Swamp Coolers – aka Evaporative Coolers are very common in Albuquerque, but not elsewhere. They work best in a climate that has very low humidity and that doesn’t get too hot (over 90-95 degrees) very often. Units are surrounded by pads of varying materials that are kept wet. A blower pulls outside air through the water-cooled pads and into the home. They are extremely inexpensive to operate, but do require some routine maintenance. The biggest problem I see with swamp coolers is that the float mechanism inside is not adjusted correctly. This allows the water reservoir to overflow onto the roof and causes staining/damage to shingles or tiles on a pitched roof and pooling on a flat roof. Covering these units in the winter will eliminate extra work when preparing for use as the temperatures rise.
Pictures are of 2 different style rooftop units. 1 of them uses relatively inexpensive pads on 3 of the 4 sides of the unit. Those pads need to be changed out every year. The other only has 1 pad on 1 side and the pad is 8+ inches thick. It’s much more expensive, lasts 5-7 years and is a little more efficient. The 3rd picture is the inside of a unit that has been poorly maintained, in need of a good cleaning but is still functioning properly.
(Info provided to Michael Dunn by
SANDIA HOME INSPECTIONS
505-480-6053
www.SandiaHomeInspections.com)
Request for more info
If you would like more info please fill out this form and we will get in touch with you shortly. In the "comments below please enter the subject you want more info on. Thanks for your time!
