Swamp Cooler Installation Costs

The experts at DCS Heating & Air Conditioning want you to know using swamp coolers in Palm Springs, Thousand Palms and all across the Coachella Valley can save you a lot of money.

If you’re familiar with evaporative cooling you already know it’s energy efficient. The coolers don’t use electricity to cool the air, just the evaporation process.

But did you know swamp coolers cost less to install? According to the Department of Energy the cost is about half of what you would spend to install a central air conditioner.

Here are some of the reasons why the installation costs are much lower:

Swamp cooler units cost far less money than AC units
Many times evaporative coolers are installed without adding ductwork
They can be attached to existing ducts
In smaller homes (especially mobile homes) the cooler fan circulates the air throughout the house without using any ducts at all
No refrigeration lines or air return ducts are needed
Swamp coolers use standard 110-volt circuits (no 220-volt circuits are needed)

Most swamp cooler installations are what’s called down-flow evaporative coolers which are installed on the roof. There are also ground-mounted horizontal units. They feature easier maintenance and no risk of roof leaks.

Here’s what you can expect from your DCS technician during the installation process:

Prepare site for installation
Assemble, level, and mount unit
Hook up water supply
Wire into existing electrical supply
Connect to ducting (if applicable)
Site cleanup

Generally a swamp cooler will use about ¼ the energy of an air conditioner. That can amount to savings of $3,000 to $5,000 a year. That’s only in utility costs. When you factor in the lower upfront cost for the unit and the lower swamp cooler installation costs, you can cut your overall cooling costs up to 75% when compared to cooling your home with just an air conditioner.

There are some specific maintenance and startup procedures for evaporative coolers you need to be aware of. You can learn more about them here. Rest assured, your desert cooler specialists at DCS are fully trained to help you with any questions or problems you might have.