Swamp Coolers - more cost effective than air conditioning
Posted on June 9th, 2008 by Bruce
Swamp Coolers - more cost effective than air conditioning
Evaporative Coolers, sometimes referred to as “Swamp cooler“, cool the air by blowing air over a water soaked pad. As the water evaporates, it naturally cools the air. These units work very well in dry regions, with lower humidity levels. Not only due they cost less than air conditioners to purchase, but they are 3 to 4 times cheaper to run.
Advantages of an Evaporative Cooler
- Coolers are economical to operate, using one-third the energy of refrigerated air-conditioning.
- Installing a new evaporative cooling system adequate for a 1,500-square-foot home costs about $700. For the same home, installing a new air-conditioning system, using existing duct work, costs about $2,500.
- Most cooler maintenance and repairs can be accomplished by the homeowner.
- Most cooler replacement parts (pads, belts, etc.) are nominal in cost when compared to air-conditioning system replacement parts.
- Coolers bring fresh, cooled, outside air into the home.
- Coolers provide a healthy environment for plants.
For more information on Evaporative Coolers, including installation, operation and maintenance issues, see this article from GreenTerraFirma: Evaporative Coolers
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Filed under: Climate Change
We have a house in Denver and are trying to decide between a swamp cooler and air condidtioning. We are leaning toward the cooler. We have had 3 bids so far and it is the SAME to have the cooler installed as it is for air. The lowest bid was $2500 and the highest has been $6000. My house is around 1500 square feet also so not sure where you got the cost to install a cooler would be $700. Maybe one that goes in the window.
Sue,
If your estimates come in the SAME for both an evaporative cooler and a central air conditioner, then you need to keep getting estimates. There is considerably less parts to an evaporative cooler - no expensive compressor for example. In addition, your big savings will come from the daily operation of an evaporative cooler, which will use much less electricity.
Other sites that include estimates for cost to purchase or operate an evaporative cooler verus AC include:
http://www.toolbase.org/TechInventory/TechDetails.aspx?ContentDetailID=749&BucketID=1&CategoryID=6
The above link estimates the cost at $700-$1000 vs thousands for AC and that evaporative coolers cost one quarter as much as AC to operate.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evaporative_cooling#Evaporative_cooling
Which estimates the operating cost at one eighth to half of the cost to run an AC unit.