We often look for cost-effective ways to chill our homes in an energy-efficient manner. Choosing a swamp cooler or a fan is a decision a lot of people face as each gadget has its own set of advantages over the other. So what might be the most suitable air cooler or portable AC for car and RV for your needs? Consider these topics mentioned below before purchasing one.

Electric Fans

Fans work by imparting artificial breeze to the area that surrounds the fan. They will not really bring down the degrees inside the room, however, they can still bring down your body temperature when the air hotness is moderate. In locations where the air is too hot, the fan would just circulate hot air across the room.

Movable electric fans come in a few varieties like a box, standing, and pedestal. You’ll also come across mini fans that provide means for charging from your mobile or can function with batteries. These are not very useful, however.

Features

. Speed Settings.

Fans work by artificial airflow, therefore the outcome can be adjusted by changing speed. You’ll notice three-speed variations mostly. 

. Swing Mode.

The next upside is the function that lets the upper fan body to move — swinging it from one side to the opposite. This allows the flow to travel all ways. Box fans will not have this feature because of design limitations.

. Purification.

Some variations among fans have an ionization feature. They form particles with a -ve load. When these flow, they attach to +ve particles. Examples are irritants, pollen, or dust mite. This leads to the formation of a denser air molecule that settles down on a surface. Consequently, the air becomes purified.

. Timer.

The option will usually accompany tower fans. One can use timers to off the fans at pre-set points automatically.

Why Prefer Electric Fans

You can get a compact one for yourself. Usually, desktop fans shall be very compact. Box fans come in many sizes. Most box fans will be smaller in depth most often (for example, 20.75 by 20 by 4.5 inches).

They are reasonably affordable. If you want to add controls, say, an ionizer or time control, the price might vary. But, if you are comfortable with the basic features, these are available at reasonably cheap prices.

You can use DIY to hack fans easily. One example could be, just put a damp cloth over it and it would start emitting comparatively cooler air. One must be watchful while designing such systems as water and electric appliances don’t go well together.

Downsides Of Electric Fans

The temperature stays the same. Heat intensity isn’t lowered. It just feels less hot due to the flowing air over the skin.

They cause atmospheric dehydration. As with hairdryers, the air is blown to remove moisture, similarly, fans can render the surface moisture-free for the surrounding air and for your skin too!

They promote dust flying everywhere. Air-mite, smog, etc. are tiny air particulates that usually collect over the fan blades. When switched ON, everything gets blown off into the air. This can be problematic for people with allergies. Cleaning the blades at regular time intervals is commendable.

Fans are a source of noise pollution. Although the sound emitted by a fan is under permissible limits, still prolonged usage can lead to disturbing noise. In some cases, even the mildest speed setting might also hinder a good night’s sleep.

There are a lot of cheap options that don’t last long. Plastic is primarily used in the production of fans, so the durability is low. This is even worse if one buys some very cheap fan.

Evaporative Air Coolers

As the name suggests, these bring down degrees by the mechanism of evaporation. These are equipped with moisture-absorbing material, and when the air is forced through it by a fan, it cools down significantly.

Considering their own size, and then the total space, these coolers are categorized as personal, living area, and outdoor coolers.

Features

. Cooling Options —

you can alter the speed with which the chilled air comes out.

. Air Cleansing —

  water is good at taking out unwanted particles from the atmosphere which might lead to allergies otherwise. Some models come with filters (carbon) for removing unpleasant smells.

. Remote Operation —

you can change the settings while sitting far off, with the help of remotes or Wi-Fi cell phone applications.

. Timer —

set when to switch off and switch on the machine by itself.

Why Prefer Swamp Air Coolers

Useful for lowering the heat intensity. It is a proven way of chilling the air by creating artificial wind over an evaporative surface.

Energy-efficient. You can cut down a lot on your power bills by using these machines. On average they consume no more than 1/10th of the energy that an AC unit will consume within the same time, as they only need some energy to circulate the air through the evaporative filling.

Humidity-optimizing. Thirty percent to fifty percent is the optimum indoor air-moisture range. An evaporative cooler can help you achieve this range. In-fact swamp coolers can save one from common side effects of hot air like rashes, mild burns, skin dryness, etc.

Simple in cleaning. Manufacturers’ guidelines would guide on how and what parts to clean. If nothing else, cleaning moisture-absorbing pads plus the water container once every month with a simple soap solution is all that is required.

Self-sufficient, no extra hack required, unlike fans. As mentioned above, electric fans need a lot of modifications or hacks to make them start cooling the air. But evaporative coolers tend to be free of such hassles.

Downsides Of Swamp Coolers

Not viable for humid areas. If you are somewhere that is already humid, it would not be advisable to further humidify the air (as swamp coolers would do). 

A bit towards the costlier side. If you really want to go for the best range among swamp coolers, they might feel heavy on the pocket, sometimes higher than a fan. However, considering their health advantages, every penny is worth the spend.

Conclusion

While electric fans might serve well only in moderately warm climates, they do nothing for the temperature. If you want to affect the heat intensity in a room and not just create a breeze, then no fan varieties will do that job for you. A personal air conditioner might be a better option for you.