Tips for Swamp Cooler Maintenance Swamp Coolers, a primer on evaporative cooling - Swamp coolers are based on the natural process known as evaporation but crucially, only effectively work in low-humidity areas. So, how do they work? The idea behind swamp coolers is that evaporating water is cooler than the air around it, typically 20 to 40 degrees cooler. Given this fact, swamp coolers work by sucking air from the exterior of your home across pads saturated in water. As the cooled off air enters the home, it sinks, pushing the rising hot air out of the house. And yes, it really works.Before the summer starts is the right time for you to do some swamp cooler maintenance so that your air conditioning system will be ready for you to use. This means making sure that no debris has gotten into the system, cleaning out any dust, or bits of dirt that have found their way into the system over the cooler months. As well, you should take out the pan, rinse it out and make sure there is no sludge at the bottom.
Doing swamp cooler maintenance also means checking over the cooler pads. If they are cracked or splitting or in anyway look shabby, replace them. Once you’ve done these things turn it on to make sure it is running properly. Any noises that are unexplained, or water that appears to be leaking from somewhere, and you should take in to the shop to be serviced. You want to make sure that it is running properly before using it. When you’re ready to use the swamp cooler, be sure to first turn on the pump to give the pads time to be soaked, then after a few minutes, turn it all on. If you can its better to wait until the temperature is around eighty before turning it on. This will make better use of the water and cut down on how much water need be used by nearly fifty percent. During the summer, you must continue your swamp cooler maintenance. That means periodically performing swamp cooler maintenance on the pads to ensure they remain in good shape. Make sure they stay clean and if they don’t remove them carefully and clean them out. Check the pump and motor for unusual noises or overload. Make frequent checks to make sure that the water level does not go higher than it should. If you think it is exceeding what you set it at you should only need to adjust the float arm to ensure that everything is working properly. |
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next step is to check the belt. If its good and tight there is nothing
to do, but if the winter has cracked it or it has begun to hang
loosely then it needs to be replaced. When doing swamp cooler maintenance
all the mechanical parts should be checked and oiled before turning
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