Why Can’t a Swamp Cooler Cool a Swamp?

It’s not entirely clear why the “swamp cooler” was named as such, because this misleading term suggests that this is a type of HVAC system intended to cool a swamp. Despite this misnomer, it stands as an attractive name, partially because it sounds so exotic, especially where we live. A swamp cooler is an unusual type of cooling system that works much differently than ordinary central air units, ductless mini splits and heat pumps. Instead of utilizing a chemical refrigerant to transfer thermal energy from one place to another by means of compressing and decompressing it through liquid and gaseous states, the swamp cooler uses an evaporative cooling method.

On a hot day, the presence of moisture on the skin cools the body when wind passes over it. This is precisely the principle behind perspiration, which is that evaporation cools the body. When water molecules evaporate into the surrounding air, they release thermal energy, thus removing it from the body. Evaporative cooling methods have been around for a very long time, but this method of cooling is not designed to work in climates that are particularly humid. When there is a lot of moisture in the air already, the evaporation does not work as effectively or efficiently. This is why it’s hard to cool down on those particularly humid days (or if you’re in a swamp).

The basic setup of the swamp cooler is very simple, especially when compared to systems that use refrigerant. Air passes over moistened pads, thus being humidified and cooled during the process. That’s it, in a nutshell. It’s an ideal system for our climate because we tend to have low humidity year-round, whereas other parts of the country have high humidity levels during the summer months. If you want to make sure that your swamp cooler works well for years to come in your home, then hire a pro.

We’re here to take care of your swamp cooler services, so don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team today.