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How An Evaporative Air Cooler Or Swamp Cooler Works

If you’ve ever lived or been to a place with high humidity, then you’re well aware of how uncomfortable it can get. Although it tends to make your skin softer, you would have to deal with sweating a lot. Your body uses the evaporative cooling method to keep you cool in such situations. This process includes making you sweat and then cool you down. That’s the same principle with which a swamp cooler works. Swamp coolers and evaporative air cooler are two terms used interchangeably to refer to the same product. It is very popular in dry, warm areas and locations with less moisture in the air. There’s been a swamp cooler vs air conditioner debate for a long time as people try to decide the better option. To help you make the perfect decision, you have to understand how swamp coolers work to keep you cool.

Understanding how an evaporative air cooler works will help you decide if it is suitable for your home. It will help you determine if you should invest in one or not for those who are confused. Below is a breakdown of how an evaporative air cooler or swamp cooler works; let’s take a look.

It Draws Water into the Swamp Cooler’s Bottom

When you turn on the swamp cooler, the water supply valves draw water into the swamp cooler’s bottom. The water will continue to pour into the evaporative air cooler until the float reaches a certain level. You can always find the float sitting on top of the water, and when it hits a certain level, it signals the water supply valve to get turned off.

Water Gets to the Evaporative Air Cooler

Once there’s enough water drawn into the evaporative air cooler’s bottom, the next step is to get the water to the cooler pad. The pump does the job by pulling water through the distribution lines. You can find these lines at the top of the evaporative pads, and the pump pours water through them. Those who favor the swamp cooler in the swamp cooler vs air conditioner debate can always pump more water into the evaporative pad if they feel it isn’t cool enough.

Warm Air Passes Through the Cooler Pads

Once the water reaches the swamp cooler pads, the motor begins to pull in warm air from the outside through the pad. Once the air passes through the pad, it is cooled down by the moisture and also cleansed. This process is tagged evaporative cooling and is similar to how your body cools down under warm temperature.

It Sends out Cool Air Through Vent to Cool the Home

Once the air passes through the evaporative pads and cool, the blower will direct the cool air through the vent or ductwork into the home. This process consumes far more energy than would be consumed if you were using the air conditioner. For those on the swamp cooler vs air conditioner debate wondering which option is more energy-efficient, the swamp cooler will be a better choice.