Why Did My Swamp Cooler Stop Working?

When your swamp cooler stops working, it’s important to know why.

You may be able to identify and perform the needed swamp cooler repair on your own or you can reach out to a professional.

In some instances, it may even be time to replace your evaporative cooler with a new one.

What is the Life Expectancy of a Swamp Cooler?

The life expectancy of a swamp cooler averages between 15 and 20 years when it is properly maintained.

Since there aren’t a lot of moving parts, it doesn’t require repairs like an HVAC system.

While some older units may not run as efficiently as they did in the past, they can still work to provide cool, humid air inside of a space.

The moment that you find that your swamp cooler isn’t working properly, you’ll want to schedule a repair.

It can ensure that the problem is overcome so that you can continue to get many more years out of the system.

The features of the swamp cooler may impact life expectancy. Further, there may be certain areas that require a swamp cooler to work harder.

When you live in a very hot and dry climate, your swamp cooler may last closer to 15 years while cooler areas along the East Coast of the U.S. may see coolers last closer to 25 years.

How to Identify if Your Swamp Cooler Has Any Problems

If you find that your swamp cooler isn’t providing cold air or it’s working harder to cool the air, it is important that you troubleshoot to find out what’s going on.

You will want to see what the air temperature is and if it’s providing you with the cool air that you have become accustomed to.

Additionally, check the exhaust ducts or open all of the windows to ensure you have sufficient airflow.

Look to see if there are any signs of damage to the cooler. You may find rust, a leak of water, or even mold and mildew growing on the unit.

If you find any of these, it’s a sign that you will need to schedule a repair – and potentially learn about proper storage during the colder season.

If you’re not getting power to the unit, you should also check the circuit breaker or fuse box.

This way, you can be sure that power is capable of reaching the unit.

By identifying the problem, you can start to figure out what kind of repair is necessary.

Possible Reasons Your Swamp Cooler Isn’t Working

There are quite a few reasons why your swamp cooler might not be working. Once you’ve checked over the various components, you can start to figure out what needs your attention – or if it’s time to call in a professional to schedule a swamp cooler repair.

Improper Maintenance

If you haven’t been maintaining your swamp cooler properly, there may be a clogged filter or even a damaged water line.

Stagnant Water

When you’re using the swamp cooler in an area where the air is humid, water can be left to sit inside the water pan. Over time, bacteria will grow, causing an odor.

Insufficient Cleaning

When you don’t clean your cooler every four to six months, you might find that various components start to corrode.

Over time, the corrosion will cause the system to be compromised.

When Is It Time to Replace My Swamp Cooler?

It’s important to know when it’s time to replace your swamp cooler. Typically, you’ll want to consider a few different factors:

• Age of cooler
• Level of efficiency
• Cost of repairs

If the cost of the swamp cooler repair is more than 50% of the cost of a new unit, it might be better to shop for a new unit.

Similarly, if you’ve been making a lot of repairs over the past few years, it can be a better investment to buy a new system.

Newer systems also have more tech to offer the ability to control the temperature and humidity levels more effectively.

When you’re ready to shop for a new evaporative swamp cooler, contact us at Premier Industries, Inc.

We can talk to you about the different systems and provide you with a free quote.

Categorised in: Swamp Cooler

This post was written by Mike Nicolini