Is a Swamp Cooler and Effective Way to Cool My Home?

Swamp coolers are popular in Tempe, AZ and throughout the Valley of Sun. We’ll look into some of the reasons why in this post. But first, of course, we have to answer the question that comes up the most when talking about swamp coolers:

What exactly is a “swamp cooler”?

A swamp cooler is also known as an evaporative cooler, and it’s a type of air conditioning system that is different from the conventional AC that uses chemical refrigerant to provide cooling for homes and buildings. The standard air conditioner circulates its refrigerant between a set of coils to absorb heat along the indoor coil and then exhaust the heat through the outdoor coil.

By comparison, a swamp cooler uses water to lower the temperature of the air before it enters a home. Fans pull outdoor air into the swamp cooler, and the air passes over damp sponges, which are kept wet through pumps. The air loses heat to the water through a process of evaporation. You feel the same effect when a cool breeze from off a lake or the ocean brushes against your face. The cooled air then enters the house.

Yes, this is an effective way to cool down your house

Although swamp coolers don’t have the same level of cooling power as a refrigerant-based system, they do work very well in dry environments—such as ours. High water moisture in the air makes swamp coolers less effective (so they wouldn’t work in an actual swamp), but the arid conditions in Tempe are ideal.

What really makes a swamp cooler appealing, however, is that it costs much less to run than a conventional air conditioner. The swamp cooler only requires enough electricity to run the pumps and the fan. There’s no compressor to drain away energy. If you are looking for a way to save money during the year on your air conditioning bills, a swamp cooler may be the right choice for you.

Do you want to know more about swamp coolers? Then just give Magic Touch Mechanical a call. We serve Tempe, AZ and the Phoenix area.