Does evaporative cooling work in Canberra?

Evaporative cooling is one of the most energy-efficient ways to cool your home. And in the dry heat of the Canberra climate, it’s also one of the most effective.

How much do evaporative coolers cost?

Most homeowners pay $2,500 for a ground-mounted whole-home evaporative cooler. However, prices vary widely, from as low as $150 for a basic portable swamp cooler with DIY installation up to $7,000 or more for large roof-mounted units, professionally installed.

Is evaporative cooling expensive to run?

Generally, running an Evaporative Cooler may cost around 20¢ an hour, and you could save approximately up to 80% on annual running costs.

Is it worth buying an evaporative cooler?

That’s far cooler than you’ll ever need your home. Even on 90°F days with average humidity, an evaporative cooler can lower a home’s temperature to a comfortable range. The lowdown: an evaporative cooler is definitely worth considering.

What are the drawbacks of evaporative cooling?

Evaporative Cooler Cons

Because it adds humidity to the air, running your evaporative cooler constantly can cause your home feel sticky and less comfortable, rather than improving comfort. Additionally, evaporative coolers require a steady supply of water to maintain adequate cooling.

Are evaporative coolers good in Australia?

Although many Aussies rely on air conditioning, this can get quite expensive. But an evaporative cooler is a great energy efficient alternative and usually is much cheaper to buy, install and run.

Do evaporative coolers actually cool a room?

According to the US Department of Energy (DOE), an evaporative cooler can successfully reduce the ambient temperature by 5 to 15 degrees—but even the DOE is quick to clarify that this process works only in areas with low humidity.

How long does an evaporative cooler last?

But, while swamp coolers don’t cost much to buy, they are a lot of work and money to maintain. Not only that, they are only warrantied to work for 5 years. Refrigerated air systems can last up to 20 years if properly maintained.

Does evaporative cooling work on hot days?

Evaporative coolers can be very effective on hot days, just as long as they are dry hot days. On those sweltering hot humid days, it’s best just to run the fan only inside or you’ll have a steam room inside – the air conditioning industry doesn’t call evaporative coolers ‘swampies’ for no reason.

Does evaporative cooling cause Mould?

Mould and damp can also result from the use of an evaporative cooler as the humidity in the indoor air rises to 80%, a similar scenario to mould growth in your bathroom or shower when you haven’t turned on the exhaust fan.

Do you need to open windows for evaporative cooling?

For an evaporative air conditioner to work effectively, some windows or outside doors must be open, or some other form of ventilation provided. This is to allow the hot air to escape outside of the building.

Can evaporative cooling be left on all night?

Yes, it is possible to leave an evaporative cooler on overnight. It is common for some people to leave the cooler on continuously for a 24-hour period. There is no issue with the system running continuously, but you may wish to consider leaving it on overnight if you live in a humid climate.

Do evaporative coolers work in Australia?

Evaporative coolers may have worked well for the ancient Egyptians because the air was hot and dry but in Australia evaporative coolers are only considered effective when the outdoor air relative humidity is below 30%, reasonably effective between 30-50% and above 50% humidity a refrigerative air conditioner is …

How long can you leave evaporative cooling on?

How many windows do you need to open with evaporative cooling?

Most experts recommend that you open windows which are furthest from the ducts or vents. You should aim to create an opening twice the area of the vent opening.