There are really only two ways to keep your home or office cooled off this summer. Those options are either a swamp cooler or an air conditioning unit. They each have their own set of benefits to consider when deciding which might be the best for you. Air Supply Heating and Air Conditioning has prepared the following information about each option to help you choose.

Swamp Cooler:

What is a swamp cooler? Technically it is an air conditioner because it is cooling the air down in the room but the way that it works is much different than a standard air conditioning unit. A swamp cooler works as an open system and is usually not the type of unit that is normally installed on a home. This is a purchase that is done after you move in and make the change to swamp cooling. A swamp cooler uses the air in the home to help determine the path the cooled air will flow. A swamp cooler needs to use hot, dry air to help dry the water in the unit to allow for the air to be cooled. This is why the air in the home can’t just be recirculated but has to be replaced. The swamp cooler is placed in an open window or doorway and a window on the opposite side of the home is left open to pull the air around and replace with new air in the home. A swamp cooler has to have an attachment to an electrical outlet and a hose. The water will fill up under the pump and uses it to rotate a large fan that then blows cooled air in. One of the benefits of using a swamp cooler is that it lowers the cost of the energy that you are using and in turn lowers your bill. Some people say that a con of using a swamp cooler is that the humidity in your home can be raised which can cause some of the furniture or wall covering to become warped. Other cons are that swamp coolers require constant maintenance; the pads needs to be cleaned or changed regularly to avoid that swampy smell and associated problems with air quality. Also, minerals in the water can build up as water evaporates, requiring a bleed-off of mineral-rich wastewater over time. Finally, swamp coolers require a steady supply of water (3.5 to 10.5 gallons an hour according to the National Association of Home Builders). That can be a tall order in our hot, dry climate of Las Vegas.

Central Air Conditioning:

An Air Conditioning unit comes installed in most homes in the Unites States and is installed when the home is built. The unit outside the home is only part of the air conditioning. There is a series of metal tubes known as duct that goes from the unit to each room and runs the air throughout the home. The unit works when air moves across a set of coils that are cooled and is sent into the home. One difference from a swamp to AC is that the air is recirculated when using AC. One of the benefits of using AC is that it can cool all the rooms in a home to whatever temperature you set the thermostat to. A con is that it can cost you more energy and in turn it will raise the power bill.

If you are considering using a swamp cooler or an AC unit you can ask a professional at Air Supply Heating and Air Conditioning for a professional opinion.