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Hey Norm, I suffered from pretty bad allergies while growing up in the deep southern US. I didn't find them to be as bad in NM. A/C could have played a role, I don't know. I did spend lots of time outdoors hiking in NM though and didn't suffer severe allergies for it. I think it will largely depend on what you're allergic to. Copious amounts of allergy testing indicated my primary triggers were mold/mildew...abundant in the south but not in NM. Even though ec units cool with water, I don't know of anyone having mold / mildew problems...but could also depend on what allergens are brought in with the outside air. If you go with A/C be sure to change your filter regularly, as that can help keep the allergies controlled too. Good luck with your house hunting. I really love NM. Hope you are as enchanted or rather, entrapped, as I am with it.
TigerLily24 on a ...
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> ... relocated from Northern NJ where summer humidity ...
Compared to summer just about anywhere E of here, 93-95 deg days at 10% or less humidity is wonderful in the shade.
honu1, not melting in this heat said:
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> ... A/C is certainly something I spoil myself with. But I don't whine about my electric bill either.
Good. That would be irritating.
I too, can afford a/c, but I am more of a cheap b@stard than you.
> ... system inefficient ... anecdotal ... not proof that ...
Right. You could have a row of stores all the same size running the same evap. equipment. If you visit 9/10 and they are all miserable, but I visit only 1/10 and find it comfortable (assuming the same definition of miserable and comfortable), I would have proof that it works and you still could only say that you haven't proved that it does.
Thinking later after my earlier post, I guess we can say that swampers don't work *for honu1,*
but they work for Mortimer just fine.
> ... if, indeed, the cooling ability of ac vs ec is significant at the p < .05 ...
I had to look up what a p-value was since I have not dealt with those since college in 1997 or something.
> ... if I were buying real estate in NM now, I would have A/C installed. Period.
Yeah as an investment property that would be wise. The neighbors on either side of me replaced their swamper with refrigerated. Had our house we moved into in June been similarly equipped, we would not have bought it, but people moving in pretty much only want refrigerated. This is one reason that people moving from elsewhere tend toward the W side of town.
However, if you like evaporative cooling then paying the several thousand $$$ to have an a/c system put in is a waste. Such investments in real estate don't pay off. It would be purely FBO the resident.
norm supposes:
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> I would also think that a/c would be better for someone like me
> that suffers from allergies.
I've heard that some people suffer from some allergies due to using a swamper. I'm not one of them, but it's possibly an issue.
I'd also point out the the summer is nearly halfway over, so if you find a house with only a swamper, but you have ductwork, you might want to just try it with the evaporative system. Depending on location, the last week of August stops having highs in the 90's (mostly) and nighttime temperatures are very much lower due to solar radiation (reduction).
The sun follows approximately the same path and duration in the sky on Aug 20 as it does on Apr 20.
Last point on conversion from swamper to refrigerated:
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If the house does not have ductwork or a crawl space underneath or in the attic (some houses won't) then it is not a good candidate for conversion. Many older swamper systems are simply a hole in the roof in a central location in the house.
I've heard that some people suffer from some allergies due to using a swamper. I'm not one of them, but it's possibly an issue.
I'd also point out the the summer is nearly halfway over, so if you find a house with only a swamper, but you have ductwork, you might want to just try it with the evaporative system. Depending on location, the last week of August stops having highs in the 90's (mostly) and nighttime temperatures are very much lower due to solar radiation (reduction).
This is your resident mutant checking in....
Yes. If you have allergies....a swamper is not the way to go, as it pulls in outdoor allergens. Never mind the humidity in the air, and always having to leave a window cracked.
As for summer being halfway over....my dear Mortimer, while it may seem like summer due to the f!#$%^@ heat, the first official day of summer is mañana.
If this lasts until after Halloween, as it did in Midland...well.....I am NOT gonna like it. I will, however, suck it up, since I can live in relative coolness, no matter the outside temperature.
If I ever have a house custom-built, I may consider putting in BOTH swamp and refrigerated air. There was a house here that had both, but I am content with my refrigerated air, so I didn't go look!
In the spring and summer....with the thermostat set at 76...and ceiling fans (52 inchers), it's comfortable.
Winter....heat on, thermostat at 66.
I thank God that I didn't buy a house with a swamp cooler here in Alamo. As hot as it has been in ABQ, I don't think I'd want one there, either!!
We are really happy with our swamp cooler. We haven't had any worse problems with allergies here in NM. So, I don't think the swamp cooler is causing problems. If anything, it makes things better, because it moisurizes our sinuses. I realize that we haven't been here for an entire summer yet, but we think that the swamp cooler is much more comfortable. I don't like it to be super cold inside, anyway, because that's not very healthy for the system. I'm having to deal with a very cold a/c at work, and I think it is much better at home. As far as $$ is concerned, we could afford a/c, we just don't see the need for it. Why spend more $$ if not necessary?
This is a totally dumb question, but could someone please explain how a swamp cooler works? We will be moving to ABQ soon and this is the first time I have ever heard of SC's. Sounds like I might prefer them over AC as I don't Like AC at all and am mostly comfortable in the 78-83 range of temps.. is the added humidity a liability for mold accumulation? Which is more environmentally friendly? Just a few newbie ??s
This is a totally dumb question, but could someone please explain how a swamp cooler works? We will be moving to ABQ soon and this is the first time I have ever heard of SC's. Sounds like I might prefer them over AC as I don't Like AC at all and am mostly comfortable in the 78-83 range of temps.. is the added humidity a liability for mold accumulation? Which is more environmentally friendly? Just a few newbie ??s
We are really happy with our swamp cooler. We haven't had any worse problems with allergies here in NM. So, I don't think the swamp cooler is causing problems. If anything, it makes things better, because it moisurizes our sinuses. I realize that we haven't been here for an entire summer yet, but we think that the swamp cooler is much more comfortable. I don't like it to be super cold inside, anyway, because that's not very healthy for the system. I'm having to deal with a very cold a/c at work, and I think it is much better at home. As far as $$ is concerned, we could afford a/c, we just don't see the need for it. Why spend more $$ if not necessary?
I hear you on the really cold temperatures at work. I used to have the same problem, and I always had a sweater in the office.
However, 76-78 inside is not particularly cold to me. Since I grew up in a dry climate, I don't have the problems with nosebleeds, etc. But then....I have always stuffed the nose with Mentholatum (you're not supposed to, but...!) ointment all of my life. It keeps things very comfortable, and a jar always goes with me.
As hot as it has been here, I am very willing to pay the extra for refrigerated air. You can look over the roofs of homes that have swamp coolers....and there are often white waterlines running from the bottom of the cooler down the slant of the roof. I wonder how often it causes leaks and such???
I don't know about the water bill, as I haven't had swamp coolers in over 25 years. The new ones may be much better than what I see here on some of the older homes.
We are really happy with our swamp cooler. We haven't had any worse problems with allergies here in NM. So, I don't think the swamp cooler is causing problems. If anything, it makes things better, because it moisurizes our sinuses. I realize that we haven't been here for an entire summer yet, but we think that the swamp cooler is much more comfortable. I don't like it to be super cold inside, anyway, because that's not very healthy for the system. I'm having to deal with a very cold a/c at work, and I think it is much better at home. As far as $$ is concerned, we could afford a/c, we just don't see the need for it. Why spend more $$ if not necessary?
Ditto everything penelopelp said - I got sick every summer once the ac was running full blast and I suffered from major allergies in NJ. I rarely have sneezy days here. Really, this is the most comfortable I've ever been in my life
C> As for summer being halfway over... first official day of summer is mañana.
Picking at nits: In 2008, summer begins (began) June 20, 5:59 P.M. MDT (NM time)
In Albuquerque, the first day of summer is May 1st and the first day of September is the end of summer -- as far as I'm concered -- thank goodness! In parts South, you have have to wait some more.
I've noticed that 80 degrees in April or May is uncomfortable, whilst 80 degrees in August is downright crisp. The suffering is over the last week of August in Albuquerque.
The OP is buying a place in Albuquerque and chances are, they aren't moving in till July - even if they find a place tomorrow.
C> If I ever have a house custom-built, I may consider putting in BOTH swamp and refrigerated air.
If you already have a refrigerated air system with ductwork and such, you can still use window mounted swamp coolers just fine for the whole house. Put a couple on one side and open windows on the other side.
C> ... didn't buy a house with a swamp cooler here in Alamo.
I would imagine that even there, a swamp cooler would have worked fine up until now. As long as the humidity is low, they really cool pretty well.
Back in Chandler (Phoenix) I could have used a swamper in May and part of June as well as part of September and October. Late June to early September would not have been a good compromise.
Yesterday, it looked like the Monsoon Season had started, but it is only in the moisture levels. The weather system was from the NW and not the S-SW.
The Sandia's have a crown of clouds and it rained at our house last night.
C> ... homes that have swamp coolers .... often white waterlines running
C> from the bottom of the cooler down ... causes leaks and such???
I imagine that they don't have leaks in the house since that is what a roof is for, but perhaps the type of person who would ignore a swamp cooler leak is the same type that would put off maintenance on their roof.
Even if your swamper is a rusted-out hulk, you can get one more season of leak-proof operation with about $1.95 in parts and some labor.
Grdngrl wondered:
G> ... please explain how a swamp cooler works?
Take some water and splash it on your arm. Wait a second and let it dry. Feel the coolness? That's how it works.
In a cooling system, water is dripped down a pad and air is forced through it. The warm(er) dry air is cooled and humidified as it passes through the pad. Then it is blown into the house.
If it is 90-something outside, the temperature coming inside can be 20-30 degrees lower.
I can't ever remember it being the first OFFICIAL day of summer and not having to turn on the A/C (or swamp cooler, whatever) until 6:00 in the evening I love this place
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I will, however, suck it up, since I can live in relative coolness, no matter the outside temperature.
I love this place 
