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Evaporative Coolers
Evaporative coolers, also known as swamp coolers, are
an energy-saving alternative to refrigerated air conditioners. These coolers
use about one-third of the energy that air conditioners use. While the coolers
are energy efficient, they use a lot of water. In places like Nevada where
the water contains minerals, more water is required to flush the minerals
through the system.
If you own an evaporative cooler, here are some tips to
help you save water and energy.
- Wait until it's at least 85 degrees outside before
turning on your swamp cooler. You'll use 50 percent less water by doing
this.
- During the spring and fall, operate the cooler
fan without the water pump to draw in cool nighttime air.
- Install a thermostat.
- Some systems use bleed-off lines, which allow
water and sediment to be drained from the system periodically. This
approach typically triples the water use, so it's important to adjust
the lines to release as little water as possible. Bleed-off water should
be directed to landscape plants or into the sanitary sewer so it can
be recycled.
- Power cleaners, or "dump pumps," are
an alternative to bleed-off lines. While they're less efficient than
a totally closed system, they're more water efficient than the typical
bleed-off lines. These devices are programmed to automatically discard
the water in the reservoir tray after a specified number of hours. They
use approximately five gallons of water per hour of operation. Again,
discarded water should be captured for landscape plants or properly
disposed of in the sanitary sewer.
- Use a closed system without bleed-off lines
or dump pumps. This approach uses about three gallons of water per hour
of operation. Other systems use between five and 10 gallons of water.
Periodically, you'll need to clean away mineral buildup inside the cooler.
- Maintain your cooler pads and components appropriately.
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