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Evaporative Coolers

In low-humidity areas, evaporating water into incoming air provides a natural and energy-efficient means of cooling. Evaporative coolers, also called swamp coolers, rely on this principal. An evaporative cooler is a completely different type of cooling system that works well in hot, dry climates.

These units cool outdoor air by evaporation and blow it inside the building, causing a cooling effect much like the process when evaporating perspiration cools your body on a hot (but not overly humid) day. When operating an evaporative cooler, windows are opened part way to allow warm indoor air to escape as it is replaced by cooled air.

Evaporative coolers cost about one-half as much to install as central air conditioners and use about one-quarter as much energy. However, they require more frequent maintenance than refrigerated air conditioners and they're suitable only for areas with low humidity.