Alternative Energy Secrets

If you live in a dry region, you are lucky to be able to choose between an “evaporative cooler” also known as a “swamp cooler” and regular air conditioning. Still, many homes in dry regions opt for air conditioning systems. What are the advantages and disadvantages? How do these two systems which are designed to achieve the same purpose, differ?

Maybe its the word “SWAMP” ….that brings a vision of deluvian volumes of water, but there really is no need to fear that your water bill be will become outrageous with a swamp cooler running fulltime. Average usage is is 10 gallons per day, about the same as a quick shower.

So we don’t have to worry about water usage using the evaporation system, but what about energy consumption? That’s what we are really interested in. Well, this is where they really pay off, because conventional air conditioning uses FOUR to FIVE TIMES the energy to run than evaporative coolers. the ENERGY SAVING SECRET here is that the swamp cooler is putting nature’s natural cooling process to work, the same way that sweat cools our bodies. While air conditioning units are actually refrigeration just like your fridge uses. So the difference mechanically, is that all the swamp cooler has to run is a fan, while the air conditioning has to run a fan and heavy duty compressor.

So you suspect that a swamp cooler is wimpy compared to the frosty chill of A/C ? Maybe its that word “SWAMP” again… bringing to mind muggy Okefenokee conditions…yet they can drive your home temp down 20-30 degrees from the outside air temperature. So, lets see…95 on the street, 65 inside, not bad! 105 in the sun, 75 inside, still ok!