Anyone ever used those AIR COOLERS as opposed to an AIR CONDITIONING UNIT

[drosophila]

You know the ones that you fill with cold water. DO they work?

Tried one last year but have to say I didn't find it very effective. Mind you it was 40+ degrees here at the time!

Apparently they don't work in very humid conditions. Do you live in a humid climate?

We use one in the computer suite at school - it works in that it's cooler with it on than without it, but it's nothing like as effective as air conditioning & it uses a lot of water - ours has to be filled with a jug & I have to do it three or four times a day. Also you have to have a window open behind it. And it's very noisy - if you get one, look for a quiet one - this was a reconditioned one that the school got cheap.
They can also smell musty if you leave water in them overnight - I put aromatherapy oils in ours last summer (nicked them from the sensory room!)

hth

thanks. So despite the hassle do you think it is worth it?

I have an air con unit in our bedroom and it was brill last year as DD was sharing our room three of us had the benifit. Can't afford another air con unit nor the space so I considered this as a cheaper alternative for the kids. Otherwise we will all be sleeping in one room.

If you can get a quiet one, maybe, but I can't imagine anyone being able to sleep in a room with this thing in it.

Having realised that what it's actually doing is blowing air over a water soaked cloth, last summer when it was so hot I hung a wet towel over a clothes horse in front of an ordinary fan (which is much quieter)with a tray to catch drips - it was very effective. So all in all I'd say probably not worth it (unless you're being offered it free of course)

Oh yes, and DS put a bottle of frozen water in front of his fan & said it was much cooler.