Know Your Options Before Choosing a Portable Evaporative Cooler

So you’ve decided to make the transition from traditional air conditioning to a portable evaporative cooler in Phoenix, AZ. Congratulations! You are on your way to saving money on your energy bill, and experiencing the comfort of fresh, cool air breezing through your home all summer long. But before you make an impulse purchase, make sure you understand your options and what your home needs before buying your evaporative cooler.

Determine your home’s CFM

Your home’s cubic feet per minute (CFM) rating measures how much air cycles through the house each minute. You can calculate your home’s CFM using this formula: multiply the number of square feet in need of cooling by half the ceiling height. Once you’ve found this number, look for an evaporative cooler that has the corresponding CFM rating.

Choose the type that’s right for you

Choosing the correct type of evaporative cooler depends on what type of space you want to cool down. If you’re looking to cool your whole house, you will need a whole-house cooler, which comes in “down discharge” and “side discharge” varieties. Down discharge coolers are installed on the roof of your home, and force cool air downward. Side discharge coolers are installed on—you guessed it!—the side of your home.

If you are looking for to cool just one room, a window-mounted evaporative cooler may be a good option. And if your room is less than 300 square feet, you might even be able to get away with a portable evaporative cooler in Phoenix, AZ.

There are two different types of pads to choose from as well: fiber and rigid media. Fiber pads are made from various materials such as wood shavings and synthetic fibers. They are more economical and work well with units that have inlets on many sides. But they require more maintenance and need to be replaced more frequently. Rigid media pads, meanwhile, allow air to pass at a lower velocity, which increases humidity and reduces air temperature. They are made of corrugated sheet material, and while they are much more expensive than fiber, they have an extremely long lifecycle and require less maintenance. Rigid media pads are better suited for units with single inlets.

Choose your accessories

Understand the features that are available on different evaporative cooler models and whether they would be beneficial for your cooling needs. Some evaporative coolers come with a “purge pump,” which automatically dispels water every 6-8 hours. This works well for people who have mineral rich water, as it prevents the minerals from building up.

A ceiling vent is another accessory you may want to consider, especially if you are not keen on keeping your windows and doors open to allow for the airflow that evaporative coolers need. The ceiling vent will allow you to keep your windows and doors closed, while it pushes air through an exhaust vent and throughout the whole house.

Purchasing a portable evaporative cooler in Phoenix, AZ is an exciting endeavor, considering how much money you will save, and all the fresh clean air you’ll be breathing. But before you buy, contact Premier Industries Inc. to make sure you know your options and make the best choice for your home.

Categorised in: Evaporative Cooling

This post was written by Mike Nicolini