Help with AC electricity usage?

[calmloki]

Yes, swamp coolers work very well in the dry air of the SW, up until the monsoon season that brings in the moisture. In the 50s and 60s, many houses had no AC, but all had a swamp cooler. Now, most people who use a swamp cooler also have a central AC, and switch to the latter when it gets too humid for the swamp cooler to work well.

The swamp cooler is no longer popular, and I have not seen it offered in new houses in the last 20 years. In fact, new subdivisions prohibit anything that is mounted on the roof. Also the construction of new houses is such that the swamp cooler cannot be easily added on.

Not an architect, but I think it is quite possible to built a house to accommodate a swamp cooler and to conceal it so that it is not visible on the roof to enhance the aesthetics. However, that may not happen until another energy crisis.

As you suspect, ground level swamp coolers are available - MIL has one in 29 Palms CA. Hers blows air into the basement and then up through floor vents, then out various windows. Amazing how much mineral accumulation from evaporated waterthere is after a cooling season. I brush the honeycomb blocks the water runs over that the air is pulled through and use chemicals to breakdown the buildup, but bet the pads will be due for replacement by the 8 year mark. This was last year during cleaning time - notice snake surprise taking advantage of the cool.