Swamp coolers are a more cost-effective way to cool your environment than purchasing an air conditioning system. Sometimes referred to as evaporative coolers, these handy systems bring down the temperature of your environment by as much as 20 degrees Fahrenheit by dispensing evaporated water into the air. There are, however, a few things that may occur, such as your swamp cooler dripping, having low air flow, or even not turning on at all. In these situations, some troubleshooting will help you locate the problem.
Evaporative Cooler Dripping
Typically if your swamp cooler is dripping water, it is due to storing it improperly. Storage preparations in the winter is very important. You should have completely drained the unit, removed all the pads, cleaned the tank, and covered it well until it is ready to be utilized again. Another possibility is that the float valve is not properly adjusted, which could cause your swamp cooler to use excessive water and possibly overflow. To remedy this, you can adjust the rod manually and see if your unit gets enough water without overflowing. If that doesn’t solve the problem and your swamp cooler was stored properly, or if you notice water being blown from the unit, you should call in a professional to correct the problem.
Unit Will Not Come On
Start by checking your circuit breaker or fuse box, your swamp cooler may have overloaded the circuit or caused a blown fuse. If so, you should be able to either reset the circuit breaker or replace the fuse and the cooler should turn back on. If there is a breaker inside your unit as well, it is likely that it was tripped as well, you should make sure to reset it. If that wasn’t the problem, you should move to inspect the thermostat. Your unit may have features that allow you to set the temperature or program it to operate at a later date. It is possible that your swamp cooler was set for the future or the thermostat was set too high. If these aren’t the culprits, it is possible that your switch may have worn out. Use a voltmeter to ensure the switch is working as it should. Afterwards, you can try unplugging the cooler so you can safely check the wiring and the motor. The blower should not be excessively hot and the belt should be properly aligned. You can allow the blower time to cool down and adjust the belt to its proper position and try again later, but it you came across any issues with the switch, wiring aside from the belt having been dislodged, or the motor, you should recruit an expert electrician or repair tech to correct the problem correctly.
Emitting Musty Odors
Without properly winterizing your unit, it is likely that the pads will form mildew and even stagnant water left in the swamp cooler creates some not so pleasant odors. Because of growths that may occur due to the super moist nature of these coolers, you need to check on your pads regularly, and replace them as the need arises. Any stagnant water should be drained and the sump should be cleaned. When you replace the water, you can add some vinegar (about a teaspoon), which would keep the water clean for a longer period of time. If this occurs on a regular basis, you may want to consider installing a bleed-off kit. These devices help by removing some of the water and routinely cycling in fresh water.
Make the move today to make sure the swamp cooler on your home or commercial building has no problems and if it does have problems that you solve them sooner, rather than later.
