Swamp Coolers

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Maybe a/c has improved, but when I lived in the South, we always had the unit serviced at least once per year, in the early Spring - check freon (whatever that stuff is called now), clean the blower, etc. I still vote for the low, low power bills! And I do believe a swamp cooler is more environmentally friendly.

[chazcrew]

I seem to be in the minority, but the reason I don't like swamp coolers is that they make the house feel muggy, and they don't cool as efficiently as a/c.

[cinnabon]

These things sound good in that they are not as cold as a/c. Around here it gets so humid that sometimes you have to run the a/c just to kill the humidity (or your house gets "stuffy"), but you don't really need the cooling, so it makes it frigid. I only like using it when it's really hot out. But I'm wondering, do swamp coolers make it damp in your house or cause any mold problems? Or is it just so dry out there that the moisture evaporates quickly?

Chazcrew, you beat me to the punch! That's what I was wondering about...

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Originally Posted by cinnabon

These things sound good in that they are not as cold as a/c. Around here it gets so humid that sometimes you have to run the a/c just to kill the humidity (or your house gets "stuffy"), but you don't really need the cooling, so it makes it frigid. I only like using it when it's really hot out. But I'm wondering, do swamp coolers make it damp in your house or cause any mold problems? Or is it just so dry out there that the moisture evaporates quickly?

Chazcrew, you beat me to the punch! That's what I was wondering about...

I have never seen mold in my house. When I moved here, I was still spreading my towel out all over the bar so it wouldn't get musty and would dry by the next time I needed it. I finally realized I could just throw it any old way and it would dry pretty fast! I have had Christmas Days in New Orleans where I ran the a/c b/c it was so humid and I have had Christmas dinner served on paper plates b/c the water pipes had frozen in the ground. At least here, the pipes are buried pretty deeply (deep to me anyway). I know I have seen stories on TV about mold problems in houses here but I think they existed b/c of constant leaks.

[Ronp100343]

I have 2 Master Cool units I think they are called and there are several other brands and they are a deluxe unit. The pads are about 8 inches thick and last for years with cleaning and descaling once a year. They are great! Mine is connected to ducts thru out the house like regular AC.

After reading about the costs of AC compared to swampers, I am wondering if I want AC in my next home in UT. I want low cost, and a little maintenance
won't hurt me.

[cinnabon]

Originally Posted by SouthernBelleInUtah

I have never seen mold in my house. When I moved here, I was still spreading my towel out all over the bar so it wouldn't get musty and would dry by the next time I needed it. I finally realized I could just throw it any old way and it would dry pretty fast! I have had Christmas Days in New Orleans where I ran the a/c b/c it was so humid and I have had Christmas dinner served on paper plates b/c the water pipes had frozen in the ground. At least here, the pipes are buried pretty deeply (deep to me anyway). I know I have seen stories on TV about mold problems in houses here but I think they existed b/c of constant leaks.

Well when I look for an apartment what kind of cooling it has is not that big an issue to me, so I could wind up with either a/c or swamp cooler. I was just concerned about it making it damp in the house because I have curly hair which I straighten, and humidity makes it curl! I am so looking forward to a dry climate! I also like how your food doesn't get stale. My brother lived in NM for a while, and he couldn't get over how long the crackers and cereal stay fresh!

[apalm]

I too have an evaporative cooler mounted on my house. I love it. We have never had a problem with mold. However, my unit is over 20 years old and is just falling apart. The type I have is a Kenmore. This particular model is no longer in production. My main concern with my swamp cooler is wter leaking on the roof.

I don't want to change to air because it is not cost efficient (plus the power company has the ability to switch down the power on most acs in this state).

Has anyone ever heard of a roof mounted air exchange? How does this work?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

[skibarbie]

Rocky Mountain Power was denied-by Herbert himself-the ability to reduce power during peak demand times. You can sign up and allow them to do that and get some type of reduction in your power bill if you choose to do so.
Still glad that we switched to central air and dumped the beastly swamp cooler. Our power bill has not been much higher-maybe 20-30 bucks-and it is fabulous to come home to cool, dry air. The unit we have is big-and that seems to be the key is getting the right size unit-but it is so quiet and efficient that i have to be standing next to it to hear it running.
It has been a rather humid-for SLC anyway-couple of weeks and I have noticed some that my friends want to hang out at my house and "chill"-pun intended!

[eggalegga]

I got rid of my swamp last month and a new energy efficient furnace and a/c. Haven't had a full month's worth of use yet but I've estimated my next power bill to be about $50. That's about a $20 increase from the same time period last year.

I too liked my swamp just fine but decided I didn't want to deal with finding guys to get up on the roof at least twice a year to service it. It's also nice not to have the mess of hard water deposits blowing through the louvres.

I keep my house at 75 when I'm home, 79 when I'm gone. My blinds are almost always closed during the heat of the day.