Swamp coolers also known affectionately as evaporative coolers — can save you lots of money during high temperatures in the summer. A swamp cooler does not use electricity to maintain refrigerant in condenser tubes. It uses only the natural process of evaporation, making your home’s temperature drop. While an evaporative chiller does require electricity, it only runs a fan to cool your room.

You’ll love the energy savings and long-term sustainability of evaporative cooling. It is important to learn how to get the most out of your evaporative chiller. These coolers are not as efficient as regular air conditioning. Learn some swamp cooler pad tricks and tips to maximize its efficiency.

Here’s the scoop.

1. Use Your Swamp Colder in Dry Weather

The biggest mistake people make is using their evaporative cooling system on humid days. This will not work. The purpose of an Evaporative Cooler is to bring down temperature by allowing the freshwater supply to dissipate to dry air. Water evaporates. This naturally lowers temperatures in the affected area. The system’s fan blows this cold air to where you need it. This process works just like sweating. The damp skin cools off in dry air and your body becomes cooler.

2. Seasonally Use Your Swamp Ice Cooler

If you do not live in the desert, but would still like to try evaporative chilling, a portable Evaporative Cooler is a better choice than a full-sized house model. These small appliances are easy to move from room to room and store away when it’s not needed.

Evaporative coolers work best when the relative humidity levels are around 70 percent. The coolers will lose effectiveness if the relative humidity exceeds 75 percent. They can also make things more unpleasant as they make the air moister. Keep an eye out for changes in the weather, especially if you live where humidity fluctuates. If you have a swamp cooler, you can keep your central air conditioner use down on dry days. This will help reduce your utility costs.

3. Open the Windows

You will have to relearn some of the basics of traditional air conditioning by running an evaporative chiller. Although an air conditioner can be more efficient in an enclosed and insulated environment than a swamp cooler, they work best when there is a constant flow of fresh air. When a swamp cooler is running, it creates moistened air in your house as water evaporates. The cooler’s ability to evaporate the water will decrease the humidity of your home. You can solve this problem by leaving a few windows unlocked to let dry and wet air flow in. It should take only a few inches of air to create a cross breeze.

4. Run a Dehumidifier

You can also add a dehumidifier if the temperature is too high to open your windows. A dehumidifier takes excess moisture out of your atmosphere and stores it in water tanks until you empty it. A dehumidifier, by itself, can make your house more comfortable in summer when it produces drier air. This helps to increase your body’s natural perspiration. The same principle applies to swamp coolers. It can increase their efficiency by doubling the size of the unit.