Credit: Atli Harðarson

When someone says "10% of the energy we produce as a nation each year is used to air condition homes," it may seem like a relatively small amount - but it isn't. As environmental awareness spreads more and more people are familiar with their carbon footprint. So what is the carbon footprint of only 10% of our energy generation each year? It equates to an astounding 140 million tons of CO2. If you want to include non-residential cooling you can another 4% for a grand total of 14%. Does it still seem like a relatively small amount?

While air conditioners offer effective cooling in both large and small scale applications, they are not the only cooling option you have. If you live in a dry area, somewhere with a relatively humidity level below 50% then you can consider an Evaporative Cooler, sometimes referred to as a "Swamp" Cooler. Why would you want to consider an evaporative cooler? Evaporative coolers are very energy efficient.

Air Conditioners

In an air conditioner, cooling is provided through a refrigerant like Freon. In many ways an air conditioners are basically refrigerators without the insulated outer box. Air conditioning systems can be very effective at cooling - but they can also be very expensive to operate.

Evaporative Coolers

An evaporative cooler cools by using a fan to force air through moistened pads. As the air passes through the pads, the pads absorb the heat and cool the air - in some cases by as much as 15-20 degrees. When compared to air conditioners evaporative coolers use an average of 75% less electricity. Evaporative coolers are generally more inexpensive to purchase as well.

Potential Evaporative Cooler Dangers

Evaporative coolers are not for everyone. In the wrong climate, in the wrong conditions an evaporative cooler can create conditions of high humidity in the air which in turn can cause condensation and even corrosion. I would never recommend using an evaporative cooler in areas of your home with high densities of electronics, an example of an area to avoid would be a home office.

Sizing an Evaporative Cooler

If you are in the right climate and have gotten past any concerns then the next step is to get an idea of the size of the evaporative cooler you will need. Similar to air conditioners, an improperly sized evaporative cooler has the potential to waste electricity. The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers or AHAM offers a useful online tool that can help you estimate what size evaporative cooler you'll need for your specific application.

• http://www.cooloff.org/sub_cool.html

Even though AHAM provides this free tool, they do not certify evaporative coolers so don't waste any time looking for that product certification.

While evaporative coolers are not right for everyone, in the right conditions and climate evaporative coolers can provide cost very effective cooling. When you consider evaporative coolers use an average of 75% less electricity than air conditioners it's easy to see they are energy efficient. With an ever growing society, saving energy does your part to fight global warming.

Labels: ac, air conditioning, article, cooling, energy, energy efficiency, evaporative cooler, green, swamp cooler

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