How to Maximize the Cooling Effect of Your Patio Misting System? 5 Tips To Know
As outdoor misting cooling systems grow in popularity, a lot more people are getting back out on their porches, enjoying their afternoons away from the TV, and finding it to be a lot more enjoyable than just sitting in the heat and practically smothering.
However, sometimes, you just want your sitting area to be a tad bit cooler. Sure, it’s a lot better than what it is without a misting system, but you really want to feel like you're in a climate-controlled room.
How can you maximize the cooling effect of your patio misting system to achieve that?
Well, we have several tips and tricks that will teach you to maximize the cooling effect of your patio, and we’re going to highlight those now.
1: Purchase a High Pressure Misting System
There are many types of misting systems on the market, but the truth is, high pressure systems are the most effective and reliable cooling solutionsavailable.
High pressure misting systems from aerMist don’t just spray water everywhere; they spray very small amounts of water over large area so that water immediately evaporates once it comes into contact with the air. That means that there is no risk of getting the area wet, the air temperature is actually lowered, and you can enjoy a much more comfortable patio experience.
These systems are also effective in all sorts of climateswhere you’d actually want outdoor cooling abilities. So, you don’t have to worry about buying a product that works specifically with your geographic location.
2: Mount the System Higher
If you’re using an aerMist high pressure system kit, which you should, you need to mount it higher than you might think.
For convenience’s sake, many people opt for low-level installation. Except, there’s a big problem with that. High-pressure misting systems work by spreading out a small amount of highly pressurized water over a large area. When the nozzles are lower to the ground, the water can’t be spread over a large area, and it does not have enough time to fully evaporate before reaching ground.
That happens even if you have the system installed five or six feet off the ground near your own height. There just isn’t enough room for the system to get maximum coverage and evaporation.
For optimal misting potential, you want the system to be installed no less than 8 feet above the ground. This will allow the nozzles to dispense water across their full range, and that water will evaporate over a much larger area, cooling the entirety of your patio and cooling everything from the ground up past any part of the patio you’re likely to reach.
The only downside to this is that you’ll need to use a ladder to install the tubing properly, but that’s a one-time situation, and it’s not nearly as inconvenient as it sounds.
3: Make Sure the Nozzles are Clean
Your nozzles cannot operate at peak performance and provide optimal cooling if they’re clogged. There is a tiny opening on every misting nozzle in your misting system, and if those tiny holes become clogged, you won’t get optimal dispersal of water, meaning that it’s not going to cool the area nearly as well as it would if the nozzles were clean and clear of debris. Plus, you may experience water dripping from your nozzles.
Luckily, this is pretty easy to do, and it doesn’t take any specialized equipment.
To clean your nozzles, try submerging them into white distilled vinegar to gently dissolve calcium debris that is on the nozzles or visibly clogs any of the holes. Simply remove nozzle, disassemble it, and submerge into white distilled vinegar overnight. Usually, this will be enough to properly clear up your nozzles and allow them to function 100% normally.
However, sometimes, this may not be sufficient and you may need to replace your nozzle.
How often you need to do this depends on the conditions you live in. If water has a lot of fine sediment and dissolved calcium, you may experience this problem more often then when water is free of fine sediment and has very little dissolved calcium.
4: Remove Calcium Buildup
The water coming out of your home’s water supply is not just pure water. Minerals and chemicals are added by your municipality for a variety of reasons. Typically, that’s not a problem in most areas. However, calcium in the water, along with other minerals, can build up over time and clog your nozzles.
Luckily, it’s pretty easy to see when this is happening. It will look as if chalk is caked onto the nozzle in various places. It’s another essential thing when it comes to proper misting system maintenance and can be cleared up the same way that we detailed earlier when talking about cleaning off debris.
With everyone’s municipality having different water quality, some will experience calcium buildup every couple of weeks, and some will be able to go months without worrying about it.
5: Optimize Your Porch Layout
You don’t need to take any drastic measures, such as enclosing your porch or making permanent changes to it, but you can make some minor readjustments that allow your misting system to cover the maximum range and provide a proper cooling experience.
First, try not to put anything in a position that will block the path of the nozzle’s spray trajectory. This will cause water to start collecting on that surface and mist won’t be where you want it.
Also, try to avoid anything that comes right up to the height of the tubing. You want the water to evaporate instantly and create a cloud of cool air, but if there is something preventing that cloud from lowering to your level, you won’t feel as much of a difference.
The typical porch won’t have any of these problems present, but some decorative items might get in the way or prevent full coverage from the misting system.
Contact us today and learn more about the misting systems we offer!
