A crooked pair of pads isn’t absorbing water. Instead, the cooling fluid is leaking. No matter how efficiently the pump operates, the temperature around the evaporative cooler barely drops. Fan action helps, but the drop is barely perceptible. Then, if the leak worsens, an ugly pool forms around the appliance housing. What’s the problem? Surely a little bit of spilt water isn’t an issue.
It’s a Health Risk
Bacteria spreads. It takes up residence in the pool. That’s a bad enough situation if the unit is stationary, and it’s even worse if the evaporative cooler is portable. Wheeled from one end of the factory floor to another, bacterial colonies spread. Again, that’s a bad situation in an occupied warehouse, but what if the cooler is operating inside a food processing environment?
What’s Causing the Leak
It doesn’t take much effort to track down the culprit. A poorly winterized appliance maybe has a cracked reservoir or a burst hose. That problem occurs often when winterized appliances are returned to service after a cold seasonal break. Poorly installed evaporative pads are another issue, as stated up top. The pads stay dry, the discharged water runs down the fan frame, and it ends up on the floor. A slip, a fall, and a company accident record is filed because someone broke an ankle. If these pools are consistently forming under the evaporative cooler, it’s time to express concern.
The Deeper Problems
The leak is worsening. This particular leaky model is located on the second floor of a hot building. The water isn’t just leaking, it’s sinking into the floor and damaging the lumber under that floor. Sinking deeper, a patch of black mould is growing on the first-floor ceiling, right under the evaporative appliance. Without question, the foreman or owner in here should be very worried; spores are about to float free and hamper employee respiratory systems. As for the lumber damage, well, that’s going to cost a pretty penny. Get that appliance off the floor.
All is not lost. A cracked reservoir is a hard to remedy a problem, especially when it’s an integral part of the cooler. However, maybe you’ll get lucky. Loose hoses are easy to repair, after all. Likewise, a split pipe or hose can be replaced. With that said, the major concern here is a safe occupational space. Animal livestock areas certainly don’t want a water leak, safe working practices can’t afford a nasty fall, and a structure just can’t be allowed to develop mould and soggy limber. If the leak is spreading, it just won’t dry up, the appliance needs to be taken out of service.