Staying Cool and “Green” at the Same Time

You don’t have to feel environmentally guilty about staying cool. If you want to be green AND cool, talk with DCS Heating & Air Conditioning about adding an evaporative cooler (also known as a swamp cooler) to keep your home comfortable.

If you’re like most people, you’ve heard about them but really aren’t sure how they work. Think of it like this: What happens when you put your hand in water then let the breeze dry it? Your hand feels cool. At its simplest, that is evaporative cooling.

The swamp cooler’s fan brings in outside air and passes it over water-saturated pads. The evaporating moisture cools the air. The process can cool the outside air by up to 20 degrees. The cool air is then circulated in your home. The lower the humidity, the greater the cooling effect, which is why swamp coolers are a good choice for Palm Springs and the surrounding desert.

Since no energy is used to cool the air, your monthly bills will be much less than the typical bill for air conditioning. Along with the reduced carbon footprint, there is no environmentally damaging refrigerant like what is used in an air conditioner. Click here to learn more about the comparison.

When compared to central air conditioning, swamp cooler installation costs are generally less as well. Add it all up and you could reduce your cooling costs as much as 75%. DCS features some of the best swamp coolers from the Aerocool® Trophy Series and Master Cooler.

So now you’re asking, “do swamp coolers really work and with all those advantages, why even bother with air conditioning?” Evaporative coolers do have some limitations and you should be prepared for them. They add moisture to the air. On most days, it’s actually an advantage in our desert climate because the humidity makes your home more comfortable. But on those rare days when we have higher, humidity your home may be uncomfortable. The same is true on the hottest days of the year.

For many of our clients the best choice is a combination of the two. They use the evaporative cooler as their primary system, only turning on the AC when they feel it’s needed.

A good choice for supplemental cooling is the addition of mini split heat pumps. They can be used to cool specific rooms in the house where the swamp cooler is not effective. There can be as many as 4 air handlers connected to an outdoor condenser. Each unit has its own thermostat for increased comfort. DCS features mini splits from Daikin and Lennox.

Clearly. many people would not be living in the desert without a way to keep their homes cool. But as concern rises about energy use and carbon footprint, now may be the right time to think about adding a swamp cooler. Call DCS Heating & Air Conditioning and talk to our comfort advisors to find out more about making your home comfortable and environmentally sound at the same time.