Evaporative cooling is one of the most common ways Melbourne homes stay cool through summer. It is cheap to run and it moves a lot of fresh air, but it only works well if it is looked after. An evaporative cooler pulls hot outside air through wet pads, and the water in those pads is what cools the air before it is pushed through your ducts and out the vents. That means water, dust and minerals pass through the unit every time it runs, and over a season that builds up. If the system is never serviced, it slowly gets weaker, starts to smell, and can end up costing you more to run or breaking down on the hottest day of the year.
What happens when you skip maintenance
Two things build up inside an evaporative cooler that is not cleaned. The first is mineral scale from the water. As water evaporates it leaves minerals behind on the pads and in the tray, and that scale hardens over time and blocks the pads so less air can pass through. The second is dust and organic matter pulled in from outside. Sitting in a wet, dark unit, that turns into sludge and can grow mould and algae. Once that happens you get a musty smell blowing through the house every time the cooler turns on, and the air quality drops instead of improving.
A neglected unit also has to work harder for a weaker result. Blocked pads and a dirty pump mean less airflow and warmer air, so you leave it running longer and your power and water bills climb. Left long enough, the extra strain shortens the life of the pump and motor, and a small clean you could have booked in spring turns into a repair in the middle of summer.
Signs your evaporative cooler needs a service
- A musty or stale smell when the cooler starts up
- Weaker airflow, or air that does not feel as cool as it used to
- Dust or debris around the vents
- Water leaking, overflowing, or the tray not filling properly
- Rattling, buzzing or other new noises from the roof unit
- It has not been serviced in over a year
How often should you service it
As a rule, an evaporative cooler should be serviced once a year, and the best time is spring, before the cooling season starts. Getting it done early means the pads, water system and pump are all checked and cleaned while the weather is still mild, so the unit is ready when the first hot week hits. Homes near dusty roads, building sites or lots of trees collect more debris and can benefit from a check part way through summer as well.
What a proper evaporative cooling clean involves
A full evaporative cooling clean is more than a quick wipe down. Done properly it covers:
- Inspecting and cleaning or replacing the cooling pads, which do the actual cooling and wear out over a few seasons
- Draining and cleaning the water tray and reservoir to clear out sludge, scale and algae
- Checking the water pump, float valve and water level so the pads stay evenly wet without overflowing
- Cleaning the filters and the inside of the unit
- Sanitising the parts that sit in water, so you are not blowing a stale smell through the house
- Checking the fan and motor are running clean and quiet
DIY or call a professional
There are small things you can do yourself, like keeping the roof area clear and running the fan on its own for a while at the end of summer to help dry the pads out. But the full clean, the pad replacement and anything to do with the pump, water valves or electrics is a job for a professional. The unit sits on the roof and runs on power and water, so getting into it safely is not a comfortable DIY job for most people. A trained technician does it in one visit and leaves the whole system clean and checked.
Do not forget the ducts
The cooler is only half the system. All that air travels through your ducts and out the vents in each room, so even a freshly serviced unit can push air through ducting that is full of dust. If you have not had them looked at in a while, it is worth having the ducts cleaned in the same visit so the clean air actually reaches you clean. If any ducting is torn or disconnected, that is also the time to sort out duct repairs, because leaks waste the cool air you are paying to produce.
Book your evaporative cooling service
Looking after your evaporative cooler keeps it running cheaper, keeps the air in your home fresh, and helps it last for years instead of failing on the hottest day. If it has been more than a season since your last service, now is the time. Mr Duct Cleaning services evaporative cooling systems across Melbourne, and we can clean your ducts in the same visit. Get in touch for a quote and we will have your system ready for summer.
