How Much Does It Cost To Install Evaporative Cooling?

$824

(portable E/C for 800 sq.ft. including new circuit)

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Evaporative Cooling Costs

Indoor Cost Guides Air-Conditioning & Heating (HVAC) Evaporative Cooling Costs

Evaporative cooling (E/C) units draw exterior air through evaporating-water filtration that results in a temperature drop of 15º to 25º F of the air being forced into the interior space. Its use is limited to dry and arid climate zones where evaporative phase-change conditions are good.

You will find that the cost of average evaporative cooling varies by type of unit, its air flow (cubic feet per minute, CFM) and water pumping capacity, preparation and special needs, and the labor rate.

Type and cost summary

In the following table the Cost figure is based on average E/C for 800 sq.ft. to 1,600 sq.ft.; and includes transport, material, equipment, labor, and waste.

Type	Pros	Cons	Cost
Window	Easy install/remove	Limited regions	$632
	Filtered air	Breezy indoors
	Low cost cooling	House distribution
Portable	Easy install/remove	Limited regions	$824
	Filtered air	Breezy indoors
	Flexible location	House distribution
Whole house	Roof mounted	Limited regions	$1,146
	Higher efficiency	Breezy indoors
	Low cost cooling	House distribution

Other considerations and costs

E/C moves significant volumes of air from the exterior through the vented interior, resulting in air flow that can be bothersome to persons.
In addition to cooling the air, intake air filtration is very high.
E/C energy bills are about 1/3 or less of similar cooling capacity A/C cooling.
Taxes and permit fees are not included.
Energy efficient E/C will save money, and in some cases rebates may be available.
For E/C units of greater than 12,000 BTU’s per hour (or 3.5 kilowatts) a multi-phase electrical circuit is generally required.
During the initial inspection the contractor should inform the homeowner of any and all necessary modification or upgrade of electrical circuits or building structure.
Labor cost will rise with a “hidden” circuit installation in a finished environment.

DIY considerations

Home improvement centers typically offer a DIY kit with this product.
This project is suitable to an able and prepared DIY person with tools.
The work may include heavy lifting and moving.

References

Craftsman Estimator Costbook, complete series year 2015.
Latest prices found on Home Depot and other vendor Web sites.
Literature review of DIY Web sites.

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