Category: Fans

What is the Advantage of a Tower Fan?

Fans come in a lot of different shapes and sizes. And you can argue that each style has specific characteristics that make them better than others.

And each type of fan has a type of room that it is better paired with.

For instance, a drum fan that works well in a shop or garage area is not exactly what you want in a living room.

And though there are many fans that are basically utility fans that are not meant to look like anything special,

When it comes to your living room or your bedroom, you probably want something that fits better in with your furniture and decor.

  A tower fan may be just what you’re looking for.

Let’s take a look at a couple of the outstanding characteristics of a tower fan that make it more useful for a living room or bedroom area. Of

What is the advantage of a tower fan?

Tower fans have more than one advantage including:

  1. Aesthetically pleasing
  2. No exposed blades
  3. Take up less room
  4. Blade design that moves a lot of air.

1.  Aesthetically pleasing

Compared to other types of fans like a box fan or a pedestal fan, tower fans are designed to look like they fit in with the décor of a room.

Compared to the usual large circular frame that many fans use, a tower fan is a simple, straight up and down and  aesthetically pleasing fan.

2.  Take up less room

Similarly to the aesthetic look of a tower fan is the capacity to hide for tuck away a tower fan.

The small narrow size of a tower fan does not only allow it to blend in easy, it allows it to be tucked away in a corner much easier than another type of fan.

Most tower fans are only about 3 and 1/2 ft. tall at about 6 in around.

3.  No exposed blades

The blades on a tower fan are hidden completely behind a vent grill that is very hard to get your hands or fingers into.

This one feature adds a dimension of safety that makes it a clear contender when you are searching for a fan style that is safe for baby or toddler to be around.

Tower fans also come in completely bladeless styles that make it impossible to ever get a finger into a fan blade as it is moving.

4. Moves more air

Tower fans come in a couple of main styles.

One that has a long cylinder blade and one that has no blade at all.

Both styles are very safe and move a lot of air.

The style with the long cylinder blade is the more popular. The length of the cylinder blade means that you have more air moving along a longer length than you get with other types of circular fans.

This type of tower fan is very popular for bedrooms because the height of the fan makes it a very good option for a fan that you can sleep with.

The other type of tower fan is the bladeless fan. These fans are the most technologically advanced fans available but they have not yet reached the level of popularity of the standard tower fan.

These fans are also called air multipliers because of the unique technology that pulls air into a ring and redistributes it 360°.

Summary

What is the advantage of a tower fan?

Tower fans have a lot of advantages over other kinds of fans.

They are aesthetically pleasing and easy to tuck away.

They are also safer than other fans because of their hidden and bladeless fan designs,

  And they move air in both a straight line or depending which style you purchase, a 360° air flow.

What is the Advantage of a Pedestal Fan?

Pedestal fans are among the most popular styles of fan. What exactly gives a pedestal fan an edge over other types of fans 

The main advantage of a pedestal fan is the adjustable height and the option to adjust the osculation horizontally and  the fan itself vertically.

If you look up the definition of a pedestal, it is defined as a base or support on which a statue, obelisk, or column is mounted.

That kind of gives you an ideal of what you’re getting with a pedestal fan.

  • It is a fan that is mounted to a pedestal.
  • But in the case of a fan, the pedestal is adjustable.

    What is the advantage of a pedestal fan?

Pedestal fans have the unique advantage of being the only style of fan that you can adjust the height on.

Another unique advantage that you will only find on a pedestal fan is the ability to adjust the direction of the fan vertically.

So you can set the fan to oscillate from side to side pointing straight up or pointing straight down. You’ve got the option.

Pedestal fans come in a lot of unique styles also.

Nowadays a pedestal fan is any fan that has an adjustable stand. You could put a tower fan on an adjustable stand and call it a pedestal fan.

You will not get the ability to adjust the fan vertically, but there is a lot to be said for being able to adjust the height of a tower fan.

Pedestal fans are simply the most adjustable of any type of fan.

But they do have their disadvantages.

They are bulky. Think about it. The bigger the fan, the larger a base you will need to support the fan.

So a lot of pedestal fans are smaller fans that don’t move as much air as some other types of fans.

  The size and bulkiness of a pedestal fan make them less attractive than say a tower fan.

And though as I mentioned before, there are a number of different styles of pedestal fans available these days, but they primarily are circular fans that sit on a stand.

That means they are potentially dangerous to have around small children who can get their fingers through the blade grill.

Summary

What is the advantage of a pedestal fan?

A pedestal fan has the advantage of being the most adjustable of all types of fans.

You can adjust the height. You can adjust the direction of the fan vertically, and you can set the osculation to move from side to side all at the same time.

Pedestal fans also have one big disadvantage.

They require a large base to sit on.
The larger the fan, the larger the base that it takes to support the fan and its many oscillation and direction options.

That also means that the pedestal fan requires a stronger and heavier base as the power of the fan increases.

So what you find a lot with the big box store brands is a less powerful fan that takes a less heavier pedestal base. 

And they are typically the circular type of fan that have large enough fan grills that a baby or a toddler may be able to get their fingers into the blade.

Which Type of Fan Gives More Air?

Which type of fan gives more air?

What type of fan that gives more air is different for each situation.
Overall if you want to get the most air out of one fan, a bladeless fan or “air multiplier” will create the most airflow for one single fan.

Different needs

Finding the right fan for the right situation isn’t as cut and dry as you may think.

There are quite a variety of different styles of fans for many different purposes.

And for any situation, finding one that creates the best airflow is the central point.

Which type of fan gives more air?

Of course there is no one perfect answer because there are many types of fans that produce a huge amount of air that are made for commercial  and industrial settings.

For instance an air mover is the type of fan that delivers a powerful amount of air. Not only a lot of air but a lot of air with a lot of force behind it.

But you are not going to want to use an air mover inside of your home unless you do have a flooding problem.

The ceiling fan moves more air than a floor fan of the location where it is mounted.

You may argue that a ceiling fan would be a subpar fan if it were sitting on a table because it doesn’t blow as hard as some other types of fans.

So location is definitely one decider.

Drum fans are large floor fans that you may see in the garage or shop. They push a lot of air and are more powerful than the standard House fan but are not nearly as strong as an air mover. 

You may say they are light commercial. But definitely more powerful than a pedestal style fan.

House fans generally do not drive as much air because you don’t want that amount of air blowing on you usually when you’re going about your life at home.

Ceiling fans

The ceiling fan moves more air than a floor fan because of the location where it is mounted.

You may argue that a ceiling fan would be a subpar fan if it were sitting on a table because it doesn’t blow as hard as some other types of fans. Probably the same as a pedestal fan.

But because of how it is mounted in the center of the ceiling, one ceiling fan can give you more air than one fan of similar size blowing in one direction on the floor.

Tower fan

A tower fan is a strong fan that won’t blow you out of your seat but still give you a good amount of air.

A typical tower fan has a long cylinder fan blade that creates a lot of air and fits in nicely with about any style of room in the home.

Bladeless Tower fan

A bladeless tower fan is also called an air multiplier. It has a completely different fan design then all other types of fans.

Air multipliers pull air into a fan and then redistribute it into a 360° air flow.

The direction of the air that comes from a bladeless fan creates a full room effect that you cannot get out of other fans.

Bladeless fans also lend themselves to being very efficient HEPA air purifiers.

Which type of fan gives more air?

Because of the unique design and technology of a bladeless fan, you can get more air out of one fan than any other type of House fan.

The air from a bladeless fan is distributed 360° to create a full room air flow effect.

A ceiling fan is also a fan that gives more air because of where it is located in the middle of the ceiling.

But if you are looking for a fan that you can get the most air out of for a shop or garage area, a drum fan or large commercial pedestal fan is going to be your best bet.

Finally, if you need the most air that you can get for an industrial or clean up situation, an Air Mover will provide the most power.

What Does a “Pedestal Fan” Mean?

Have you ever been to a historical museum?

If you have, then you know that It is commonplace to see the bust of a famous Greek philosopher or Roman emperor displayed on a column or podium as part of the historical attractions.

How does that have anything to do with a pedestal fan?

It is because those famous busts are actually sitting on what are called “pedestals”.

The proper definition of a pedestal is “a base or support on which a statue, obelisk, or column is mounted”

 I think you see where we’re going with this.

What does a pedestal fan mean?

A pedestal fan is a fan that is mounted on an adjustable stand. It is unique to other types of fans in that the height can be adjusted and it can be vertically tilted.

The majority of pedestal fans are circular fans that sit on stands that have a large base to support it.

They have the unique characteristic of being able to adjust the height of the fan by adjusting the stand height.

They are typically oscillating fans that can be tilted vertically as well.

Though the majority of pedestal fans are circular, that is not always the case and is not necessary to be called a pedestal fan.

Technically you could put a tower fan on top of a stand, and you would have a pedestal fan.

Which is a good idea because tower fans are height challenged but they tend to be more directional in their air flow.

Pedestal fan shortcomings

Because of the chance that a pedestal fan has a becoming top heavy, the base on a pedestal fan has to be extra large to hold the fan steady as it blows and osculates.

That means that they inherently take up a lot more space then a tower fan would.

That also means that the stronger and larger that a pedestal fan is, the heavier and larger that the base has to be to hold the fan in place.

An added benefit to having a heavier base is that the fan is less likely to move out of place when it is blowing on high.

You may find that a lot of the plastic pedestal fans that you can purchase are not very strong blowers. 

Because of their light materials, they don’t have the strength to keep a more powerful fan motor solidly in place.

Wrap Up

What does a pedestal fan mean?

A Pedestal fan is simply a fan that is mounted to an adjustable stand with a large base.

A pedestal fan brings something to the table that other fans cannot.

That is that they are height adjustable.

This is a feature you cannot find on other types of fans.

Another feature that is extra valuable on a pedestal fan is that they have a heavy base and are not as likely to move out of place as easily as say a box fan can.

It is true though, because pedestal fans have to have a large base to support the fan, they tend to be more bulky and take up more space than other types of fans.

  And the lighter the materials that a pedestal fan is made out of, the lesser the amount of airflow you can expect to get out of one.

Are Tower Fans Safe?

Fan safety has come a long way from when I was a child.

I can remember having a pedestal fan in the house when I was a kid that you could get your whole hand into the blades. 

Seems crazy. Yet that wasn’t so long ago.

And till this day, a ceiling fan is wide open for anyone to come along and get hung up in it, if they’re having to do something high up.

But when you take a look at the range of fans being offered in any big box store or Amazon, one thing is for sure, fans are made much safer than they once were.

Although there are a few that I think could stand to tighten it up a bit.

But on the other side of the coin there are some types of fans that have made safety almost a non-issue.

Are tower fans safe?

Among the safest of fans that you can purchase is a tower fan.

Why?
For starters the blade inside of a tower fan is a long cylinder with very short blades.

And the grill that covers the blades is closed off tightly enough that fingers are not easily placed inside it.

A tower fan is as close to being a bladeless fan as you can get without actually taking the blade completely out.

But there is a type of tower fan that does just that.

A Bladeless fan, although not quite as tall as a regular tower fan, still qualifies for the tower fan moniker.

Bladeless fans are just what they sound like, a fan that does not have any type of fan blade at all.

The fan looks more like a circular tube attached to the top of a tower heater.

It is completely safe for anyone including babies, toddlers, or pets.

A bladeless fan is not only much safer than a regular fan, it is also much more efficient and much quieter than a standard fan.

The system behind a bladeless fan operates by pulling air into a base that redistributes the air 360° around the circular tube that I mentioned before.

This creates air flow around the entire room at one time instead of being directional or semi-directional oscillating.

Bladeless fans also make one of the best air purifiers you can purchase.

Since the design of a bladeless fan dictates that air moves through the fan, it’s a very logical step to pull the air through a HEPA and Carbon filter in the process.

A better, more efficient fan that also serves as one of the best air purifiers.

are bladebless tower fans safeSummary

Are tower fans safe?

Tower fans are among the safest fans that you can purchase.

They have a closed off grill that makes getting your hands or worse your children’s hands into the blade almost impossible.

The cylinder shape of the blade apparatus makes the need for long blades obsolete. And able to do less damage to something were to get into them.

But easily the safest type of fan that is also a type of tower fan is bladeless fan because it does not have any blade that you can get your hand into at all.

Pedestal fan vs Tower fan

Pedestal fan vs Tower fan Overview

Pedestal fans advantages

  • Air flow is directional both horizontally and vertically
  • Can be purchased as fold away units that can be stored easily.

Pedestal fan disadvantages

  • They have a large base so they take up more room than a tower fan.
  • Traditional circular fans that are more open and less safe for children.

Tower fan advantages

  • Blades are hidden and are very safe even for small children
  • Create a larger area of wind because of the length of the fan.
  • Smaller and easier to store.
  • Lend themselves more to being combined with a heater and an air purifier.

Tower fan disadvantages

  • Are not adjustable vertically.
  • Do not create as much air flow above the 40 inch height Mark.

A fan is one of those products that doesn’t seem too exciting to go on about really.

Everybody uses a fan from time to time and they are kind of just in the backdrop until you need to turn it on.

But if you haven’t taken any time to look at what’s been going on in the fan world lately,

  you may be shocked or at least surprised by the amount of innovation that has been happening out there.

I’m probably just old, but some of these new styles of fans are really cool. Pun intended.

And I might get a little long-winded talking about them. Haha

Pedestal fans

A Pedestal is a word that describes the column that a statue sits on in the art world. It’s also called a plinth. Imagine a bust of George Washington sitting on a Roman style column. That’s a pedestal.

In the fan world, it’s an elongated adjustable stand that gives you the ability to raise a fan up and down vertically.

For instance, a cyclone pedestal fan by Lasko can raise up and down anywhere from 38″ up to 54 and a half inches.

Which is pretty much the norm.

The typical pedestal fan is a circular fan on top of a stand that oscillates 90° horizontally.

And it has the added advantage of being adjustable up and down vertically about 30° so that the fan direction can be targeted even further.

Pedestal fans, because of their adjustability, are very useful and convenient.

But they do have a huge built-in disadvantage in that the larger the fan blade size, the larger the base at the bottom of the pedestal has to be to support the fan.

So naturally they are going to pick up a little more space.

But this is where some of the innovation I was talking about earlier is starting to shine through in the market.

Lately when you think about a pedestal fan, a circular fan on top of a stand with a large circular base is what comes to mind.

But technically as long as there’s a pedestal to place the fan on top of,

You can use a variety of different styles of fans on top of a Stand and still call it a pedestal fan.

For example take a look at the Everdure pedestal fan.

This fan has a look that resembles portable lighting on a Hollywood TV set.

The canister design looks really sharp but it also encloses the blades so that getting your fingers into the fan blades becomes impossible.

Very cool.

It also creates a more slender fan design that uses less space.

Fold away pedestal fan

Another cool innovation in pedestal fans is the ability to fold the fan up and use it as a travel fan.

  • Tripole is an example of such a fan.

And its fold away position only takes up 12″ x 6.5″.

No more having the fan in the middle of the floor because there is nowhere to put it.

The adjustability on this fan is insane.

It oscillates 70° horizontal and is adjustable 200° vertically. Essentially you can point the fan in any direction from one stationary spot.

This fan is also battery operated (optional). And can run 5 and 1/2 hours on a single charge. Great for camping.

Hybrid Pedestal Fan


Lasko has a pedestal fan that is essentially a tower fan that sits on a pedestal.

Hmm..

What’s the point?

Because of the smaller fan size, you can get about a foot taller than pedestal fans.

Tower fans generally fall in the 40 to 45″ height range. Which means that there’s not much direct cooling going on above that height.

Being able to adjust a tower fan up and down on a stand is actually a very usable feature.

For instance, if you have a very tall bed, a tower fan can be a little too short to blow any air directly on you.

But being able to adjust the height of said fan would make all the difference.

The obvious downside here is that even though it does oscillate horizontally, it can’t be adjusted vertically.

Tower Fans

This is a good spot to switch over and talk about some tower fans.

Tower fans are cylinder looking fans in which the blades are hidden. Because of this fact, there’s very little risk that anyone would ever get their fingers into the fan blades. Even a very small child.

And because even at the base they only come in around 12 in, they take up very little space.

The design of a tower fan lens itself is combined with a heater and as we get into some of the more innovative designs for tower fans, you’ll see that many of them lend themselves to being an excellent air purifier besides.

The blade design on a traditional tower fan (this Lasko, for example) creates more airflow than a pedestal fan. The effect is more of a line of air; the cover has much more space directly in front of the fan than a pedestal fan.

And if there has been some outstanding innovation in the pedestal fan arena,

Innovations in the tower fan category are nothing short of amazing.

Bladeless Tower Fans

Bladeless fans are pretty much the future of tower fans. Since Dyson came out with the Air Multiplier over a decade ago, it has seemed to spark the imagination of what could be done with a tower fan.

Take the “Airmate tower fan” for instance.

This tower fan is a fully working HEPA filter as well as a powerful fan.

In the appliance world, when you start to combine different technologies, you don’t always get the best from either technology.

Not so with the Airmate tower fan and air purifier.

The bladeless design of the Airmate pulls air into the fan and then redistributes it to get a much wider airflow than the standard tower fan.

And since the air is already being pulled into the machine as a means of creating air flow,

The logical next step is to clean the air in the process by filtering it through a HEPA filter.

This combination makes for one of the best fan designs and one of the best air purifier designs.

It also has a very cool, futuristic look. A little bit of Stormtrooper in the white version or Mando in the grey version. (Yep, those are Star Wars references)

The noise level on this fan is exceptionally low also. The majority of people say that you cannot even hear it working on the low setting.

This fan really begs the question of why you would ever go back to an old school floor fan. It’s that innovative.

Yeah… but does it have a heater function?

Modere

Just when I thought I had seen the most modern tower fan, I found one that exceeded the capabilities of anything else I have seen.

The Modere tower fan is a three-in-1, fan, heater, and air purifier.

This fan has an answer to one of the biggest drawbacks that most Tower fans have.

And that is that they do not adjust vertically.

The bladeless design on this fan does give you the option of adjusting it vertically.

That in itself separates this fan from the pack.

But that is only the beginning.

This fan is also a fully functional space heater and air purifier.

The air purifier uses a pre filter for larger debris, a HEPA h13 filter for particles as small as 001 microns. And a UV light to sterilize the filter and fan as the air is moving through it.

The heater can be adjusted up to 86°. And it has the standard tip over protection that turns the unit off if it is knocked over.

And it is all connected via Wi-Fi. Which means it can be voice controlled with Alexa or controlled with a touchscreen via the downloadable app. But it also has a remote control and on board buttons.

Dyson Cool Link

It’s kind of hard to talk about innovations in any type of appliance without talking about Dyson.

Yes, Dyson products tend to be expensive. But the above fans probably would not exist if Dyson never came out with the original Air Multiplier.

The Dyson cool link hpo2 is the original air multiplying technology combined with a heater and air purifier.

Though the fan is nothing short of amazing, there is no question that it is being copied by other fan manufacturers.

The bladeless design not only increases air flow exponentially, it makes fan blade safety a non-issue. The unique airflow technology combines it with an air purifier, also a no-brainer.

The real dazzling component of this combination fan, heater, and air purifier is the air purifier.

This air purifier has censoring technology that automatically adjusts the air flow to remove indoor air pollutants as needed.

Pretty wild..

The filtering on this air purifier also includes a carbon filter to remove gases and odors.

Dyson is not only the most innovative, they also pour in the most features to ensure that you get your money’s worth. Wi-Fi, directional speeds, ultra quiet, you name it.

Summary

Comparing a pedestal fan to a tower fan comes down to a couple of unique benefits and advantages that each have over the other.

Pedestal fans are fully oscillating fans that have the added advantage of being able to adjust them not only up and down on the stand, but the blade direction can be adjusted vertically also.

Tower fans are not adjustable vertically but they do tend to create more airflow because of their long fan blade design.

Tower fans do have an advantage over pedestal fans in that the blades are closed in and there is much less risk of ever getting your fingers into the blades.
Even when we’re talking about small children.

And also, innovations in the tower fan world have begun to blaze a new trail in what a fan really is and what it can actually do.

Bladeless designs or able to create a whole different level of airflow than previously known.

They are also able to incorporate fully functional air purifiers and heaters without diminishing any of the technologies that are combined.

Bladeless fans are absolutely safe and take the possibility of one of your children ever putting their hands into a spinning fan blade completely out of the equation.

The Disadvantages and Side Effects of an Air Cooler

Using an air cooler can be a great alternative to refrigerated air conditioning.

  For one it does not use nearly the amount of electricity a refrigerator air conditioner does. And it does not require a way to exhaust the heat.

Which can be a huge advantage when you have spatial constraints like say a personal office space or even the garage and most people’s houses.

And if you live in a dry region, evaporative air coolers do an excellent job of keeping the air cool and comfortable.

But air coolers do have their disadvantages.

disadvantages of air coolerSome of the disadvantages and side effects you can expect from using a air cooler include:

  • Are not as cool as traditional air conditioning
  • Cannot be set to a specific temperature
  • Don’t work well and humid regions or circumstances
  • Can be a source of excess humidity
  • Require routine draining and cleaning
  • High and low settings are fan speeds
  • Noisy
  • Can be a source of asthma triggers and allergens
  • Only work well and ventilated areas
  • Attract mosquitoes

first…

How does an evaporative air cooler work?

Evaporative coolers work by drawing warm air through water soaked pads and blowing it out the other side.

When the air comes out the other side of the pads it is cooler in the same way that air blowing over a lake or body of water is cooler.

The mix of warm air and cool air cause evaporation to happen as a result.

1.Do not work in humid regions or circumstances

Evaporative coolers transform dry warm air into cool air by adding humidity to the dry air.

An evaporative cooler is essentially a large fan that blows air through a water soaked pad.

Since the air is dry, the moisture from the pad cools off the air and the indoor environment.

But if the air is already humid, adding more humidity to it will not cool it off.

But instead will cause the air to be more humid.

2.Can cause excessive humidity

Excessive humidity can make the outdoor temperature feel much warmer than it actually is.

When the humidity outdoors is already humid and you attempt to cool the air by using an evaporative air cooler, the result is not cooler air, but extra indoor humidity.

Excessive humidity not only feels warmer, it makes a room feel swampy and comes with some undesirable side effects like frizzy hair.

So you can see that using an evaporative cooler in a humid region can actually make the air feel warmer.

the disadvantages and side effects of an air cooler

 

3.Do not cool as well as traditional air conditioners

There was a time not so long ago that evaporative cooling was the primary way people cool off their homes and businesses.

These days, refrigerated air conditioning by way of central heat and air or window and portable air conditioners have become the norm.

  The truth is, evaporative air cooling does not provide indoor comfort of using a refrigerated air conditioning system.

The traditional AC is much cooler and can be controlled. Which leads to the next point.

4.You cannot set an evaporative cooler to a specific temperature.

Most of us are familiar with turning the thermostat up or down to control how warm or how cool we want it inside of the house.

If we walk into a room and the temperature is too hot, we simply turn the thermostat down and wait a little bit, in the AC adjust to revive the temperature that we dialed in.

That is a luxury you do not get with an evaporative cooler.

Just like you cannot control the specific temperature with a fan, evaporative cooling has no way of dialing in a specific temperature either.

5.Settings on evaporative cooler are fan settings

The high and low settings on an evaporative cooler control of the fan only.

6.Require a routine draining and cleaning

Air coolers require quite a bit more maintenance than a conventional AC.

Where conditional ACs require you to change a filter once a month or so, evaporative air conditioners require you to drain and change the water fairly often.

This is because standing water can be a source of airborne bacteria, mold spores, and other allergens.

Legionnaires’ disease can be fatal especially in people with weakened immune systems.

Legionnaires disease is caused by inhaling airborne bacteria that has grown on water.

Its origin has been traced back to industries and businesses that had left their rooftop evaporative coolers full of water where it stagnated and became full of bacteria.

7.Attract mosquitoes

Another point related to the importance of keeping the water in an air cooler drained when it is not in use is the fact that mosquitoes hover around stagnant water.

Mosquitoes can also carry disease.

8.Not good for asthmatics

Humid air is thick and can be harder to breathe. Asthmatics can find breathing humid hair air difficult.

Humid air is also known for being a source of nutrition for dust mites and mold spores. These allergens thrive in conditions of high humidity.

Both are asthma and allergy triggers.

noisy fan




9.Noisy

Since evaporative coolers are essentially large fans, the noise level for them are relevant to what setting you have the fan on.

A fan on high speed is noisy.

Some coolers are louder than others and if you have your cooler on the roof then the sound of the fan is not an issue.

But if you’re using a portable evaporative cooler in your room, then the noise level can come into play.

10.Require ventilation

Air coolers work best when you can open up the windows on the other side of the house for air flow.

When you use an air cooler in a room with no ventilation, the air can become muggy and not provide the level of cool air that is needed.

Recap
Air coolers are a great alternative for cooling the air.

Refrigerator air conditioners require that you exhaust the heat coming from the unit outdoors.

Sometimes you just do not have an access point to be able to do so.

  In situations where you need cool air but cannot facilitate a hose, the evaporative cooling is a great alternative to look into.

But they do have their issues.

Evaporative coolers have a lot of disadvantages and side effects that you need to know about before you dive into purchasing one.

Namely they do not work in humid conditions, and they do require the extra maintenance of draining and keeping the water clean.

They also do not have the luxury of being able to set them to a specific temperature.

And for people who are sensitive to allergens, air coolers can raise the humidity inside of the home to an unsafe level that can make the air uncomfortable to breathe and be a source of allergy and asthma triggers.

How to Reduce the Humidity in a Air Cooler?

Can you reduce humidity in an air cooler?

Evaporative air coolers have the advantage of being cheaper to run than a portable or window air conditioner because they don’t use as much energy.

Air coolers are a much simpler design in that they are basically a fan blowing over and through water.

  And if you live in a very dry area, the extra moisture that evaporative air coolers create is welcomed. And evaporative air coolers do a very nice job of cooling a house when the air is dry.

But if you live in an area with a normal range of humidity, air coolers have the disadvantage of creating much more humidity in your house then you need.

And the result is the uncomfortable feeling of stickiness, as well his other symptoms like fatigue. Too much humidity can just put you in a bad mood. 

So it’s not surprising that one of the first things people want to know about air coolers is how to reduce the humidity in the house when using one.

Unfortunately there is not one magic bullet to reduce the humidity created by an air cooler.

But… There are a few things that can help you reduce the humidity in your home caused by an air cooler.

high humidity remedies1.  Open Windows

There is a misconception that air coolers work best when a room is tightly closed. Not so.

Opening the window or Windows on the other side of the house actually helps pull the air through the house making the air cooler more efficient.

And the open windows let dryer air back into the house which can help lower the humidity caused by the air cooler.

2.  Extra Fans

Adding some extra fans in the house will help dry the air.

Anything that causes rapid air movement, including a fan, can evaporate moisture.

Though the amount of air being moved by a fan may not amount to much drop in the humidity, having air blowing directly on you will help reduce the feeling of humidity.

Think about it this way: if you were to sit in front of a fan with your hair wet, your hair would dry faster.

If your skin is feeling sticky from humidity and you sit in front of a fan, the humidity on your skin would dry out.

3.  Exhaust Fans

What do you do when after you take a steamy shower and the mirror and the windows are fogged over with condensation?

You turn on the exhaust fan.

Same thing in the kitchen. If the air is getting steamy from cooking and boiling, you flip on the exhaust.

Installing and running a few exhaust fans is an excellent ideal to pull some of the excess humidity caused by your air cooler out of the house.

4. Desiccant Dehumidifier

Desiccant Dehumidifiers or dehumidifiers that do not use a compressor and coil system. Instead they use a silica gel chemical absorbent to absorb moisture out of the air.

Silica gel is known as the little packets that are included in all types of products. Anything from shoes to electronics to help keep moisture out.

Desiccant dehumidifiers are full size units that are able to work spaces up to 480 ft.

And they also come in portable containers that you can place around your house.

  To stop a dehumidifier is completely silent because they do not use a compressor or a fan to reduce the humidity.

What about Compressor Dehumidifiers?

Can you a run a dehumidifier with an air cooler?

Technically you can use a standard compressor based dehumidifier to help reduce the humidity caused by an air cooler.

But you have to remember they do exhaust heat out of the rear. Which will compete with the cool air coming from the air cooler. And they are loud.

This is a more experimental approach to lowering the humidity caused by an evaporative air cooler. And it’s probably worth a shot if you happen to have a dehumidifier on hand.

But if you were thinking about purchasing a dehumidifier to lower the humidity caused by a evaporative air conditioner, then it begs the question:
Why don’t you just purchase a window air conditioner or portable air conditioner instead of an air cooler?

Other Natural Humidity Remedies

All natural dehumidifiers are a good way to reduce humidity in your house while running an evaporative air cooler.

Some of the most popular are:

  1. Charcoal briquettes
  2. Calcium chloride
  3. Rock salt
  4. Coffee creamer

1.Charcoal Briquettes

 

 

Charcoal is a naturally porous absorber that can be used as a do-it-yourself dehumidifier.

Simply filling some containers with about 8 to 10 charcoal briquettes and setting them throughout the house will have a dehumidifying effect that will help dry out your air.

2.Rock salt

Rock salt is also a well-known damp absorber.

The idea is to take two buckets. Drill holes in the bottom of one and put it inside of the other bucket was something in between the buckets to keep them apart. ( It doesn’t matter what you use, I use the lid off of a peanut butter jar that was in the trash)
Then fill the top bucket with rock salt.

3.Calcium Chloride

Calcium chloride is an all natural dehumidifier also.

The ideal here is to take a sock and fill it with calcium chloride then hang the sock somewhere with a bowl or a bucket beneath it to capture the condensation that will begin to drip from it.

4.Coffee Creamer

Cheap coffee creamer is a surprisingly good moisture absorber. And there is really no technique to using it.

Simply purchase the biggest container of cheap white coffee creamer that you can buy and pour it into a bowl.

The coffee creamer will draw moisture.

You’ll know to replace it when the coffee creamer gets too hard.

Dehumidifying Plants

 

 

Plants are natural dehumidifiers all on their own.

Anything that pulls moisture out of the air is going to be a dehumidifier and plants certainly qualify. Some plants more than others.

The best plants for dehumidification or plants that have waxy or hairy leaves with a large surface area.

Here’s just a few as an example.

1.  Cactus

Cactus flourish in dry regions because of their ability to draw moisture out of the air.
There’s not an easier plant to take care of than a cactus either.

2.  English ivy

English IVY is a super easy plan to take care of that’s also a great starter plant. It also is a great dehumidifier and thrives off of the humidity in the bathroom.

3.  Spider Plant

Spider plant is an easy indoor favorite. It grows easy and it grows quick in about any circumstance you put it in.

4.  Peace lily

Peace lily is a lovely plant that is not only a dehumidifier, is a air purifier too. This plant removes air pollutants like formaldehyde and xylene and is a addition to your home if you suffer from seasonal allergies or asthma.

Recap

Does air cooler increase humidity?

No doubt an air cooler increases the humidity in the space it is being used in.

Evaporative air coolers or basically a fan blowing over evaporated water as a means of cooling the air off as it’s blowing.

Essentially a giant humidifier.

Can an air cooler cool the room?

An evaporative air cooler can cool the room off nicely in the right circumstances. For instance, if you live in a dry area, then an air cooler can make a room feel very comfortable.

But if you live in an area that is already humid, then an air cooler will just pile on the humidity and add insult to injury.

Is there an air cooler with humidity control?

 

Unfortunately there’s not really an air cooler that has humidity control since the primary function of an air cooler uses humidity to help cool off a room.

But there are a few ways to help reduce the humidity caused by air coolers that are worth looking into.

Opening the windows on the opposite of the house will create air flow and help dry out the air at the same time.

Exhaust fans will also help pull the moisture out of the air.

Desiccant dehumidifiers or dehumidifiers that absorb moisture out of the air without the noise and the heat of a compressor.

They can be purchased as full size dehumidifiers or as containers of desiccants that you sit around the house.

There are also some nice do-it-yourself dehumidifiers that can do a good job.

Rock salt and calcium chloride make great moisture condensers.

Charcoal briquettes and cheap coffee creamer are also great humidity absorbers.

And don’t forget about the house plants.

House plants are one of nature’s Best dehumidifiers and they add oxygen to your air. Some plants even purify the air as they dehumidify.

How to Clean a Fan (fast and easy)

Do you have a fan that you have let go for a little too long without cleaning it?

If so, you have probably noticed that it is not blowing nearly as well as it once did.

Nearly every fan is designed so that you can get your fingers into it. That also means that the spaces that the air is meant to flow through can also get dirty enough to reduce in size pretty fast.

And depending on where you are primarily using the fan, that can happen even faster.

Fans require airflow to work properly. And over time, the accumulation of dust can cause a fan to have much less area for the air to flow through.

How to clean a fan ( fast version)

If you have a fan that has a front and a back like a rotary fan, box fan, table fan, and so forth.

There is a quick way to clean your fan so that it is blowing much better.

Granted this is a method for you if you’re just wanting your fan to blow better and not particularly interested in detail cleaning it at this point.

Here’s the trick.

Tools you will need.

 A cleaning brush with a long handle ( a broom will do if that’s all you have)

1. Take the fan outside. But choose somewhere where you still have access to an outlet. (An extension cord will work)

2.  While the fan is off. Take the cleaning brush and scrub the outside of the fan as well as possible.

( Remember we are not trying to get inside of the fan at this point. This is primarily to get your fan blowing again fast)

3.  Without standing directly in front of the fan. Turn it on it’s high speed.

At this point you should see a lot of debris flying off.

4.  With the fan on high speed, start brushing the rear of the fan.
The point is to clear out all the little areas where dust has accumulated to the point where it’s not letting air through.

By now you should see quite a bit of difference in the rate of which the air is able to blow through the fan.

6.  Just keep on brushing the front and back with the fan still running on high. The debris should be flying off rapidly. Do it to your satisfaction.

At this point, you are able to see why I said do not stand directly in front of the fan and why I said take it outside first.

There you have it. A quick and easy way to get your fan blowing well again.

Didn’t work?

If you have a lot of dust that is binding to the fan, you may have to do a little more than brushing it off.

For instance, If you are using the fan in a kitchen, you may find that the dust does not blow off quite so easily when brushing it.

That’s because of the grease that accumulates on a fan when it is continuously blowing in a kitchen.

How to clean a fan ( slower version)

Sometimes you can’t just get away with doing it the easy way.

And sometimes the point is not to hurry up so your fan will blow easier, but to actually get down to the nitty gritty and put some actual shine on it.

Tools you’ll need

Warm soapy water
Degreaser
Wash towels
Screwdriver
Gloves
Face mask

Fortunately most box fans, desk fans, and oscillating fans are very easy to take apart.

It’s almost like somebody thought ahead and made them that way so that they could be easily disassembled and cleaned.

1.  Unplug
You won’t be needing any electricity whatsoever for this type of cleaning method. So start off by unplugging the fan so that there is no chance of getting injured or shocked at all.

2. Disassemble

Disassembling in this case means taking the outer grill off. You’re not going to be doing anything with wiring for anything that has to do with electricity.

a. Box fan

To take a shell off a box fan, you will need a Phillips screwdriver or a screw gun.

Simply remove all the screws that are connecting the plastic covers to the metal frame and remove the covers.

Be sure to put the screws somewhere where you can keep up with them.

b. Oscillating fan

This type of fan has latches that are easily opened.

Simply open the latches and take the front cover off. The back cover is usually permanently attached to these.

3.  Spray degreaser

Once you have it disassembled, spray degreaser on the front and the back of the covers and let them sit for a good 20 minutes.

Some degreasers take longer, some take a shorter time. The best policy is just to read the instructions on the can.

Spray the fan blade as well as any other spot that needs it. But try not to get anything inside of the motor.

Some degreasers can be pretty aggressive at getting grease off of things so be sure you wear some plastic gloves so you don’t end up irritating your hands.
A face mask is not a bad idea either.

4.  Wash with soap and water
Once the degreaser has had time to release any grime that is on the fan parts, simply take a bucket of warm soapy water and wash all the degreaser and grime off.

5.  Let it dry
6. Reassemble

You’re finished.

How to clean a tower fan.

A Tower fan doesn’t come apart and go back together nearly as easily as a box fan.

If you can get away with brushing the fins out and wiping the outside down,

That’s going to be a lot better choice than taking it apart.

Taking the time to clean your fan to make all the difference and how well it blows and cools down a room.

It doesn’t take too much accumulation of dust and particles on the outside of a fan to reduce the air flow to a point that you might as well leave it off sometimes.

12 Types of Machines That Clean the Air

Finding the right air cleaning machine can be tricky. There are so many types of air cleaning methods and not all are suited for your immediate needs. Getting to know a few and what they do is a great place to start.

So let’s give it a go…

Machines that Cleans the Air- 12 Types

1. HEPA air purifier

HEPA filtration is the most widely used type of machine for air cleaning.

HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Absorber) filters are engineered to capture particles as small as .03 microns. And collect

Which works very well for large particular looks like dander and pollen, as well as dust mites.

HEPA filters are a very dense media made up of random fiberglass fibers.

Interestingly, there are so many knock offs filters that do not meet regulations that HEPA is known as True HEPA now to help consumers find the real thing.

HEPA filter air cleaners are primarily single room purifiers that work better for smaller areas.

Levoit Core is our pick for Best Hepa air purifier- See it Here

 

2. Negative ion Generator

A negative ion generator is a machine that cleans the air by electronically charging particles and emitting them into the air.

This works because when the negatively charged ions from the machine are dispersed into the air, they instantly latch onto the positively charged ions already in the air,  trapping any pollutants in the way into the newly formed bond.

Once these newly formed bonds accumulate, they clump together and fall out of the air.

Negative ion generators also work best in a small area.

3. Ozone Generator

Ozone generators are machines that intentionally create Ozone gas to clean air.
They can effectively remove long-standing odors and kill any bacteria or viral contamination in an area.

Ozone or activated oxygen as it’s also  sometimes called is an oxygen molecule (O2) that contains a third atom. (O3)

Ozone (O3) is very unstable.  So much so that when it comes into contact with any airborne contaminant, it destroys it through oxidation.

Ozone is a very potent air cleaner and is never used in an area occupied by people, or animals.

The reason being is that ozone gas will oxidize your lung tissue if it is breathed too heavily.

It is important to follow the guidelines when dealing with ozone.

Ficus Benjamina - weeping fig4. Humidifier

A Humidifier is a device that does not normally come to mind when you’re talking about a machine that cleans air but you might be surprised.

A humidifier is simply a device that adds moisture to the air.

But when the air is dry, dust is easily kicked up into the air stream. Leaving you wide open for an allergy attack.

A humidifier can help control dust by adding moisture to the air so that dust particles get wet and bind together.

Making the dust particles adhere to surfaces rather than float in your breathing space.

Air Innovations are the Mother of All Humidifiers- See Them Here

5. Bi polar ionization

Bi polar ionization is a type of machine that emits anions and cations simultaneously.

This dispersion of both positive and negative ions have an immediate purifying effect on the air quality of a room.

Air pollutants like cigar smoke can be instantly removed.

Bi polar ionization also has a dramatic effect on bacteria and viruses.

By surrounding the pathogens with negative and positive ions , the cells become damaged and rendered inactive. 

Winix Uses Plasmawave Bi-Polar in Their Units- Check Them Out Here

6. Dehumidifier

A dehumidifier reduces the humidity in a room by turning it into condensate and capturing it in a localized container.

What does that have to do with air cleaning?

High levels of moisture in the air creates droplets that act like traveling containers for air pollutants like mold spores and bacteria.

Humidity is also a major food source for dust mites.

By reducing the humidity in your home or office, you are effectively reducing dust mites and mold spore populations in the air.

7. Air Washer/Water Air Purifier

 

An air washer is a machine that cleans the air by filtering it through water.

The air is pulled in and literally thrown against a series of vats that wash the air before it is released through the other side.

The machine also doubles as a humidifier.

The plus of this type of air cleaning machine is that it never requires any replacement filters and it also moisturizes the air.

The minus is that it is not useful in the humid months.

Air washers also come in compact devices called Revitalizers.

Revitalizers throw aromatherapy into the mix. The machine comes with its own brand of essential oils to use in it.

8. Activated Carbon

Activated Carbon is an age-old method of reducing pungent odors.

Activated Carbon is like a naturally occurring sponge that instead of absorbing water, adsorbs fumes and gases.

It is particularly good at reducing offending smells. Which makes it great for areas like crafting rooms and kitchens.

Types of carbon include charcoal and coconut husk.

The most popular being charcoal.

Activated Carbon is also sold by weight.

Most Hepa Air Purifiers Combine a Carbon Filter as a Set-

Blueair top the list of Best Air Purifiers With A Carbon Filter- See One Here

9. Ultraviolet Irradiation

Ultraviolet light has the ability to destroy any type of pathogen that it is targeted on.

The optimal word being “targeted”.

UV as an air cleaner means targeting the ultraviolet light on a source of air pollution.

One source of air pollution that can be targeted by a UV lamp is the condensation runoff and drip pans inside of a central heat and air handler (HVAC).

Because of the environment of moisture and the absence of light inside a HVAC unit, mold can become an issue that becomes distributed throughout your home whenever your heat or air comes on

By placing UV Germicidal lamps at the source of the mold, you can reduce it before it ever becomes an air quality problem.

10. Photo catalytic oxidation

Photo catalytic oxidation or PCO is another way UV can be utilized as a machine to clean the air.

PCO targets Ultraviolet light onto a titanium oxide catalyst in a hydrated cell.

This process creates a mass blanket of hydroxyls and hydroperoxide ions.

This air cleaning method is essentially like pouring hydrogen peroxide solution, the same stuff used to disinfect a wound, on every airborne germ floating through the air.

See: Air Oasis for the Best PCO air purifiers

11. Air Conditioning

Air conditioning is another type of machine that you may not automatically equate with air purification.

But if you have an air conditioner that has a button on it to enable something called dry mode, then your air conditioner is outfitted with a dehumidifier.

Dehumidification is a type of air purifier because it removes the moisture from the air that is a primary source of food for dust mites in the high humidity season.

It also reduces the humidity that nourishes mold, which in turn releases mold spores into the air.

Even if your air conditioner does not have a dry mode setting, refrigerated air dehumidifies as it cools the air as part of its primary function.

That’s why you have condensation that drips out of your air conditioner.

Central heating and air is another way that air conditioning reduces pollutants in the air.

The air filter that you replace in your HVAC system is not only there to protect your system from getting dirty, it is also there to reduce the pollutants in the air that are circulated through your house every time the air conditioning unit kicks on.

12.Essential oil diffusers

Diffusers can be a great machine for helping clean the ambient air.

Not only do they function as a humidifier to a certain extent, they also disperse whatever essential oil you add to them.

There are many essential oils that have medicinal qualities that help remove airborne pollutants like mold.

Tea tree oil for example is known for its antimicrobial properties.

Likewise Eucalyptus and Lavender, which are both very popular aromatherapy oil additives, are both known to have antifungal properties.

A warning though, essential oils like eucalyptus and tea tree oil can be very potent and even dangerous to animals, especially dogs.

Some air cleaners are made to reduce dust while others are intended to destroy germs and viruses.

Knowing what types of machines that clean air and what they do is a great place to start when searching for an air cleaner.