May 19th, 2023 by Shauna Hammond

Spring is well underway and it will be summer before we know it, and with reports of another heatwave on the cards, it might be time to start thinking about how best to keep cool this summer! It can be tricky with so many options available on the market to know, first of all, what the difference is and which is the best option for you. In this blog, we will discuss the three main types of at-home cooling available, their strengths and their weaknesses in order to hopefully give you a better idea of which of the choice available is the right one for you.

Fans

These are the most common go-to for most households when the temperatures start to rise. These no-thrill cooling solutions have been around for years and it’s not difficult to see why they are a popular choice. They are the most low-cost option and more modern models now come with additional features such as ionisers, timers, wind modes and much sleeker designs. However, one of the most important things to remember about fans is that they are designed to deliver a cooling effect they do not actually lower the ambient temperature of a room.

How Fans Work

As mentioned above fans deliver a cooling effect rather than lower the actual temperature of a room and the way they do this is really quite simple. When the blades rotate this creates a breeze this air then blows over your skin which helps to speed up the evaporation of your sweat which in turn makes you feel cooler and more comfortable. The breeze also helps to dissipate heat energy generated by your body also helping to make you feel cooler.

Strengths

If you are wondering why you should opt for a fan given that they do not lower the temperature of the room, well this usually comes down to the fact that these are much easier to find and can be picked up at most stores for a lower price, they also require very little energy to run so you don’t need to worry about large energy bills. Fans are usually quite compact in size so they don’t take up as much room and it also makes storing them much easier, after all, warm weather is fairly rare in the UK so you don’t want a bulky unit that will constantly be in the way.

Weakness

As you have probably guessed the biggest weakness with fans is that they are unable to lower the ambient temperature therefore they have very limited cooling ability, and the hotter a room gets the less likely you are to feel the benefits. They are also not ideal for covering large areas unless you invest in much larger floor fans.

Air Coolers

A more modern addition, air coolers are a balance between fans and air conditioners. They offer a better cooling effect than fans and can cover a large area, however, they again are unable to lower the overall ambient temperature in a room. However, unlike fans air coolers use the aid of ice and water to create a better cooling effect.

How Air Coolers Work

Air coolers use a process known as evaporative cooling in order to make you feel cooler. This is a combination of a water tank, filter and fan in order to offer improved cooling performance. The water from the tank runs through the unit wetting a filter or pad, the warm air is then pulled into the unit and passes through the filter, as it does this the water evaporates and cooling the air and removing heat energy – the cooled air is then circulated by the fan. Then just like with fans, this cool air blows over your body evaporating sweat and helping you to feel cooler.   

Strengths

Air coolers have the added benefit of providing more cooling than a fan, since they are able to circulate cooled-down air – although this isn’t powerful enough to lower the overall temperature it can make a noticeable difference, especially in very warm and dry weather since they will also add a little bit more moisture into the air too. While they are not as compact as fans these units are still quite small and portable so they can be easily moved from room to room as needed.

These units also require very little energy to run so they can be run for long periods of time without the risk of using excessive amounts of energy, this is because power is only required for a fan as the evaporative cooling is a completely natural process – air coolers are just able to replicate this in an indoor environment.

Weakness

Undoubtedly air coolers offer better cooling than fans, however, just like fans they are restricted to how much cooling they can provide since they are unable to lower the temperature of the room. While they can cool a larger area, they are still restricted by the power of their internal fans so they are not always the best option for larger or commercial areas. They also require more maintenance than fans as filters need to be changed and water tanks need refilling and regular cleaning.

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Air Conditioning Units

Without a doubt, air conditioners are the ultimate in cooling solutions, unlike fans and air coolers they will lower the overall ambient temperature of a room, so they offer unbeatable cooling. They are also much more powerful so they are able to cool large areas making them much better choices for commercial areas.  

How Air Conditioners Work

Air-con units use refrigeration in order to lower an area, they use a chemical compound that has a low boiling point and can be easily converted from a liquid to a gas and back again known as a refrigerant. The liquid form goes through a compressor that turns the refrigerant into a high-pressure gas which flows to a condenser, which is often located outside of the building or is connected to pipes which lead outside and consist of a set of coils. The hot, high-pressure gas is cooled by the outside air, and as it cools, it condenses back into a liquid. The liquid then flows to the evaporator, which is located inside the building and also consists of a set of coils. As the liquid refrigerant passes through the coils, it expands and becomes a low-pressure gas. This process absorbs heat from the air inside the building, cooling the air which is then blown into the room by a fan, while the warm, humid air is expelled outside through another set of coils.

Strengths

Air conditioners are incredibly useful for cooling large areas, they are able to lower the ambient temperature which means they have minimal restrictions when cooling, some units can also arm a room too which means they can be beneficial all year round. Air conditioners are all good for dehumidifying rooms, as they will remove excess moisture from the air and they will also remove dust and pollen too which makes the air overall feel much cleaner and more comfortable. There has been an increase in portable conditioners recently on the market too which means that you no longer need to have the units wall mounted or fixed and they are available in smaller sizes too so they can fit well in domestic environments too.  

Weakness

However, despite their incredibly cooling potential air conditioners also have their weaknesses. These consist mainly of the fact that they have a high initial cost and require more maintenance than the other units, as parts will need cleaning regularly to ensure that they continue to work at their best. Although portable units are becoming more common for the most part these units can be very large and require expensive installation, which means in areas where there isn’t a long period of hot weather they are expensive investments that may not necessarily pay off.

Hopefully, this blog was helpful in clarifying the difference between each cooling solution and gives you the information you need in order to make the right choice for you when it comes to making your choice this summer.