Tips for Investing in the Right Evaporative Cooling Unit
There are many different types of equipment used to keep the home cool. Central air units are perhaps the most common, but they cost lots of money to install and maintain every year. Furthermore, they can easily inflate your utility bills and make you go overbudget. A useful alternative for your home is to invest in evaporative cooling. These units work by drawing stale/dry air from a room and passing it over moist surfaces. In response, your body will transfer heat into the cooler surrounding air, and you'll feel a cooling effect on your body.
Evaporative coolers can be used for both residential and commercial applications. However, you need to determine which unit works best for you before making the investment. Getting the best out of evaporative coolers will require a knowledge of your local climate, design of the home and cooling requirements. The following tips will help you make the best decision for your premises.
Start by understanding local weather conditions
Evaporative cooling works by passing dry air over a moist surface to induce a cooling effect. If the air is humid, evaporative coolers are less likely to function effectively. Humid air already contains lots of moisture, and thus the working principle of evaporative coolers is affected. This means that you should opt for this cooling option only in areas where the air is relatively dry.
If you live in lowlands or areas that are far off from large water bodies, evaporative coolers are an effective option. Avoid evaporative cooling if you live near the beach or any other warm, humid areas.
Choose a unit of the right size
The unique working mechanism of evaporative coolers makes them sensitive to proper sizing. Undersized units will be overworked and may end up requiring maintenance more often than necessary. Furthermore, a small unit won't be able to cool your space to the desired temperature. And if you choose an oversized unit, you may end up underutilising it and incurring high energy costs.
You can calculate the right capacity unit for your space by using the cubic metres per minute. This is the amount of air produced and channelled through your space for every minute that the unit is operating. Different room sizes have pre-calculated CMMs that you can refer to as a guide.
Stand-alone versus window-mounted
The choice between a stand-alone unit and a wall-mounted one comes down to convenience. Stand-alone units can be moved from one room to another as necessary, while wall-mounted units are fixed in place for a specific area.