Question on Evaporative Coolers

[encouraging loves animals]

We are renting a house with an evaporative cooler.
We don't know much about them.

Just wondering if the evaporative coolers make the house mouldy?

Anything else we should know about evaporative coolers?

 

[Monarchist]

The trick is to open Windows and or doors for the air to escape from the house. I recon they are far better than reverse cycle aircons even on humid days. Had one for years and not seen a bit of mould in my house.
They are environmentally very good too.
Enjoy using it.

 

[tigercub]

I always thought the point of E Coolers was to remove the moisture from the air...thus also removing any chance of mould?

Anyway they are a great idea for people who live in humid climates.

 

[GrannieAnnie]

I've had one for 10 yrs, they are good, but not so good when it's humid we've found. Our home is insulated, has ceiling fans and the house never gets above 27c on the hottest days when we have the air cond on. You do need to keep several windows and doors open, as has been suggested. They are also much cheaper to buy than reverse cycle ones. I presume you are talking about the roof ones, not the little ones that move around the house. We have the smallest model, with just 4 outlets and 10 yrs ago it cost about $4000 which was as much as we could afford. It's certainly much better than roasting.....

 

[tigercub]

You keep doors and windows open with a/c on?

 

[GrannieAnnie]

You keep doors and windows open with a/c on?

Only with the evaporative type....not the reverse cycle ones.

 

[encouraging loves animals]

With the evaporative coolers How many doors&windows should we kept open and how far open?

 

[GrannieAnnie]

With the evaporative coolers How many doors&windows should we kept open and how far open?

I think probably one window or door opening per room outlet and I think it only needs to be about maybe 5 inches open.....but we often have our front door open and we have a "doggie door" open 24/7. Somehow the more you have open....the better the system works. Though I wouldn't have an opening which is getting the direct afternoon sun. Someone who sells them would be able to tell you. I can't quite remember what we were told now, it's 10 yrs ago. But we've never had any problems. I know it sounds strange to say you need the house open when it's hot outside, but that's just how evaps work.

As I said in a previous post, our home is never hotter than 27c, which doesn't sound real cool, but compared to what it is outside, you really feel the difference when you come in from the heat.

I think you can do other things too to help make the house cooler without an air cond. Open the house at night so the cooler breeze comes into the house, keep the drapes drawn in the heat of the day. Fans can also help.

 

[ebia]

With the evaporative coolers How many doors&windows should we kept open and how far open?

Enought to let the air the air out freely.

Evaporative coolers draw air in from outside through wet filters and blow it into the house - as the air evaporates water off the filters in gets a bit more humid but a lot cooler. If the air can't get out of your house easily the cooler won't be very successful in pushing cooler air in.

By choosing which doors/windows you open you can direct the cool air to some extent to the rooms you want to cool - open the windows a bit in those rooms and that's the way the air will flow.

Additionally, if you don't have sufficient windows open they can slam doors very nastly if they swing in the right direction for the air-flow to do that.

The are very cost-effective in dry conditions, but not much help in humid conditions.

 

[ebia]

I always thought the point of E Coolers was to remove the moisture from the air...thus also removing any chance of mould?

Anyway they are a great idea for people who live in humid climates.

I think you are thinking of dehumidifiers. Evaporative coolers are pretty much the direct opposite.

 

[tigercub]

Oh yeah...duh me.

 

[GrannieAnnie]

Oh yeah...duh me.

No, no....not duh you........if you don't know about something, the only way you learn is to ask questions....it's good that you asked, there's always someone here ready to try and help you. (smiles) Annie