BLOG | United States | MasterCool Evaporative Coolers

Types of Media Explained

Types of Media Explained

Evaporative cooling relies on the simple process of water evaporation to create cool air. There are quite a few vital parts to an evaporative cooler, and each part has an important role to play in the cooling process, but the media may be most crucial to the efficiency of the evaporative cooler. So, what is media? The media (or media pads) attach to the outer panels of the evaporative cooler unit, just inside the vents. The main cooler pump circulates the water from the pan u

Evaporative Coolers: Going green never felt so good.

Evaporative Coolers: Going green never felt so good.

Evaporative coolers have many benefits, and most of those benefits are environmental! Traditional air conditioning requires the use of chemical refrigerants. These refrigerants are trapped the air conditioner in chiller pipes. Outside air passes into the air conditioner and over the chiller pipes, cooling the air and removing its moisture before pumping the dry, cool air into the home. Chemical refrigerants are bad news for the environment because when they are broken they re

Evaporative Cooling and Air Conditioning: Can you use both?

Evaporative Cooling and Air Conditioning: Can you use both?

Warmer temperatures are slowly creeping into spring afternoons. Summer is approaching, and soon decisions will be made on how to best keep cool and comfortable in the rising heat. If you live in an area where the temperatures are high and the humidity is low, evaporative cooling is a fantastic cooling option for you. Evaporative coolers work off of the principal of evaporation. When water vaporizes, it makes the surrounding air feel cooler. Evaporative coolers have the additi

A Breath of Fresh Air

A Breath of Fresh Air

People spend a lot of time indoors. This is especially true during the heat of summer when temperatures regularly rest over 100° in parts of the United States. But how healthy is your indoor air? Many things lurking inside of interior air can trigger respiratory reactions in people. We’ll take a look at some of these issues and look for a good solution. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that indoor air can be much more polluted than outdoor air. One of the b

Ben Franklin's Big Idea

Ben Franklin's Big Idea

The fundamentals of evaporative cooling have been in use for centuries, all the way back to Ancient Egypt! The Han Empire of China, the Persian Empire, and Ancient Romans also stayed cool by incorporating the idea of evaporative cooling. How did these ancient practices evolve into modern-day evaporative cooling? Keep reading to find out! The Founding Fathers were only human, making them just as susceptible to sweat as the rest of us. When it’s hot outside, people tend to

All About Climate Zones

All About Climate Zones

Are you considering a switch to evaporative cooling? The success or failure of an evaporative cooler comes down to one major consideration: location, location, location. It’s important to know your climate zone. Climate is the average atmospheric condition of a region over 30 years, measured by temperature and rainfall. The United States falls into more climate zones than anywhere else on the planet! The eight recognized climate zones in the United States are Hot-Humid, M

Evaporative Cooling: The Beginning

Evaporative Cooling: The Beginning

Evaporative cooling is not a new technology. Modern evaporative coolers are based on methods of cooling air that were first discovered thousands of years ago by the Ancient Egyptians! The Egyptians weren’t the only group to figure out how to stay cool when it’s hot outside. Keep reading to find out more about the true beginnings of evaporative cooling and how this simple but extremely effective method of staying cool came to be. The Ancient Egyptians were technological pio

Don't Be Fooled by A/C!

Don't Be Fooled by A/C!

Evaporative cooling is one of the most energy-efficient ways that residents of dry, arid regions of the United States stay cool in the hot summer months, saving customers from the astronomical energy bills associated with air conditioning. Many air conditioning companies and HVAC installers advertise that their air conditioners are now so energy efficient, there’s no longer a need for evaporative cooling. So, what’s the truth? In short, don’t be fooled. While it is true tha

Shut it Down

Shut it Down

Summer held on tight this year, with oppressive heat carrying over into fall in many parts of the country. The extended periods of heat led many homeowners with evaporative coolers to leave them running through the first full month of fall. But now that the season has finally changed, it’s officially time to winterize your swamp cooler. Here’s a quick run through of the steps you need to take to shut down your MasterCool evaporative cooler each fall. First, make sure to di

Switching to a Swamp Cooler

Switching to a Swamp Cooler

It’s not a secret: the average monthly electric bill keeps climbing. During an average summer, air conditioning comprises 15-20% of a residential electric bill. That jumps to 50-70% in warmer regions of the country, such as the Southwest, where summer temperatures regularly rest above 100° Fahrenheit. What do you do when “going without” to save money simply isn’t an option? Savvy consumers are switching to evaporative cooling to stay cool while keeping their electric bill

Why is it Called a "Swamp Cooler," Anyway?

Why is it Called a "Swamp Cooler," Anyway?

The swamps of Louisiana and Florida comprise some of the largest areas of wetlands in the United States. A swamp, essentially, is a flooded forest whose vegetation is primarily trees. Swamps are known for a tranquil outer appearance, and, typically, a very high humidity. Conversely, a MasterCool evaporative cooler is an energy-efficient air conditioner designed for use in very dry climates like the Southwestern United States, with characteristically high summer temperature

Is Your Cooler Covered?

Is Your Cooler Covered?

One of the final steps of winterizing your swamp cooler is adding the cover on for the less-oppressive months of winter. Where do you find cooler covers? What size do you need for your cooler? It can be confusing if you’re new to evaporative cooling. We’re here to help you figure it out and knock one more thing off your to-do list! The majority of residential side-draft and down-draft evaporative coolers rely on third-party covers as part of the winterization process. Th

Online Resources for Your Evaporative Cooler

Online Resources for Your Evaporative Cooler

When you purchase a new evaporative cooler, it comes with a handy little manual. Manuals are full of useful information about your swamp cooler; how to install it, how to care for it, and tips to keep it running smoothly. Manuals are so important that they boldly tell you not to lose them, right on the cover! In a perfect world, there would be a place for every manual, and every manual could be found in its place. But this is real life. Your manual might not be in the las

The Importance of Proper Cooler Shutdown

The Importance of Proper Cooler Shutdown

The long, hot summer is finally drawing to a close, and it’s time to put your evaporative cooler to rest until next spring. While there are fewer steps involved than in spring start-up, it’s still important that your shutdown maintenance is performed correctly in order to extend the life of your evaporative cooler. First, shut off the water and disconnect the water line to your cooler. Disconnect the line from both ends, drain it and blow out the extra water, and store for

Where to Find Replacement Parts

Where to Find Replacement Parts

Your evaporative cooler is built to last for many years. As with most appliances, it could use some maintenance from time to time. Where do you find the parts you need? Hardware stores often have many of the smaller replacement parts you might need for your evaporative cooler. They carry drive belts, water pumps, and sometimes motors, in addition to regularly replaced items like aspen pads and rigid media. People often wonder about where to find some of the more specialize

Bigger is Not Always Better

Bigger is Not Always Better

Many people live by the motto that bigger is better. They upsize their meals, buy groceries in bulk, and often drive incredibly large vehicles. While it’s certainly okay to “go big or go home,” when you’re purchasing an evaporative cooler, going too big can actually be bad for your home. Evaporative coolers are rated by cubic feet per minute, or CFM. CFMs determine the efficiency of a cooler when used in a house of certain square footage. To calculate CFM, first determine

How to Clean the Internal Parts of Your Evaporative Cooler

How to Clean the Internal Parts of Your Evaporative Cooler

This summer has been one for the record books, and you’ve probably had your evaporative cooler working overtime (while enjoying lower energy bills than your AC neighbors)! But fall is fast approaching and it will be time to shut down your cooler. Using this shutdown time for a deep cleaning will prevent build-up, help prevent rust, and add years to your hard-working cooler’s life. So what cleaning products are safe for your cooler? It’s important to know what is and is no

Purge Pumps: What You Need to Know Before Buying Yours

Purge Pumps: What You Need to Know Before Buying Yours

Have you ever gone into a home and noticed that it has a musty smell? The smell might be overpowering, or not, but still, there’s something there. Would it surprise you to know that the cause of the smell might actually be something outside your home? If you use an evaporative cooler and don’t frequently change the water, it can develop a stale smell over time. It doesn’t have to be that way. Fix the stale smell with a purge pump. A purge pump is a useful piece of equipm

Preparing for Shutdown

Preparing for Shutdown

While the summer heat is sticking around for now, before long, it will be time to close down your evaporative cooler until next season. While the steps to shut down your cooler are less intensive than spring start-up requirements, they’re still important. Here’s a refresher so you can prepare for what’s to come! Before beginning any cooler maintenance, it is important to remember to turn off all electrical power to the cooler and to unplug it. Also, disconnect the motor.

COOLER REBATES: Is your electric company on the list?

COOLER REBATES: Is your electric company on the list?

Do you like saving money? One of the major benefits of an evaporative cooling system is the low cost of use compared to air conditioning. As an added incentive, many electric companies offer rebates on installed evaporative coolers! Is your electric provider on the list? Please note that some restrictions could apply. Make sure to check your provider’s terms & conditions for full details. PNM Southern California Electric El Paso Electric Xcel Energy Rocky Mountain Power

1

2 3 4