You are probably noticing a decidedly cooler climate in the mornings lately. The highs are rarely rising above 70 degrees, and thoughts are turning to getting ready for the cold winter days ahead. One of the household chores which must be attended to very soon is the winterizing and protection of your evaporative cooler, also known as the “swamper”. If you live in one of the dry parts of the country, you likely have one of these and although they are very effective, they do require some extra attention and care, when compared to other forms of air conditioning.
There are two choices to accomplish this winterization job. One choice is that you may call a local heating and air conditioning service to come out and service and winterize the unit for you. This will be at a cost of somewhere between $50 - $100 for the service call. If you would rather save that money, (remember, the holidays are just around the corner now) you can invest about an hour, at the most, and accomplish all that needs done by yourself. This is a simple process; however it is vital to the future of your unit.
If you have chosen the do-it-yourself method, following the directions below will certainly make the job fast and easy. Be sure you make a note of the safety precautions, marked by the asterisks.
1. Be sure that all switches which provide power to the unit are in the OFF position. There will most likely be a switch or button for the pump, and another for the fan. *** It is important to be sure that while you are working with water and electrical components, you take steps to assure that no power can pass through this unit.
2. Locate the water source, feeding the unit. Many times, this is a tee fitting attached to an outside faucet. It may also be a fitting tapped into the supply line going to any sink or water heater inside the house. You may have to trace the small ¼ “black supply line from the unit, backwards, to locate the valve for shutting off the water. Be sure that you fully close the valve, so that no water can pass through to the pump. Usually, these valves are fairly small, and may not tolerate a lot of muscle. Try not to twist it so hard that you break the tabs or strip the fitting. You only need to stop the water flow.
3. Once you have closed the supply valve, use the correct size wrench to disconnect the supply line at the valve. Take care to notice that there is usually a tiny “bead” sort of pressure fitting inside the nut, and this will need to be replaced with a new one when you are reconnecting it in the spring. These beads are NOT reusable. You may want to have a coffee can or pan ready to allow this line to drain into it, instead of leaking on your roof or floor if that applies.
4. If your unit is located on the roof, it is now time to climb the ladder. You may need a screwdriver, a pair of channel locks or large pliers, and a rag or towel for keeping your hands dry and wiping out the interior of the water pan. Make sure those things are with you, to save multiple climbs up and down the ladder.
If your unit is a window mounted style, you have just skipped a step.
5. Remove the panels from the sides of your unit. If you have a roof mount, there will be four. If this is a window mount, there will only be three. Most of these are held in place with little turn clips which are easily twisted out of the way. If one is hard to turn, either loosen the screw holding it in place, or GENTLY turn it with the pliers.
6. If your unit is hard wired, meaning if it is wired into the house wiring, not plugged into an outlet, turn off the switches or breakers in the junction box which should be mounted near the unit. Be SURE that you dry your hands, and don’t handle electricity with wet hands! If the unit is simply plugged in, unplug it. Be aware that some units have two plugs, one for the blower, and one for the pump. Be sure ALL the power is disconnected.
7. Drain the water from the pan in the bottom of the unit by releasing the plug on the bottom. This water can be allowed to run off the roof, just be careful not to step and slip on it. (Unless you have a tile or metal roof, the shingles should be plenty of grip)
8. Take the rag you brought with you, and wipe out the pan after draining, to remove the sediment and excess water in it.
9. Disconnect the supply line, that little ¼” line that most likely attaches to the float valve inside the unit. Since you have already disconnected the other end of this line, it would be a good idea to blow through it now, to force any residual water to drain. Any moisture left in this line might freeze and rupture the line.
10. Using the pliers, loosen the mounting bracket which is holding the blower motor. When it is loose, rock it over to allow the belt to be removed. It is fine to leave the belt and the pump in the bottom of the pan, inside this unit for the winter, however if you live where winters are extreme, it might lengthen the life of them both to remove both the pump and the belt to a heated garage or shed for storage. Examine the condition of the belt and get a replacement if it is cracked or worn.
11. If you are dealing with a roof mounted unit, there should be a slide damper, a little sliding door to close between the roof opening and the bottom of the unit. Most of these are in the mounting jack that bridges the gap between the unit and the roof opening, and may be a panel that has to be replaced into a slot. This prevents cold air from entering the duct from the cooler.
12. Replace the panels on the sides of the unit, leaving the pads inside to help to insulate the unit for the winter.
13. There are several choices of covering, and most hardware stores, Wal-Mart, and so on will offer at least a few. Choose a good cover for your climate, insulated if you live in an extreme winter area. In any case, in a pinch, a simple plastic tarp, for a cost of about $5 will suffice. If you choose this one, use bungie cords or a piece of rope to tie it securely to the unit against possible winds. The object is to further close off air flow, and also to prevent dirt and sand from getting into the pads and unit.
14. You’re almost finished. All that is left is to go back to the water feed source (the first disconnection you did), and check to be sure it isn’t leaking, or dripping. Once you are sure you have the valve closed completely, you can remove the drip can or pan, and empty it. If you follow this list in reverse, you will be ready for those hot summer days in a few minutes come spring. Enjoy the fireplace nights, and pat yourself on the back. You have just saved yourself as much as $100 in service fees, and protected your investment in the cooler.
