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This post is the tenth in a multi part series on swamp cooler repair, maintenance, and replacement. If you haven’t read parts 1 – 9, I recommend you do before continuing. Direct (open circuit) swamp coolers (continued) Direct evaporative coolers are the simplest and, generally speaking, cheapest type of swamp cooler. However, they do have one large disadvantage – the high humidity of their output stream. Humidity values in the 80% range are fine when it’s very dry out, but […]

This post is the ninth in a multi part series on swamp cooler repair, maintenance, and replacement. If you haven’t read parts 1 – 8, I recommend you do before continuing. Fortunately, the modern consumer has far more choice when it comes to air conditioning than folks did back in the 70s and 80s. There are direct, indirect, and two stage evaporative systems, refrigerated air systems, heat pumps, and more. But with so much choice, how can the consumer pick […]

This post is the eighth in a multi part series on swamp coolers and their maintenance, repair, and replacement. If you haven’t read parts 1 – 7, I recommend you do before continuing. Swamp cooler repair (continued) Other things that can go wrong include cracked or clogged water lines, distributors, or valves, blown fuses, faulty thermostats, burnt out fan motors, and improper float valve adjustment. When you have swamp cooler problems, the easiest way to get back to the cool, […]

This post is the seventh in a multi part series on swamp cooler maintenance, repair and replacement. If you haven’t read parts 1 – 6, I recommend you do before continuing. Winterizing your swamp cooler (continued) Once you cut the cardboard to size and add the insulation (if you’re using any) you can remove the interior vent cover and insert your homemade cover on top of it. Then just close the cover and leave it there until spring. If you […]

This post is the sixth in a multi part series on swamp cooler maintenance, repair, and replacement. If you haven’t read parts 1 – 5, I recommend you do before continuing. Winterizing your swamp cooler (continued) Cover the cooler. A swamp cooler cover will protect you cooler from dust, dirt, sunshine, and weather during the winter. Some coolers have integrated metal covers, usually made of galvanized steel for weather resistance. If yours has this type of cover, it’s a good […]

This post is the fifth in a multi part series on swamp cooler maintenance, repair, and replacement. If you haven’t read parts 1 – 4, I recommend you do before continuing. Winterizing your swamp cooler (continued) Clean the body of the cooler. Since swamp coolers rely on a very high airflow rate to to their work, they end up pulling in a lot of debris over time. If you sponged out the water from your cooler’s pan, then you can […]

This post is the fourth in a multi part series on swamp cooler maintenance, repair, and replacement. If you haven’t read parts 1, 2, and 3 yet, I recommend you do before continuing. How to winterize your swamp cooler (continued) Shut off, drain, and/or disconnect the water supply. First, locate the water shut off valve. The valve should be far enough down the line that there’s no chance of the water on the supply side freezing. For roof mounted units, […]

This post is the third in a multi part series on swamp cooler maintenance, repair, and replacement. If you haven’t read parts 1 and 2 yet, I recommend you do before continuing. Swamp cooler maintenance Like any other appliance or mechanical system, swamp coolers need maintenance. Since they live outside and only do work in the summer, their maintenance cycle is seasonal. Every fall they need to be winterized, and every spring they need to be de-winterized. Failure to do […]

This post is the second in a multi part series on swamp cooler maintenance, repair, and replacement. If you haven’t read part 1 yet, I recommend you do before continuing. If swamp coolers are so efficient, why doesn’t everyone use them? (continued) Many people who have lived their whole lives east of the Mississippi don’t even know what a swamp cooler is. They are used in parts of Texas, where they have a reputation as a low budget option that […]

Swamp coolers are great for the high desert. They’re inexpensive, relatively simple to maintain, and they give us moist, cool air for our homes. However, if you talk to many people about them, you’re bound to encounter some people who down right hate swamp coolers. They’ll complain about their cooling capabilities, their smell, their maintenance, and more. So, what’s up with this discrepancy? Well, like any other mechanical system, swamp coolers require upkeep to stay working at their best. There […]