How to Select an Evaporative Cooler

The question of how to select an evaporative cooler has an answer based in geography, economics and square footage. Evaporative coolers (also known as “swamp coolers,” but we’ll get to that in a moment) take warm, dry air from the outside and blow it past moistened cooler pads that cool the air prior to running it through the internal duct system.

As you consider purchasing an evaporative cooling system, keep the following things in mind:

They Work Better in the West

At a certain point east of the Rockies where the outside air is more humid, an evaporative air cooler is not going to help you. But if you live in the dry, warm climates of the west and southwest where the dew point is less than 50℉, it can lower the temperature of outside air by up to 30℉ as it brings the air inside.

Evaporative Coolers are Cheaper to Operate than Air Conditioning

They can be up to 75% more economical than standard refrigerant air conditioning, but their operation is not without some expense. Water consumption is a consideration. For example, an evaporative cooler can evaporate from 3 to 15 gallons of water a day, depending on the size of the cooler and how often it cycles water through the moisture pads.These systems also need to produce more air flow to be effective. So evaporative coolers also consume electricity, although not as much as refrigerant air conditioners. It takes a powerful, reliable electric fan motor to drive the evaporative cooling process in these systems. Zoro supplies evaporative cooler replacement motors to keep these systems running smoothly.

Get the Right Size

Evaporative coolers come in different cooling capacities, depending on the square footage of the space you need to cool down, whether a single room or an entire house (they can be incorporated into existing forced air duct systems). Instead of being rated in terms of BTUs, evaporative coolers are rated by CFMs (cubic feet per minute of air that it blows). The formula for determining the right capacity evaporative cooler for your needs is simple: divide the total number of cubic feet you want to cool by 2 to get the exact CFM required to cool that space.

Fun fact: the origination of the phrase “swamp cooler” to define these systems is unknown, but it probably refers to the swamping of the moisture pads, and not because these systems are deployed in buildings located in wetland areas. In fact, “swamp coolers” don’t work well in humid climates.

Moisture pads, casters, covers, water treatments and other accessories round out the experience for owners of evaporative coolers. Even with all the bells and whistles, evaporative coolers still provide an affordable alternative to most air conditioning alternatives for persons living in desert climates.

Product Compliance and Suitability
The product statements contained in this guide are intended for general informational purposes only. Such product statements do not constitute a product recommendation or representation as to the appropriateness, accuracy, completeness, correctness or currentness of the information provided. Information provided in this guide does not replace the use by you of any manufacturer instructions, technical product manual, or other professional resource or adviser available to you. Always read, understand and follow all manufacturer instructions.