How to Keep an Evaporative Cooler Cold

Of all the types of air conditioning, evaporative coolers are the most dependent on outdoor conditions to cool homes and buildings. A standard air conditioner may run more in hot weather, but the air it blows into a home is always the same temperature. An evaporative cooler, on the other hand, is affected by the outdoor temperature and humidity levels, so the temperature of the air it blows indoors varies throughout the day and night. Early morning temperatures are likely to be the coolest, before the sun rises, while late afternoon temperatures are higher from daytime heating. A few steps, however, can cool the temperature of incoming air.

Awning or shade cover

Instructions

- 1
  Shade the cooler, if you can. If your evaporative cooler sits on your roof, your options may be limited if local zoning codes do not allow you to construct a shade shelter over your cooler. Side draft coolers rest in windows or sit adjacent to a wall and are easier to shade. Providing a shaded shelter can drop the air temperature by 1 degree Fahrenheit.
- 2
  Keep your cooler clean. When the pads crust over from hard water deposits, coolers work less effectively. Sometimes the hard water deposits also form on the fins that the pads sit inside, restricting the airflow, which makes interior air warmer.
- 3
  Run your cooler at lower speeds when the air becomes more humid, giving more water a chance to evaporate. Evaporative cooler efficiency is best when the air is dry and the dew point, the relationship between air temperature and humidity, is 55 degrees F or lower. When the humidity rises, the dew point does too, reducing evaporation rates. When the fan is on high, you are bringing in more warm air than when the fan is set on low.
- 4
  Use a ceiling fan or floor fan to circulate the air. Moving air always feels cooler than stagnant or slow moving air. Even though evaporative coolers circulate the air throughout rooms, adding a fan increases air movement, providing more comfort in hot weather.

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