Evaporative coolers are a popular option for traditional refrigerant/based air conditioning units. Although they may not be used as often as packaged units and split systems, adjusters should still be familiarized if they need to deal with claims that involve evaporative coolers.
What Is Evaporative Cooling?
Before we go into how evaporative fans work, it’s important to first understand the principles behind evaporative cooling. The evaporative process involves the condensation of liquid water into the surrounding environment. When the liquid is transformed into a solid, it absorbs heat. The surrounding temperature then drops.
Evaporative Cooling has been around for thousands of years. This process was first used by ancient Egyptians to cool homes. They did this by submerging fabric in water and then hanging it up. The fabric was able to absorb moisture, creating a cool breeze as the air passes through it.
How Do Evaporative Coolers Work?
Evaporative coolants harness this process for cooling a space. A direct evaporative coolant is typically used in residential properties. This system involves a pump moving water from a reservoir into a cooling pad. The fan pulls air out of the outside through a wet pad. This initiates the process of evaporation. The cool, humid indoor air is then distributed into the home.
There are 3 types of direct residential cooling evaporative coolers.
- Portable Coolers: They are designed to cool a smaller area. They are easy to install and do not require ductwork. Many models come with wheels, making them easy to move around from one place to another.
- Side Draft: These systems blow the air directly into the house from the unit’s sides. This type can be installed in a window or through a wall. These may require professional installation, but no ductwork. They are not able to efficiently cool more than one room. However, they can be used to cool an area larger than a portable cooler.
- Down Draft: These units are placed on the roofs of homes. They can cool the entire house using a duct network. These units are expensive to install, and they can be difficult to maintain.
Where Can Evaporative Fans Be Effective?
To use the evaporation process effectively to create cooling, air must be sufficiently dry for it to absorb moisture. Evaporative coolers are only effective in areas where the relative humidity is below 60%. Evaporative cooling can’t reduce the temperature by more than 10 degrees if relative humidity exceeds 60%. Even in dry conditions, the humidity will increase even if it is not raining. These high humidity times are not suitable for an evaporative chiller.
Evaporative Cooler Claim Considerations
Hailstorms are more common in regions with evaporative cool. A hail claim often includes evaporative cooling units, as they are often located on the roof. This is unlike condensing systems, which have coils that are easily damaged by hail. The hailstorms are rarely a problem, and the unit often shows no damage. Large hailstones can sometimes damage the metal panels. It does not normally affect the operation of the system, but it is important to consider if the system can be sufficiently restored to pre-loss condition. These panels can often be replaced and not the entire unit.
An evaporative chiller is less likely to be damaged by an electric event than a standard HVAC unit. The evaporative chiller is often activated by a simple variable motor speed switch. There are therefore no integrated circuit boards. Even though electrical damage can still occur to the pump or motor of an electrical blower, it is far less frequent than with refrigerant-based systems.
