Spring is just a couple of weeks away and people are starting to think about their cooling systems. We get a lot of inquiries asking to explain what evaporative cooling is all about and how it works in South Australia’s dry heat.

Put simply, evaporative cooling involves drawing air across water to drop its temperature. That cooler air is then distributed throughout the building. It’s one of the oldest forms of cooling and is very relevant to South Australian conditions.

Ducted evaporative cooling is popular in our low-humidity climate because it adds moisture to dry air in a house, which is a tonic for occupants and great for people who suffer allergies.

This type of cooling works best in dry, hot conditions but isn’t anywhere near as effective in hot but humid climates.

How old is this cooling principle? Ancient Middle Eastern buildings featured rooftop “windcatcher” shafts that drew water across internal cooling cisterns. Patents for the current technology were first filed in 1906.

Modern evaporative coolers are incredibly economical to run, refresh the entire volume of air within a house several times in an hour, plus occupants don’t have to keep the house shut up to stay cool.

The simplicity of evaporative cooling also means it’s environmentally friendly.

However, all systems need periodic servicing. Filter pads need regular replacement and it’s recommended to get a professional service to sanitise and open up an evaporative system for spring and summer.

One of the hardest-working parts of the system is the pump, which pushes water around to moisten the filter pads. If a pump is failing, don’t despair. Older systems can have very affordable upgrades with the latest pump technology to increase efficiency.

Here’s another fact about evaporative cooling we bet you didn’t know: Honey bees air-condition their hives by distributing water droplets and fanning their wings across them to create air movement, just like an evap.