Anyone using An evaporative cooler (also swamp cooler, desert cooler and wet air cooler)

puckhead

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They're pretty decent when you live in a low humidity area, but once the moisture gets heavy in the air, you're looking at a over-sized fan. Lots of people in the valley still use them in the dry months and then switch to A/C when the monsoon season starts. Saves money for sure compared to A/C but your house will be a little sticky.
 
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Southpaw

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That leaves me out. Florida is nothing but high humidity.
 
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Southpaw

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Just ordered 2 table top units that work on that principle.

Hmmm. Until recently water cooling towers for large commercial/condo buildings use rooftop water cooling systems instead of refrigerant style. I am quite sure many of them are still in service. I had family who lived in Florida since the 30s and some of them had roof top units on their houses back then. Used well water, pumped up to rooftop unit, that was then sprayed across a screen type flat plate. A large fan would then push the cooled air through a duct system into the downstairs rooms. I was told by my granny that neighbors would invite themselves over to cool off.
 
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puckhead

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Just ordered 2 table top units that work on that principle.

I see a lot of people use them to cool their garage/shop in the summer. Just put in on wheels and point it at whatever you're working on.
 
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Southpaw

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I see a lot of people use them to cool their garage/shop in the summer. Just put in on wheels and point it at whatever you're working on.
I bought one of those roll around portable a/c units for my work shop and meh.....

see my revised post above this one.
 

puckhead

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I'm sure in many cases it's much better than nothing, but once you go A/C, you don't go back. I worked in many restaurants that would only cool the kitchens with evap. Lots of those starter apartment buildings that advertise "free utilities" would cool with evap. Like I said, they work, but it's not anywhere close to A/C when the humidity gets up.
 

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