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I know you can use a small window A/C to compliment your swamp cooler, especially on muggy days during monsoon season. Can you do the opposite though? I'm looking at townhouses and I know from experience the upstairs will be hot, hot, hot in the summer. Since I don't want to kill my budget with an overly high electric bill (rental units have central AC-refrigerated), I'm wondering if a portable swamp cooler upstairs would help cool off the master bedroom and provide some helpful humidity at night.
I had a portable swamp cooler one time when the AC went out. It didn't do much.
Adding humidity is likely to make it feel hotter than it really is. You might try closing some downstairs ac vents at night and run the ceiling fan counterclockwise. When I had a two story house we would keep the door to the upstairs bedroom closed to keep the heat from rising into it, and leave the blinds closed. That seemed to help. If you have east or west facing windows a solar screen on the outside of the window in the summer can help keep the temp down. If it gets cool enough at night you can open a window downstairs and a window in the master and take advantage of nature's free air conditioning.
I know you can use a small window A/C to compliment your swamp cooler, especially on muggy days during monsoon season. Can you do the opposite though? I'm looking at townhouses and I know from experience the upstairs will be hot, hot, hot in the summer. Since I don't want to kill my budget with an overly high electric bill (rental units have central AC-refrigerated), I'm wondering if a portable swamp cooler upstairs would help cool off the master bedroom and provide some helpful humidity at night.
Has anyone done this? Would it work?
No I have not done that.
Swamp coolers add moisture to the air, so if it is muggy, adding a swamp cooler would make it muggier...
A/C's remove the moisture and chill the air...
I guess you mean the townhouse would have A/C and you want to put a swamp cooler in the window on the top floor? But you aren't there yet? Hard to say. A/C's have become more efficient over the years. Swamp coolers use very little electricity. Room fans in an A/C townhouse would be my first attempt. Cracking the window in the top floor might help, might raise your electric bill. Small fans use very little electricity. It's going to be trial and error.
For the record. I love A/C. This is the third house we have owned which we have converted to A/C...
My definition of a reverse swamp cooler would be a dehumidifier. It takes wet air and electricity and puts hot dry air (and a stream of water) out.
Can't imagine you'd ever want one in NM except for flood mitigation.
For the apartment dweller who wants to save money, invest in portable fans and use them. It's not what the thermostat says, it's how comfortable you are. And you can be quite comfortable at 80 degrees if there is enough airflow past your skin.
Another important distinction between fans and refrigerated air is that the former uses your body's natural cooling mechanism to keep you from gaining weight. The latter messes with it and that's why there's such a strong correlation between fat people and refrigerated air.
And you can be quite comfortable at 80 degrees if there is enough airflow past your skin.
In the daytime, I agree. At night? No way, even with hurricane force winds from the fan. Ask any 50+ female you know.
The refrigerated A/C will dry out the air, which will already be dry to start with. That's why I was wondering if a portable swamp cooler in one of the bedrooms in the evening would add a little cooling by adding a little humidity and air flow to the room. Theoretically, it seems it would work, but reality, maybe not. They're also fairly inexpensive.
I'm guessing most of you are from this area originally and have had swamp coolers more than refrigerated air?
And you can be quite comfortable at 80 degrees if there is enough airflow past your skin.
The refrigerated A/C will dry out the air, which will already be dry to start with. That's why I was wondering if a portable swamp cooler in one of the bedrooms in the evening would add a little cooling by adding a little humidity and air flow to the room. Theoretically, it seems it would work, but reality, maybe not. They're also fairly inexpensive.
I'm guessing most of you are from this area originally and have had swamp coolers more than refrigerated air?
I am not from this area originally. I grew up in a humid climate. I have maybe 16+ years of living in dry climates...
Low relative humidity causes a person to feel chilled —even at 70 F.— because perspiration evaporates at a rapid rate. Low humidity causes dryness of the skin or throat and may aggravate colds and other respiratory ailments. Low humidity is most likely to occur in winter, particularly when the house is being heated.
Controlling Humidity
Indoor humidity can be decreased by an air conditioner or dehumidifier.
I've lived out here (in the East Mountains) for 10 years and have never experienced a "muggy" day. But I have used a portable swamp cooler - my previous house had no a/c or other swamp cooling at all - and I promise, they do work.
Just remember, the same rules apply to a portable swamp cooler as to a full-size roof-mounted unit. First of all, there is no point in running it if you're not in the room. It doesn't create a lasting chill to come home to as A/C does. Second, when you run it, make sure that you have opened at least one window to exhaust the room's hot air. Swamp coolers must be able to blow the hot air out.
And third, you have to actively help it out by strategically manipulating your doors, blinds and windows: catch all the cool air at night, then gradually close sunny side windows & blinds as the sun strikes them during the day.
Ceiling fans are a huge help in moving hot air out and cool air in.
And solar shades are great. We installed a Coolaroo outdoor solar shade to protect the western wall of our living room from the late afternoon/early evening sun - made a big difference.
For the record. I love A/C. This is the third house we have owned which we have converted to A/C...
Rich, who did your conversions? We are considering getting rid of the swamp coolers and converting to a/c. Our issue will be that while we have plenty of duct work for the roof mounted coolers, we have radiant in floor heat. So, we have no air return ducts and no blowers other than the coolers. We know it will be $$, but these coolers are a PITA and more so every year.
Rich, who did your conversions? We are considering getting rid of the swamp coolers and converting to a/c. Our issue will be that while we have plenty of duct work for the roof mounted coolers, we have radiant in floor heat. So, we have no air return ducts and no blowers other than the coolers. We know it will be $$, but these coolers are a PITA and more so every year.
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