In Rio Rancho, we live with hard water. That means it has a lot of dissolved minerals, largely calcium and magnesium, which can create buildup much faster than if your water was soft.
For homes that use evaporated cooling, what we know as swamp coolers, hard water can be especially challenging. When the cooler runs, water is continually moving through the unit so deposits can build up on the water lines, pads, and pump. To prevent hard water affecting your swamp cooler, follow these helpful tips:
- Use high-quality cooler pads in your swamp cooler. They’re less likely to clog with the hard water deposits. Some brands can be cleaned and reused.
- Check your pads during the cooling season. Maintenance or replacement of the pads may help keep your home cool. If the cooler is running but the air coming into the home is hot, likely the pads are not being saturated—and the cause may be the buildup on the pads.
- Spring startup for your swamp cooler is important. Some homeowners do this themselves but at Affordable Service, we help many homeowners get their systems ready for summer. If you don’t like the messy clean-out or climbing the ladder, give us a call! We’ll do an inspection of the unit, clean out the cooler and panels, and get it ready for the first hot days of summer.
- In-line filters on the water line can be installed to help reduce calcium and mineral buildups.
- A bleed-off valve can also be installed. This valve helps protect the lifespan of the swamp cooler by continuously bleeding off a small amount of the oldest water in the bottom of the water reservoir.
For regular maintenance and to prevent damage to your evaporative cooler from our area’s hard water, turn to Affordable Service. If your cooler is ready for replacement, we offer new, energy-efficient evaporative coolers that also use less water than many of the original units, as well as conversion to refrigerated air systems. For a free estimate on a new cooling system, give us a call!
