Portable Swamp Cooler

As we move into the Summer months, people are beginning to remember they promised to buy themselves a cooling system. Whether you are one of these people or are looking for an affordable way to stay cool, knowing all the facts can help you make the best decision for yourself.

A Portable Swamp Cooler adds cooling water to the air to decrease temperatures. Portable Swamp Coolers are best for single-room use. This makes them great if you only need to cool the room you are in and not the whole house.

Portable Swamp Coolers are not Portable Air Conditioners. See the section on Swamp Coolers vs ACs for more details.

What is a Portable Swamp Cooler?

A Portable Swamp Cooler is a small swamp cooler that you can move around as needed. They are more affordable than the larger Swamp Cooling Systems. If you only want to cool the room you are in and not the whole house or building a portable Swamp Cooler is a better option.

Portable Swamp Coolers also use less energy than larger ones because they are smaller and are only cooling a limited area. 

Another great thing about Portable Swamp Coolers is that the smallest ones can go with you on a Road Trip Vacation. So long as you are staying in places with electrical outlets you can use a Portable Swamp Cooler to keep your hotel or motel room cool.

What is a Window Swamp Cooler?

A Window Swamp Cooler is a smaller swamp cooler that goes in a window. The window is open partially to make space for the Swamp Cooler. The Swamp Cooler then pulls air in through its pads. These pads are damp and cool the air down. 

Window Swamp Coolers work best in dry climates because they have to draw in air from outside and cool it off. In a humid climate, the air will not be able to hold much water and will not cool down as much as in a dry climate. 

Window Swamp Coolers can be moved from window to window if necessary. However, if you can afford it, keep different Window Swamp Coolers for different rooms and just turn them on and off as needed.

How does a Swamp Cooler work?

A Swamp Cooler is a type of Evaporative Cooler. A Swamp Cooler pulls air through water-saturated pads. This process cools the air down as the water is often cooler than the air. Some of the water will evaporate into the air. This is why they are sometimes referred to as Evaporative Coolers.

Swamp Coolers work best in dry climates because there is more room in the air for evaporated water. Swamp Coolers can still work in humid areas, however, they will not be able to work as well. 

Air that has passed through a Swamp Cooler can be 15-40 degrees cooler than when it went in. 

Swamp Coolers work by taking in hot air and cooling it. To facilitate this process, open all windows and any doors that have screens to protect from bugs. This will allow the Swamp Cooler to pull in new air to cool. It also gives warm air a way to get out. 

Swamp Cooler Vs AC

There are a few key differences between a Swamp Cooler and an AC. The methods an AC uses to cool the air are different from a Swamp Cooler. Also, Swamp Coolers and ACs have different environmental footprints. Lastly, the costs of purchasing and maintaining a unit are different.

Air Cooling Method

Swamp Coolers and ACs have different methods of cooling the air. An AC uses chemical refrigerants to cool the air. These chemicals need to be disposed of carefully and by professionals. These chemicals can be toxic, so if your AC breaks and is leaking, they can make you, your family, and your pets sick.

Air Conditioners use recycled air from within the building. This is why they work best if all windows and doors are closed. The refrigerants used in an AC remove heat and humidity from the air.

Swamp Coolers, on the other hand, use fresh air. They work best when the windows are open. Swamp Coolers cool the air by pulling air through pads that have cool water on them. This adds cooling water to the air as well as cooling the air’s temperature 

Environmental Impact

Air Conditioners use more energy than Swamp Coolers. Full Swamp Cooling Systems use 25% of the energy of a full AC System. The portable versions often do even better. A Portable Swamp Cooler will use 15% to 35% of the energy of a similar-sized Portable AC Unit.

One thing to note, Swamp Coolers do require a source of water. If you live in a water-scarce climate this is important to consider. A Swamp Cooler can run on less water but it will not be as effective.

Related to the Environmental Impact of the use of energy is the cost of this energy. The energy used by an AC Unit can up your energy bill by hundreds of dollars. Whereas, the more energy-efficient Swamp Cooler will only incrementally up your energy bill.

Maintenance and Cost

In general, you should have your AC maintained twice a year by a professional to maintain optimum performance. Swamp Coolers only need to be serviced once a year. So for an AC, you have to pay about twice as much to keep it running smoothly as you do for a Swamp Cooler.

Installation Costs vary as well. The cost of installing a Swamp Cooling System is $1,500-4,000. Portable Swamp Coolers are less expensive; they can cost anywhere from $100 to $1000 on average. Some Coolers do cost more or less depending on their size and effectiveness.

Installing an AC System can cost $3,000-$7,000. A Portable AC can cost anywhere from about $100 – $700 for smaller systems and up to $1,500 for larger portable systems.

Portable Cooling Systems do not require as much maintenance as an installed system. However, if something goes wrong you will have to pay for repairs or replace the unit. 

Repairs for an AC cost anywhere from $100-$600. Repairs for a Swamp Cooler cost $100-$600. Pricier Coolers (whether AC or Swamp Coolers) will most often cost more to repair. If you think the cost of the repairs will be more than the unit cost, it might be time to get a new unit.

Best Portable Swamp Cooler

There are many Portable Swamp Coolers on the market. One of the best is the Blast Auxiliary Portable AC. This portable unit is a combination of an AC and a Swamp Cooler. 

This Air Cooling Unit pulls air in and through a “Water curtain”. This “water curtain” acts like a Swamp Cooler’s Pads. The water cools the air and adds refreshing water droplets. 

The Blast Portable AC has a 3-speed fan and a button that allows you to turn the humidifier on and off. 

Check out the website to learn more. 

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