Swamp Coolers Vs. Refrigerated Air
When choosing how to cool your home, it comes down to a swamp cooler or refrigerated air. Despite some media suggesting refrigerated is better in every conceivable way, there are advantages and disadvantages to both systems. In this article, we’ll lay out the main differences between both systems so you can make an informed decision about which system to use in your home.
The Pros of Swamp Coolers
A swamp cooler, or an evaporative cooler, works by increasing the humidity in the air and cooling the air temperature. This simple system has three main benefits:
- Cost-Effective – A swamp cooler uses significantly less energy than refrigerated air. The energy savings from a swamp cooler are quite substantial
- Easy Installation and Maintenance – A swamp cooler is a simple system—it’s basically just water and a fan. This makes installation cheap, especially compared to a refrigerated air system. A refrigerated air system needs specialized skills to install, and has many more parts and fluids to consider.
- Great For El Paso – Swamp coolers make the most sense in a dry climate, like El Paso. Low humidity can damage furniture and items in your home, so a swamp cooler can produce a good humidity level for your home.
The Pros of Refrigerated Air
Refrigerated air, the more advanced of the two systems, has a plethora of benefits that more than justify the cost. Here are the main benefits of this system:
- Improved Air Quality – The air quality in a swamp cooled environment can lead to mold and mildew in some cases, which isn’t healthy. Refrigerated air is much better for clean air.
- Increased Cooling – A swamp cooler cannot reach the same temperatures as a refrigerated air system. This gives you more control over how you want to feel.
- Room-by-Room Cooling – The same way a refrigerated air system can get colder, it can also be controlled by room as well. For a family with different preferences, this can be a huge plus.
Cons Of Swamp Coolers and Refrigerated Air
For swamp coolers, the lack of control and effect on air quality are the main concerns. Humidity can also be an issue because excess humidity can also damage items in your home. Refrigerated air requires more regular maintenance, and is more expensive to install and run. These cons must be weighed when deciding between the two.
Not Sure? Call Omega!
Omega Electrical & Mechanical Engineering are the foremost experts in HVAC in Texas and New Mexico. We can help decide what is right for your home, and get the job done right the first time. Contact us today to see what we can do for you!
