How To Use Air Cooler Effectively?
According to the experts, an evaporative air cooler does not work effectively in humid conditions. However, there are some things you can do to make them work and blast cooled air into the environment, even when humidity is high.
The only thing you really need to know is how an evaporative air cooler works and then use that information to increase the unit’s ability to cool even when the humidity is high in the room that you’re trying to cool. Following, you’ll find some simple tricks and techniques to help you do just that.
Reasons the Humidity is High
An evaporative air cooler is a great way to save a lot of money on your electric bill during the hot summer months. These are much more cost-effective than a traditional AC because it uses the process of evaporation to cool your space.
A traditional AC requires constant electrical energy to keep the refrigerants moving through the coils, but an evaporative cooler only uses electricity to run the fan that puts the cool air into your room.
In this article, we’ll look at some tips for using your air cooler effectively.
Use It In a Dry Climate
The very first thing you should be aware of is this: an evaporative cooler is most effective in a dry environment; it simply does not work well in a humid one. An evaporative cooler works by releasing fresh water into the dry air. As the water evaporates, the temperature is lowered. It’s a lot like sweating – your damp skin cools the dry air, which cools your body.
Use It Seasonally
If you live in a not-so-dry environment and you still want to try using an evaporative cooler, you’ll want to get a portable one instead of a full-house model. These can be moved from one room to another as needed, and you can put it away when it’s too humid to work.
Experts say that these units work best in humidity under 60%. If the humidity is over that, they are not as effective and may actually make things worse since they’re adding humidity to the air. If the humidity fluctuates in your area, pay attention to the weather. You will be able to use your unit on a dry day to keep your AC use low, which will save on your electric bill.
Open Windows
While you need to have a closed space to efficiently operate an AC unit, you need a steady source of fresh air when operating an evaporative air cooler. Anevaporative air coolerworks by evaporating water into the air and the more humid the air, the less effective the unit will be. Simply crack the windows in your space to allow some dry air in and damp air out. You might need to experiment to find the best combo for maximum efficiency.
Use a Dehumidifier
If the temperature outside is too hot to open windows, you can use a dehumidifier to pull the excess moisture out of the air. In fact, a dehumidifier is effective for helping your space feel cooler during the humid days because it makes the air drier so that your body’s natural perspiration is more effective.
Cultivate Your Green Thumb
Another way to decrease the humidity in your home is to add some houseplants to suck up the excess moisture. For best results, try the following:
- Air plants
- Aloe
- Boston fern
- Bromeliads
- Cacti
- English Ivy
- Euphorbia
- Peace lily
- Succulents
- Yucca
Try Various Placements
The smaller units are designed to cool a single room- not your entire home. Be sure to check what size area the unit is rated for and use it in that size room for best results. In addition, you might want to position the unit so that the fan blows directly to a particular area.
Prime the Pads
When you first get your unit, you need to give the pads time to absorb the water. This process can take up to 15 minutes, but once they’re wet, it’s easier for them to wick water from the tank. By giving the pads time to absorb the water, you don’t waste energy blowing the hot air around.
Use Cold Water – But Not Ice
While it’s true that hot water evaporates quicker than cold, you should use cool/room temperature water instead. One study showed that an evaporative cooler works best with water that is around 50 degrees. However, don’t put ice in your unit because the ice has to melt in order to evaporate- which takes some time.
Still, it does offer a quick burst of cool air, so you may want to add some ice right after your workout to cool the room quickly.
Regular Maintenance Is a Must
Finally, an evaporative air cooler is much more efficient when it’s properly maintained. You must take time to inspect and clean your unit for the first time in the season and before you put it away. In addition, you’ll want to perform an inspection around mid-season.