In a place like New Mexico, the heat is no joke. Even during the “winter” months, there’s no denying that it stays pretty warm outside. So, keeping the insides of our homes as cool as possible is a big deal.
There aren’t many people out there who truly enjoy being hot. By hot, we’re talking about those skin-blistering, sweaty moments where you feel like you could fall over if you have to walk a few more steps out in the blaring sun. It’s not a pleasant experience, and most of us aren’t keen on repeating it inside.
While the weather isn’t so bad right now, as you can see here, that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be thinking about our HVAC systems and whether or not they’re functioning properly. In fact, it may be time to consider upgrading your current system. Lately, “swamp” coolers have been all the rage.
What is a Swamp Cooler?
Anyone who lived in the north before heading to New Mexico or other southern states may not be familiar with them, since they’re such specialized units. They’re a type of cooler that operates a little bit differently than the traditional ones. While they don’t necessarily work everywhere, New Mexico is a prime candidate for them thanks to the humidity paired with warmth.
Put simply, they’re a special type of cooler that utilizes moisture to keep a space cool. Some examples are on the Bosque Heating and Cooling page, if you’d like to see some pictures to get an idea of what to expect. If you haven’t heard them called “swamp” ones before, you might’ve seen “evaporative” used instead. That’s just another name for them.
How do they Work?
Naturally, this is where things get a bit more complicated. Rest assured, though, you certainly don’t need to know all of the specifics here. The gist of it is that each time that the unit is turned on, the base of it ends up filling with water. Once that happens, the water is moved through the system and ends up in the cooling pads. From there, it’ll end up evaporating, and the vapors are used to push cool air into the home.
It’s all a bit complicated and technical, so don’t worry if you’re still a little lost. You can use resources like this one, https://www.bobvila.com/articles/what-is-a-swamp-cooler/, to get a far more in-depth explanation. What’s important to keep in mind at the end of the day is that the moisture around us is what powers these things.
Obviously, that’s not going to work in super dry environments. Largely, it’s because with these types of coolers, there needs to be a constant flow of air in the home. Open windows are almost a must, although you can just leave them open a crack if that’s what you would prefer.
Screened ones are going to be your friend there, too, so that bugs and other nasties don’t end up inside. For those who are looking to keep one or two rooms cool in specific, though, you may want to close off the doors or windows in the other parts of your home. That way, the cooler is only working to keep those certain spaces cold and protected from the weather instead of the entire house.
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Can You Change Your Current HVAC?
Anyone who’s interested in this type of cooler may be pleased to know that you can do a changeover to a swamp cooler instead of something else, be it a window unit or even central air conditioning. It’s something that takes a lot of thought, of course, but it could very well be worth it for you and your family.
Weigh the pros and cons and decide if it’s something that could be feasible for you. Without screened in doors and windows, it may be a bit difficult to maintain. However, that’s another easy installation most of the time, so it’s probably not that big of a concern anyhow.
If you do end up getting one, just be sure to call in a professional to get the installation done. Don’t risk hurting yourself or damaging the new system because you wanted to try to DIY it.
