evaporative cooler – and maximize the efficiency.

At Premier Industries, Inc., we can help you find the right size for your space. We offer residential, commercial, and industrial coolers of all sizes and can make the customizations based on the amount of airflow that may or may not be entering your space.

Call us now to schedule a free consultation and learn more about evaporative coolers.

Categorised in: Evaporative Cooling

This post was written by Mike Nicolini