Air conditioning units have long dominated the residential and industrial cooling markets, however, there is another alternative that may be just as effective. Evaporative coolers, also known as swamp coolers, are a relatively unknown cooling solution that you should consider. The best evaporative cooler systems all work on the same principle of evaporation cooling the atmosphere around it as water changes phase from liquid to gas. The exchange of energy in the phase transfer leaves behind cool air as the hot air evaporates.

This principle is harnessed by an evaporative cooler by means of a cooling pad that is wetted with water from a reservoir tank held inside the housing of the cooler. A pump then pushes the water over the pads, causing evaporation.

The cooled air is then dispelled into the room, a door or window should be left open to allow the air to exhaust outside. If you run an evaporative cooler in a closed environment, you may find that the surfaces in the room become damp. This is due to moisture that comes through with the air during the cooling process.

This situation is easily remedied by finding the right number of windows and doors that need to be open in order for the spent air to escape and take the moisture with it.

Evaporative coolers work best in hot, dry climates where they can pull in air that can easily be cooled by the coolers water system. If you were to use an evaporative cooler in a more humid environment such as the coast, then its efficiency and efficacy will be greatly diminished due to the moisture that is in the outside air. You can learn more here about the industry applications.

Choose the right solution

The best evaporative cooler solutions come in models that suit both residential and commercial use. They are fully controllable, allowing you to adjust air flow and temperature to your desired settings. To find out the right size cooler for your application, you need to refer to the BTU (British Thermal Unit) rating of the cooler. This rating gives you the power output and you can match this output to the size of your room that needs cooling. Evaporative coolers come in a range of sizes to suit any environment that is in need of cool air, areas as large as 125 square metres are easily cooled by these systems.

If you are unsure of the right size cooler, then call into our head office and ask to speak to one of our professional consultants that will walk you through everything you need to know in order to make an informed decision on which evaporative cooler to purchase.

Choosing the right size cooler is incredibly important as a cooler that is too large for the application will end up causing moisture build-up in the room and likely damage electronic equipment in the area. Conversely, a cooler that is too small will not have the sufficient strength in its pump and motor to cool the room properly, resulting in a room that is partial cooled, or not cooled at all. You can view the full range of GMC Air conditioning evaporative coolers in our online shop. 

Maintaining your cooler

Maintenance for your evaporative cooler is also a breeze. The coolers main working parts are the pump and fan, a simple electronic check is all it takes to ensure that they are working properly. Make sure to clean out the pads and the filter to prevent any stale odours at the start of the summer season when you switch the cooler on for the first time.

Check the cooler again at the end of the season and make sure that everything is in order. That’s all you need to do to make sure that you get years of service life from your evaporative cooler.

Air-cons vs. Evap coolers

The best evaporative cooler systems have become sought-after cooling solutions in recent years due in part to their low energy consumption and cheap running costs. The efficiency of an evaporative cooling system is far superior to that of a traditional air-con system and can end up saving you up to 80% of your seasonal heating bill, that alone means that the unit will pay for itself in cost savings within a few summer seasons alone.

Air-conditioning systems and the best evaporative cooler systems run off of different operating principles, therefore it is not a wise idea to run both systems at the same time as they will work against each other. So when you are looking for a cooling solution, consider an evaporative cooler for your home or office and enjoy cooling like it was meant to be.

The pros and cons

Cons;

• Reduced air control over large areas
• Requires windows and doors to be open
• Air is not purified as well as with an air-con
• Damp air may cause wooden frames in the home to swell

Pro’s

• Low maintenance costs
• High efficiency and great cooling savings
• Easy to install
• Lower emissions

Got any questions? No problem at all, you can view our FAQ page here and our blog here or why not contact us today and let one of the GMC Aircon team help with any queries you may have. You can also learn more about us here.