During the peak of summer, air conditioners run almost non-stop to keep people cool indoors. Your AC unit must work hard to keep inside temperatures bearable during midsummer heat waves. But hardworking air conditioners usually mean high utility bills, and no one wants to waste their hard-earned money if they don’t have to.
One strategy for taking some of the hard cooling workload off your AC unit is to install a misting device to your system. Some companies claim you will save up to 30 percent on your energy bills when you install one of these smart misting devices.
Saving Money with Evaporative Cooling
Misting gadgets such as Mistbox and Cool-n-Save use a principle called evaporative cooling to help lower cooling bill. By sending out a fine mist around your AC’s condenser, these misting devices help drop the air temperature in the immediate vicinity saving your unit some extra work.
What is Evaporative Cooling
Evaporative cooling is not a new concept. In fact, it’s been around for tens of thousands of years. It’s so basic that it is designed into our biology. It is the principle our body’s use to stay cool in hot temperatures.
When we get hot, we sweat. As the sweat evaporates, our bodies are cooled. This is because it takes heat to turn water liquid into water vapor. The phase change that occurs as sweat evaporates off our skin carries heat away from our bodies.
When a mist of water is sprayed into the air, those tiny droplets evaporate into even tinier water vapor molecules. The process requires heat, but in this case, the heat comes from the surrounding air. Cooler air is the result.
How Evaporative Cooling Makes Your AC More Efficient
In very simple terms, your air conditioner works by taking heat from inside the house and sending it outside. Because physics dictates that air flows from hot to cold, the AC’s compressor must make the refrigerant that carries that heat even hotter to create the necessary airflow possible.
My misting water into the air before it gets pulled into the condensing unit, the surrounding temperature lowers as heat is used to evaporate the mist. As the temperature of the air decreases, your AC doesn’t have to work as hard.
In short, misting devices increase your AC’s cooling capacity and efficiency.
Misting Devices
Misting devices hook up to the side of your HVAC unit. The box also connects to your outdoor faucet with a supplied hose. The water travels from the faucet, through the hose, and into the box where it is turned into a fine mist. The mist is then sprayed on all four sides of the AC unit’s condenser. As the mist evaporates, the temperature drops and the air conditioner runs better.
Most misting devices do not require any extra energy to run. The Mistbox, for example, runs completely on solar energy.
Some of the more advanced misting devices come with smart technology. They can connect to wifi and, through an app you download onto your smartphone, can be adjusted remotely. Through smartphone controls, the settings can be changed according to the weather conditions and allow the consumer access to reports about individual energy savings.
How Much Does a Misting Device Cost?
These advanced gadgets are not cheap. Depending on the model and extra features, a misting device can run as high as $450. The good news is that some AC misting devices are eligible for a green technology 30 percent federal tax credit. This brings the initial investment for purchase and installation of the device down significantly.
However, the real savings come after installation. Depending on changing weather conditions, the overall climate of where you live, and other efficiency measures you have in place, some companies claim it is possible to recoup your investment over the first year of use. In other words, it is worth the expensive price tag upfront for the savings you’ll gain summer after summer.
Let the Experts Help
Contact your local HVAC expert if you are interested in learning more about how a misting device can help you save money on your summer cooling bill. They can help you choose a model and easily install it for you. Be sure to also ask for more tips on how to help your air conditioner run more smoothly and efficiently.