Evaporative Cooler VS Air Conditioner: What is the Best Option?

When you want to cool your home or small business down, it’s important to explore the options. It comes down to evaporative cooler vs air conditioner.

By knowing what each has to offer, you can make an informed decision.

How Does an Evaporative Cooler Work?

Portable evaporative coolers can be set up in minutes to cool a space down considerably. A water-soaked medium is used to cool the air down and infuse it with more moisture.

These units work well in dry, hot climates. The air operates in an open system where it is circulated from the outside (such as from an open window or door) and pushed around the interior space with a fan.

Evaporative coolers are known for being energy-efficient, and they typically can operate for as low as $1 a day.

Additionally, there is not a significant amount of maintenance involved.

These coolers work best when there is a humidity level below 50%.

Depending on the model, there are various features that are available, making it easier to control the temperature as well as the level of moisture that is added to the air.

How Does an Air Conditioner Work?

Air conditioners work in the opposite way of evaporative coolers. Portable AC units should be placed in a closed-circuit environment (where doors and windows are kept closed).

Various chemicals, such as freon, are used to help create the cooler air that is blown through the space with a fan.

Non-portable units will also depend on the installation of air ducts to work efficiently.

Air conditioners don’t depend on dry climates to work appropriately.

However, while evaporative coolers add moisture to the air, AC units tend to remove moisture – which means that when the systems are used in dry climates, it can lead to discomfort.

They do offer precise temperature control and they can be easy to install in a window.

They’re not very energy efficient, so depending on the ambient temperature in the room, they can be expensive to operate.

Evaporative Cooler vs Air Conditioner

When you start to look at evaporative cooler vs air conditioner, the evaporative cooler ends up being the better investment in many scenarios.

As long as you are dealing with a hot and dry climate, the evaporative cooler can work efficiently and affordably.

The cooling technology in an evaporative cooler, also known as a swamp cooler, is more economical to operate.

It adds moisture into the air, which can help you with allergies, sinuses, and even dry skin.

They are also environmentally friendly because they don’t depend on any chemicals to cool the air.

You’ll find that the air is fresher with a swamp cooler because you’re getting the fresh air from the open doors and windows.

Air conditioners use recirculated air, which can lead to a stuffy feeling inside of the home or office.

And, if you open a window or door with the AC going, you end up causing the system to work even harder.

It’s important to look at the time you’ll spend maintaining a unit. Evaporative coolers allow you to clean your medium (filter) and reuse it.

Other than that, the only maintenance is to clean it before the off-season.

Air conditioners require regular filter changes and other maintenance to keep drain lines clean and other parts lubricated and working properly.

While air conditioners work well when there’s a lot of humidity in the air, most areas along the West Coast do better with an evaporative cooler because of the added humidity being placed into the air. Plus, there’s the added benefit that they run quieter than AC units.

When you’re ready to learn more about portable evaporative coolers, contact us at Premier Industries, Inc.

We have a variety of units to ensure you find one that will meet your needs.

Call us today so that we can begin working on your free, no-obligation quote.

Categorised in: Evaporative Cooling

This post was written by Mike Nicolini