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> ... landlords care too much about their income, and too little about the tenant's comfort.
In which case, they would have a trouble-free refrigerated air unit put in if it's an option since the tenent's electricity bills would not be a concern to the landlord.
If a landlord has an older unit with no ductwork then continuing to use a swamp cooler is the way to go.
It wouldn't make sense to spend $6,000-8,000 for central air on a building that pulls in a couple thousand in rent. Why even bother to be a landlord?
Agreed about the $6-8k.
Maybe I didn't express my meaning well...what I meant was that not all tenants are able to properly service their swamps, be it old age, fear of heights, limited mechanical know-how, etc. In those instances, I think the responsibility to keep the swamp functioning falls on the landlord. Sometimes though they just don't care, as long as they're getting their rent check - they're not the ones having to toss & turn at night in 85F.
I've been in apts where the swamp was so poorly maintained there was little cooling value, and unfortunately, it reflects badly on swamps. I've even heard stories of crooked service people who get paid by retirees to swap out the pads, pocket the money, and leave the old pads in the cooler. That really tees me off.
Hi,
We've had both and I totally prefer RA (refrigerated air). Of course, there's pros & cons to both as far as I'm concerned. SC (swamp cooler) is horrible during this time of year...high humidity...plus whenever you're cooking by a hot stove it gets even more uncomfortable! Then there's the maintenance...changing the pads up on the roof, getting your hose up on the roof, not to mention that ugly white stain that will remain up on the roof. With the RA you get icy cold air all the time...that is depending on what temperature you set your thermostat...and with an excellent filter it will remove most of the dust and allergens in your home. Is it expensive? Yes, our bill for the months of may - june was about $300. Aside from the costs of RA is that our area (Las Cruces) is very dry in the spring/early summer, so the RA makes it even dryer indoors which can be too dry for the nose & throat...but its temporary. I've been here all my life...heat is heat and I can take it, but humidity is awful. I can't stand the humidity!
Another big minus against refrigerated air is the effect of altitude on it.
A unit that would work great for cooling 2000 square feet at sea level might only work as well for 1000 square feet at this altitude. With thinner air, many air conditioners are not able to dissipate their waste heat as well up this high.
Can I interest anyone in solar-powered refrigerated air?
Hi,
We've had both and I totally prefer RA (refrigerated air). Of course, there's pros & cons to both as far as I'm concerned. SC (swamp cooler) is horrible during this time of year...high humidity...plus whenever you're cooking by a hot stove it gets even more uncomfortable! Then there's the maintenance...changing the pads up on the roof, getting your hose up on the roof, not to mention that ugly white stain that will remain up on the roof. With the RA you get icy cold air all the time...that is depending on what temperature you set your thermostat...and with an excellent filter it will remove most of the dust and allergens in your home. Is it expensive? Yes, our bill for the months of may - june was about $300. Aside from the costs of RA is that our area (Las Cruces) is very dry in the spring/early summer, so the RA makes it even dryer indoors which can be too dry for the nose & throat...but its temporary. I've been here all my life...heat is heat and I can take it, but humidity is awful. I can't stand the humidity!
What humidity? I have yet to see anything I would call real humidity.
Hi,
We've had both and I totally prefer RA (refrigerated air). Of course, there's pros & cons to both as far as I'm concerned. SC (swamp cooler) is horrible during this time of year...high humidity...plus whenever you're cooking by a hot stove it gets even more uncomfortable! Then there's the maintenance...changing the pads up on the roof, getting your hose up on the roof, not to mention that ugly white stain that will remain up on the roof. With the RA you get icy cold air all the time...that is depending on what temperature you set your thermostat...and with an excellent filter it will remove most of the dust and allergens in your home. Is it expensive? Yes, our bill for the months of may - june was about $300. Aside from the costs of RA is that our area (Las Cruces) is very dry in the spring/early summer, so the RA makes it even dryer indoors which can be too dry for the nose & throat...but its temporary. I've been here all my life...heat is heat and I can take it, but humidity is awful. I can't stand the humidity!
TerraSol, I agree with you completely...I've had both and I much prefer my refrigerated air. I know, since I got it, I sleep much better when working graveyards than I did with the swamp!
> ...whenever you're cooking by a hot stove it gets even more uncomfortable!
That sounds like an air flow management problem. All windows/doors in the house should be closed except for those nearest the stove. In our place the hot stove air gets carried right out the window.
That's the benefit of a swamper: You don't pay double to cook. You *do* pay double with refrigerated air. Using the stove for serious cooking with refrigerated air going shows either a fat bank account or bad judgement.
but I Am Woman pointed out:
> I sleep much better when working graveyards than I did with the swamp!
That would be one aspect where swamp doesn't compare. Trying to cool to the point of a good night's (day's) sleep with a swamper would be a problem. If you have a window unit right in the bedroom, it might be comfortable enough (might), but would be severely noisy.
Devin Bent, getting sleepy, said:
> ... there are more than 70 posts on swamp cooler versus refrigerated air.
BTW, for anyone who isn't totally bored with this thread, I would probably use a dual system if I lived in Alamogordo or Las Cruces. A dual system would also work even in Phoenix, but only for about a month or so on either end of the cooling season.
There are also more than one thread on this subject. To be fair, you'll find this subject anywhere in the Southwest. You'll find them in the Phoenix and Tucson forums.
There are also more than one thread on this subject. To be fair, you'll find this subject anywhere in the Southwest. You'll find them in the Phoenix and Tucson forums.
And, some of us Tucsonians even venture over to this thread to get the advantage of your expertise
I am new to NM and have rented a home with a swamp cooler. The settings available to me are HI Cool, Low Cool, Hi Vent, Low Vent, Pump Only and Off. A friend told me to never turn off the unit because mold will grow on the pads. I want to use it only when needed (afternoons, etc.). Do I really have to keep it on all the time?
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You know you're in New Mexico when . . .
