How Does an Evaporative Cooler Work? All Your Questions About Swamp Coolers, Answered

An evaporative cooler, also known as a swamp cooler, is a very efficient personal cooling method. It can become your best cooling friend for camping, working out, focusing on deadlines, meditating — the list of how you can use it is endless. But do evaporative coolers work as well as they say? To show you how they function and how you can make the best of them for your cooling, stay with us during this article, and by the end, you’ll know all the benefits of swamp coolers.

What is an evaporative cooler? The basics of swamp cooling.

It is in the name — evaporative coolers use the evaporation of water for cooling air. So how do swamp coolers work? They take the outdoor air and pass it through a medium such as pads or cartridges like Evapolar. When the air goes through this medium, the water on the surface evaporates and causes a drop in temperature.

Many people mistake confusing an evaporative air cooler by simply placing a fan in front of a bucket of cold water. However, today’s cooling devices are becoming more and more sophisticated, using modern technologies to bring you the best cooling results, several levels above a simple fan.

The parts that make up an evaporative cooler.

The beauty of evaporative coolers is that they are simple and effective at the same time. A classic model of an evaporative cooler consists of the following parts:

1. A reservoir for water distribution. The size of this water reservoir/tank will define how long the air cooler can produce cool air without being refilled. For example, the capacity of Evapolar’s water tanks allows them to work for up to 9 hours.

2. A fan. This part in evaporative cooling draws the hot air inside the device.

3. Water pads (or cartridges). They absorb the water, and their quality is also directly relevant to the cooling capacity of your cooling device.

Depending on the air cooler size, year of creation, cooling capacity, and other factors, it can be equipped with other parts. For instance, the modern and powerful Evapolar air coolers use a cartridge made from unique evaBREEZE® material from basalt. The advantage of basalt is that it has a substantial evaporative surface and creates a strong capillary effect, with super-efficient air cooling. Read also: Swamp Cooler vs. Air Conditioner

How Does an Evaporative Cooler Work?

By using evaporation, an evaporative cooler lowers the temperature around you. The system drags in the air from the outside, the warm air is pumped through the water pads, and the air loses its heat to the water. As a result, the air cooler exhausts chiller air.

Swamp Cooler Benefits

• Natural way of cooling. Evaporation is a cooling method invented by nature. New models like Evapolar also don’t use freon-like liquids, contrary to the air conditioners.
• Energy efficiency. Air coolers are designed for personal cooling. As a result, you don’t wait until the whole room cools down to feel some effect — you simply direct the airflow at you and enjoy.
• Portability. For instance, Evapolar models weigh under three pounds and are 100% portable, which means you can take them anywhere.
• Price. An excellent evaporative air cooler costs around 99USD. Bonus: running an evaporative air cooler is cheaper than having an AC on. Read also: Should You Use a Swamp Cooler

Swamp Cooler Downsides

• Limited capacity in humid conditions. Evaporative cooling is very effective in dry conditions. However, an evaporative cooler works worse when it’s sweltering outside.
• Works best for personal cooling. There are larger swamp coolers created for cooling big spaces. However, most swamp coolers are best for immediate personal cooling. So, if you are looking for a device to cool down a whole room in the house, it’s better to go for a different cooling method.

Evaporative cooling for home — how to know if it is the right choice for you.

Do air coolers work in all the conditions? If you are looking for an air-cooling device for your place, an evaporative air cooler can be ideal, given that it fits specific criteria.

1. You are looking for a personal cooling device. Are swamp coolers effective? Of course, they are most effective for personal cooling. There are larger swamp cooling systems designed for warehouses and large surfaces. However, most air coolers are for personal cooling.

2. You live in a place with low humidity. Evaporative air coolers work best in high heat and low humidity. It is even better if you are looking for an air humidifier at the same time. Coolers like Evapolar are also very efficient in getting that sweet extra humidity in the air, good for the skin and the hair.

If you live in a dry climate, your swamp cooler will work better than in humidity. Why? Evaporation is one of the most natural processes out there. You experience it every day while sweating. Your body cools down when the wet skin cools down in dry air. If the air is too humid, there is already too much moisture in the air for efficient evaporation.

To increase the swamp cooler’s efficiency in humid areas, you can use it together with a dehumidifier.

Evaporative air coolers are also the right choice for you if you are looking to:

• Save on electricity
• Use the healthiest and most natural cooling method
• Use a small device that is easy to store and doesn’t take much space

Getting the Best Out of Your Evaporative Cooler

On top of being very efficient, evaporative air coolers are also very easy to manipulate. As a result, you can boost their effectiveness in a few simple steps:

1. Open a window! Air coolers work best when the windows and/or doors are open because they need a fresh air supply for proper functioning. In addition, opening windows in the room with an air cooler ensures better air circulation and avoids moisture build-up.

2. Take care of your device. To make a swamp cooler more efficient in the long run, proper maintenance will give it a long, healthy, and happy life. For example, Evapolar air coolers are very easy to take care of, and they also have replacement cartridges to freshen up your device every 3 to 6 months.

3. Use cold water in your air cooler. How do swamp coolers work? They use water for evaporation, and the water temperature is a good trick. The ideal water temperature for an air cooler is room temperature or slightly warm. This is one of the surest ways to make your swamp cooler more effective. You don’t need to use ice-cold water for the best performance — it doesn’t change anything when it comes to evaporation. For example, Evapolar air coolers will ideally get the job done without freezing your device.

4. Position the airflow correctly. If your air cooler is equipped with a grid, position the airflow towards you. For example, let’s say you are doing yoga on the mat. Place the device on the floor and direct the grid slightly above to feel that breeze when changing postures. The more precisely you direct the airflow, the more cooling benefits you will experience.

You can check out more air cooler efficiency lifehacks in one of our recent articles here.

Choosing a Portable Evaporative Cooler

Are swamp coolers effective? We can say with certainty that if you choose your portable evaporative cooler correctly, it will be most effective for your needs. Here are some things to consider:

1. Personal needs. Will you be using the air cooler the whole day? Is it for travel or your permanent residence? Answering several questions will help you define what type of air cooler you need. In any case, portable, powerful devices like the evaCHILL model do a great job both when you travel and at home.

2. Humidity. How well do evaporative air coolers work in humidity? If you live where the humidity levels are below medium, we recommend opting for a different cooling device.

3. Pricing. While it may be tempting to pick the cheapest option out there, make sure that it is worth your money in the long run. You can check out how to calculate the cost of running an AC in our article, and we also cover the cost of running an air cooler.

4. Design. Specific air-cooling models can provide a decent level of cooling; however, the design part is left behind. On the plus side, some modern air coolers are designed to fit with any house décor thanks to their sleek, minimalist look.

5. Sizing. The beauty of evaporative air coolers is their portability. You can plug it into a power bank with a USB cord and enjoy the cool air everywhere. So you might as well choose the lightest, most portable model to make the best out of it wherever you are — move it in between rooms, take it on a trip, place it in the camping van, etc. Evapolar lightest model is 1.65 pounds which makes it the weight of a water bottle.

6. Noise. Since evaporative coolers are designed to cool down your personal area, chances are, they will be placed right next to you when working. You don’t want the noise of the device to be a distraction. Rule of thumb: go for models under 60 Db, with 55 Db being the equivalent of a quiet conversation. You can read this detailed article on Buzzfeed, where the reviewer measured exactly how much noise an Evapolar air cooler produces at different speeds.

Some reviews complain that evaporative air coolers don’t cool down the room. Unfortunately, this is because the reviewers don’t read the description carefully. An evaporative cooler unit is created for personal cooling, not for cooling entire rooms. It would be like complaining about being in a car instead of a train — they are both means of transportation; however, they use different moving methods and serve an additional amount of people simultaneously.

An evaporative air cooler is a beautiful cooling method thanks to its energy-efficient functioning, minimalist design, portability, natural cooling methods, lower noise levels, and perfect small dimensions. But, if you are looking for a model that has all these simultaneously, look no more — Evapolar air coolers are the coolest fit. They save 100 times more energy than an air conditioner, are under 2 pounds, produce under 55Db noise and focus on cooling your personal space to make you comfortable, wherever you are.

People also ask (FAQ):

1. Does a swamp cooler lower the temperature?

Yes, a swamp cooler lowers the temperature around you in your personal space. Evapolar air coolers can lower the temperature in your immediate area by 5 to 10 degrees, depending on the initial conditions.

2. Are swamp coolers effective in humid conditions?

Most swamp coolers work best in dry, hot conditions. This is because humidity interferes with the evaporation process.

3. How much does a swamp cooler cool the air inside a large room?

Swamp coolers are created to cool down personal spaces, not large rooms, which is why they are light, portable, and consume very little energy. Indeed, swamp cooling systems are custom-made for larger surfaces that also use evaporation. Still, we are talking more about the models available on- and offline for the larger public.

4. Are evaporative air coolers suitable for people with allergies?

Evaporative air coolers are not meant to heal any type of disease or allergies. However, due to the natural way of cooling, they only improve the air quality. For example, unlike fans, they don’t blow the dust around and don’t use freon-like liquids, contrary to the air conditioners.

5. Do swamp coolers really work, or is it just marketing?

If a swamp cooler is working in a place with low humidity, is appropriately positioned and correctly sized, it cools the air around you, and it does really work. You can refer to other articles in our blog to see whether a swamp cooler will work for your space, how to size it, and whether it is the right fit for your needs.