Will a Breezair suit where you live?
Seeley says an evaporative cooler draws hot outside air through water-soaked pads, cooling it as the water evaporates, then pushes it through the house and out through open windows and doors. The air isn't recirculated, so some windows or doors need to be open, or security vents fitted.
That suits hot, dry places. Seeley's own advice is blunt: "We don't recommend evaporative cooling systems in humid climates." Our guide to evaporative or refrigerated cooling walks through the choice. And since Breezair won't help in winter, you'll need a separate plan for heating.
Why the seller matters for a Breezair warranty
Seeley says Breezair coolers carry a 7 year warranty, 10 year cover on all structural components and 25 year cover against corrosion on their Permatuf cabinets. It also says Breezair developed the first all-plastic rooftop cooler that doesn't corrode.
The 7 years only applies "if the product is first purchased from Seeley International, by Seeley International participating dealers", and the supplying dealer must be a current Seeley dealer when you buy. If the cooler came through a distributor, a wholesaler or a trade installer, residential cover drops to 5 years.
Supercool adds two conditions: register within the first 6 months of purchase, and have the compulsory chargeable service in the fourth year. Seeley's quote page also marks Supercool as available only from a Climate Masters of Seeley International dealer. We're not a Seeley dealer of any kind, and we don't sell coolers.
Stay off the roof
A Breezair sits on the roof. Don't climb up to look at it, clean it or chase a leak. Look from the ground, and leave pads, the water reservoir and anything electrical to an installer who works on roofs safely every week.
How often does a Breezair need servicing?
Seeley says its evaporative coolers should be serviced after the first year, then every two years, by your installer or an authorised Seeley service company, and more often in harsh environments. Bleed-system coolers need seasonal maintenance before and after summer. Seeley expects Chillcel pads to last 7 or 8 years.
From the ground, and from the roof
You can
- If it's blowing warm, check the wall control is set to cool and the water supply is on, as Seeley suggests.
- Open windows or doors furthest from the vents, with at least twice the vent's area open, per Seeley's guidance.
- On a very humid day, switch to ventilation mode and run the fan on high.
- Register the cooler within 6 months of purchase.
Leave to a licensed installer
- Anything on the roof: pads, the reservoir, the pump and leaks.
- The fourth-year Supercool service, if you want the 7 years.
- Setting the bleed rate, which Seeley says the installer sets.
- Water and power connections.
Ask the dealer before you buy
- Are you a current Seeley participating dealer, so I get the 7 year warranty?
- If it's a Supercool, are you a Climate Masters dealer?
- How many outlets would you suggest for our layout, and where?
- Who does the fourth-year service, and when is it due?
- Is our area humid enough that you'd suggest something else?
What we'd do
If it were our home
In a dry inland climate, we'd buy a Breezair from a participating Seeley dealer and register it the week it goes in. On the humid coast we'd think twice, because Seeley itself says evaporative isn't for humid climates. Either way, we'd want it fitted and serviced by an evaporative specialist who's up on roofs every week, not a general handyman.