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Commercial Air Coolers: A Great Way to Keep Commercial Areas Cool in a Dry Environment

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Keep garages, warehouses, patios and even athletic fields comfortably cool with a commercial air cooler. These evaporative coolers provide cooling at a fraction of the cost of air conditioning and cover large areas from 700 square feet to 4,000 square feet, depending on the model. So if you're looking to cool large spaces at minimum cost, these coolers are the way to go!

Read the brief review below and learn everything you need to know about these air coolers.

How do Commercial Air Coolers Work?

Modern evaporative coolers can be traced back to ancient Egypt. Because Egyptians lived in a dry, arid environment, they sought ways to keep cool. They hung wet blankets across doors and windows, and had servants fan them over jugs of water.

Egyptians understood that when hot air passed over water it kept them cool. This ancient principle applies to the commercial evaportative coolers of today.

These coolers work by the same process that's used to cool the human body: perspiration. Our skin feels cooler when sweat evaporates. Similarly, the air feels cooler when warm outdoor air is pushed, by a large fan, through moist pads. Distribution lines supply water to the pads,which is re-circulated by a pump.

This technology has been around longer than traditional air conditioning and is considered to be just as good or better at cooling rooms and buildings in arid environments.

Commercial Air Coolers vs. Commercial Air Conditioners

We know now that these coolers cool the air through the process of evaporation. It's an open system relying on airflow to reduce ambient temperatures. Air conditioners work by passing air over a set of coils filled with a refrigerant like Freon. The air is cooled by the coils and then re-circulated. This is often referred to as a closed cooling system. Even though air conditioners draw hot air in and push cool air out, the room must be closed in order to cool off.

Another difference is the affect these coolers have on moisture levels. Commercial air conditioners reduce humidity levels. These AC's make the air drier, so if you work in a humid environment an air conditioner improves working conditions.

Evaporative coolers are an effective resource for arid environments. Commercial evaporative air coolers add moisture to the air. Humidity levels increase with use, thus eliminating the severe dryness commonly associated withskin, eye, and throat irritations. So if you already live in a dry area, a this kind of cooler is a great way to reduce the ambient temperature and enjoy the benefits of an ideal humidity level.

Sizing a Commercial Air Cooler: Meeting the Need
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The size of an evaporative cooler is determined by the CFMs. For each 1,000 CFM of cooling there's 1-2 square feet of air exchange. Most air coolers feature a CFM of about 4,000 - 20,000. Some may offer more and some less.

These coolers averaging 20,000 CFM can effectively cool a 4,000 square feet area. So if you're cooling an industrial space that's 4,000 square feet this is the ideal CFM. If you're cooling a workshop that's 2,000 square feet your evaporative cooler should have a CFM of about 9,000.


  • Room Square Footage: 100 square feet
  • Ceiling Height: 9 feet
  • Cubic Feet = 900 feet
  • CFM = Cubic Feet / 2
  • 900 / 2 = 450
  • CFM = 450

Commercial Air Coolers and the Benefits

There are a lot of reasons to use an evaporative cooler to cool your workspace, garage,or patio.

  • Air coolers use less electricity than a traditional air conditioner. For the same size area, some of them use as much as 75% less electricity.
  • Evaporative coolers use simple technology. As a result, they're much cheaper to buy, install and maintain.
  • In dry climates, adding moisture to the air can help keep both furniture and fabrics from drying out. Adding moisture to the air can prevent skin irritations, dry eye problems, and issues associated with dry nasal passages too.
  • Another benefit is that the moist pads in the cooler act as air filters, helping to capture and eliminate dust and other impurities and irritants while providing a constant supply of fresh air.
  • These coolers are available in a variety of sizes and can be moved around easily too.
  • Last but not least, a cooler reduces the ambient temperature by 20° F.

The Down Side of Commercial Air Coolers

Unfortunately, evaporative coolers work best when the air they're pulling in is dry. As outdoor humidity increases, the effectiveness of the cooler goes down. In reality, these coolers work best only in certain areas such as the southwest or where the climate is arid and the air is dry. In areas with higher humidity levels, this cooler isn't really an option since they add even more moisture to the air. There would be no cooling effect.

Another drawback to using an this cooler is that they require a substantial amount of water (up to15 gallons per day) to cool effectively. In dry areas, this much water consumption can put a real strain on water supplies.

A Few Final Words...

So you know what commercial air coolers are and how they work, but are they effective? These coolers are effective anywhere the air is dry and there's no humidity.

Evaporative coolers are fully capable of creating a comfortable work environment for virtually any setting. They lower the ambient temperature by as much as 20° F. This is a significant reduction when you're in a dry, arid area that's 100° F. or more. A commercial evaporative cooler is fully capable of cooling a garage, workshop, warehouse, or even an indoor/outdoor athletic field.

Without a doubt, there's an air cooler guaranteed to meet your need!

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