Ducted Evaporative Air Conditioning

Ducted evaporative cooling uses water as a cooling agent to lower the temperature of your home. The fan in the outdoor unit pulls hot air from outside, and is cooled by evaporation over the water-saturated pads.

This system is commonly combined with ducted gas heating or wall split systems, as an evaporative system is only used for cooling.

Who should use a ducted evaporative system?

If you’re looking for a cost and energy-efficient way to cool your house, ducted evaporative cooling is great solution. These systems are cheaper to run than reverse cycle systems, but are not as precise in their temperature control. Evaporative systems also require that you keep windows and doors open, to allow air to flow freely.

What are the upfront and ongoing costs associated with running a ducted evaporative system?

The purchase and installation of a ducted evaporative system could cost anywhere from $2,500 - $6,000+, depending on the size of the unit and the configuration of your home.

Evaporative systems are quite cheap to run, and could cost as little as $35-$100/year.

Reducing the cost of running a ducted evaporative system

To reduce the cost of running a ducted evaporative system, there are a couple of things to think about.

Consider ceiling insulation. Insulation prevents heat from escaping through the roof in winter, and stops it from entering in summer. This means you could potentially buy a lower-powered unit and also save on energy bills, as your air conditioner doesn’t have to work as hard.

Also, consider adding solar. Installing solar panels can significantly reduce your running power costs, especially in Adelaide’s scorching summers. Using the power generated from your solar system means you won’t need to draw (as much) power from the grid. In some cases you might even get paid for using your A/C if your solar is feeding back into the grid!

Features to consider

• Will cool the whole house
• Your preference for closed window or open window cooling (evaporative systems circulate fresh clean air and require doors and windows to be open)
• Energy-efficiency (evaporative systems are very cost-effective)
• Requires a different solution for heating

Some of our ducted evap brands