Do Misting Fans Really Work?

Misters Seem to be Gaining in Popularity and for Good Reasons

Misting fans can be a terrific and inexpensive alternative to more expensive methods of air cooling such as portable air conditioning units. The reason for this is the cooling power of the evaporation of water.

One gallon of water requires approximately 8300 BTU's/h to evaporate. Therefore, the surrounding air temperature drops relative to the amount of evaporation taking place. One ton of air conditioning relates to 12,000 BTU/h, so you can quickly see that when water evaporates rapidly the more efficient a misting system can be. This explains why evaporative cooling is very popular in regions where the humidity level is low. The following chart might be helpful in getting an idea of whether misting would benefit you in a significant manner:



That is not to say that the evaporative cooling effect is not useful in climates that might be described as humid. If used outdoors or in well ventilated spaces you can still get a 5 to 10 degree drop in temperature.

These products have become popular among athletes and can usually be seen on the sidelines of many sporting events (football in particular). Our firefighters use these fans to cool down their personnel when they exit a burning building and need to cool down rapidly as do people who work in industries where ovens and kilns are prevalent. Construction workers have found these to be of great benefit as well and there are now many models that have been made for use at home on the patio or deck.