This next question pops up often. It goes something like this: how do you use portable evaporative coolers effectively during a hot spell? The answer is simple. Just like any other efficient machine, the equipment must be adjusted so that it performs at its best. In order to achieve that optimized performance goal during a heat wave, follow this guide. Quick, before the mercury level climbs, let’s get started.
Establish Your Baseline
Act like you’re resetting your evaporative cooler. Empty the tank and carry out some basic maintenance routines. If the water filters are old, they’ve already begun to clog with dirt. Remove them and clean the sieving media. Otherwise, consider a replacement filter. Similarly, the water absorbing pads located on or around the fan enclosure need maintenance. Just run the checks until the unit is purring away at its very best. You’re going to need that high-performance edge when the heat really beats down.
Balance the Airflow
It’s no use turning the fan speed to its highest setting if the air is trapped in a stuffy room. The incoming airflow should match the outgoing air. By following this tip, you keep the humidity level manageable. If things go wrong, the unit will continue to cool the local environment, but the room will become damp and the air heavy. A correctly configured room scoops out the wetness before it saturates the air.
Adopt a Cooler-centric Strategy
By this point, you’ve opened windows and checked to make sure the convection currents are moving unrestricted. All is good, but what about the cooler? Sure, the maintenance work acts as a good baseline setup mechanism, but now the gear has been in operation for half a day. Is the evaporative cooler flagging? Check the settings on the control panel. Is the unit designed to operate in a large space? This is an opportunity to check the CFM rating, the Cubic Square Feet capability of the water-based cooler. Read the appliance manual and find a simple formula to measure the CFM.
At the end of the day, this is a two-part battle, one that comes at the evaporative cooler from two directions. Internally, the cooler needs the power and mechanical health to deal with a specific room setup when the heat load expands. That room must also be configured to maximize the passage of the air. Finally, choose a branded model, an evaporative cooler that intelligently wields its cooling muscle so that the hot climate you’re battling is transformed into a cool breeze by a capable model, not some generic underperformer.