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Hey, guys. I want to install A/C in my 850 square foot basement with zero hassles. My only choice is to install an indoor Evaporative Cooler which would require no structural modifications to install unlike my other options.
I have zero experience with Evaporative Coolers and was hoping someone can shed some light on the subject. Pros and Cons? What brands, models and features should I be looking for? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Evaporative coolers work on the principal that evaporating water takes heat out the air when things evaporate. Same way that sweat works. For it to work, the air has to be fairly dry to work efficiently. This isn't always the case with a basement. Given that the air is dry enough to work efficiently, it will increase humidity since it works by evaporating water. Since a basement is an enclosed space that is not normally well circulated, it may not be a good idea to increase humidity in such a place. I don't know for sure if evaporative coolers would affect humidity enough to have moisture problems, but that is something to look into.
Thamelau is spot on! Once the wet-bulb air temp starts to match the dry-bulb temp, those coolers don't work well and they will actually start exhausting a fine mist. I'd recommend a Mitsubishi mini-split cooling unit
Evaporative Cooler = cave...cool and moist.
Also know as a swamp cooler.
In the desert SW it would be fine. Not sure about your area. Everything stated above is true. Also they can be, if not maintained, a place for breeding bacteria and insects. Legionella a lot of times comes from cooling towers. An evaporative cooler is basically a small cooling tower. They used to be common place, not so much any more.
Evaps work great out here until July-September, but we have humidity below 15% for 9 months of the year. I would really try to figure out how to do a mini-split system for your basement...
How hot does your basement get? Mine might get to 68 or so in the heat of the summer and I run a dehumidifier set at 45 percent 24/7 for the summer. Unfinished basement.
Heed the warnings above. I don't think it'll be efficient in RI and you could end up with mildew issues. If money isn't an issue, a mini-split would probably work better
All of the above. Plus an evaporator unit will rust your guns :laugh:
Mini split all the way. Easy installation and they will heat and cool. Note to self, make sure its a 220 unit and buy a one or two higher BTU than specified for your square footage
Thanks for the feedback everyone. I decided against a Evaporative Cooler for reasons posted above and further research. Thanks again.
Mini split heat pump/AC unit would work real well for that.