Back and forth regarding cooling.

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With just a little more cooling capacity, my home would be just about perfect. The stone main of the home is exceptionally good at keeping things pleasant. But when cooling at night gets to a certain point, there is nothing cooling that mass. This year the length of time that I was uncomfortable was excessive, to my mind. So I am seriously considering getting in some kind of cooling system.

I have heard, from several people, both long-timers, people more or less passing through, and people who also just recently moved in, that central air conditioning is the way to go. And, for the most part, that is what I have been considering. I keep hearing about swamp coolers though too. Some people swear by them. I know my brother and his wife, when they lived in Vegas (Air Force related), used a swamp cooler. But then I have been to Vegas. In high heat, nothing really works, save Casino type systems, which, if I had to guess, use both types and allow (force) each system to feed off the other. Not a bad plan if you don't mind massive electric bills and extreme water use, plus can afford the upkeep. While my brother's home was, comparatively, comfortable, it isn't what I would have called pleasant. Then again, Las Vegas wasn't exactly a pleasant place. It is insanely hot there and it never really cools, not in high summer. And to my mind, not even really in their "winter". Heh

What I would love to do is find someone locally who owns a swamp cooler and experience how well it cools. I have had people say this or that is lovely. But for my tastes it really isn't. Swamp coolers can cool from -15 to -40 F degrees, from my sources (whole house, not room or window units). I think my question is, would that be with or without the stone of my home? Would those things work together, or be separate or even contrary. My common sense says that the stone would gather the cool, storing it. But common sense can and does bite me in the worst of places when I just assume common sense is the way of it.

I do have ducts already because of my forced air heating. These need reworked a bit as they are not set the most efficiently. I heard that from several people who looked over the system when I purchased the home. Thankfully, most think the work would be rather inexpensive to re-work. So, at least I have that going for me. The options for non-ducted houses is quite expensive.

Central air has some advantages, and it is used more locally (from my small sampling). It does work, and well, from what I have seen and experienced. It is also more expensive and less efficient, from what I have heard. Swamp coolers have several things in it's favor. It is less expensive, it moisturizes (though I seem well acclimated to the dryness, already, skin and all... perhaps due to the water softener?), and you actually keep the windows open with it, which I very much like, I think? The part about the swamp cooler that I don't know is how much work the monthly upkeep is (and it's required), how well it works after, say, a rain with humidity running up to 50% (haven't seen it much higher, but I have seen it that high), and how much I would actually like it once installed. And with both, longevity and maintenance in the larger scale are a concern.

I guess I need to speak to a pro, or three. I will need to get my house in order to begin having people in to look things over, offer advice, get estimates, and begin figuring things out. Now, one thing I do consider, is that having a solid working cooling system in the house might be an expense, it will bring value to the home. I will lose money to it, no doubt. But I will also raise the number of people who would seriously look at buying the place, raise the price just a bit, as well as live more comfortably while I live here. Yep, I best get onto some things.

Oh, by the way, when I had people in, when I was buying the house and trying to get a new furnace and central air package, the price was running right at $5k to $7k, I do believe (for both a new and high efficiency furnace and central air, with installation). So a swamp cooler might really cut into that (then again, maybe not, if plumbing the thing is an issue). I would love to do something like what D.C. is doing. But if I could do that I would be in college again, first. :p