What a Perth cooler goes through
A long season
Perth averages 26 days above 35 degrees and five above 40 a year, and a WA heatwave means three or more days averaging 36 degrees or more. A cooler that runs through that needs clean pads and a pump that keeps them evenly wet.
Months off over winter
With July nights averaging 8.1 degrees, a cooler can sit idle for months. Seeley says bleed-system coolers need seasonal maintenance before and after summer, so the spring start-up matters.
Salt near the surf
Seeley asks for more frequent servicing in harsh environments but doesn't define them in what we've read. Within a few hundred metres of a surf beach, where the GAA's corrosion guide gives its C5 rating, ask your technician whether your spot counts.
Tiled roofs
The City of Cockburn's heritage guide lists tiled roofs on the brick Ranch houses built between 1945 and 1980, and tiles crack under careless feet. One more reason the roof is a job for someone with safe access.
Check these from inside first
Set to cool
Seeley's first check for warm air from the vents is the wall control: make sure it's on cool, not fan only.
Water on
Check the water supply to the cooler is turned on. After a winter off, it's easy to miss.
Windows open
Open windows or doors on the far side from the vents. If tissue sticks to the fly screen, or a door slams at high fan, there isn't enough exhaust area yet.
Look at the weather
On a sticky day, switch to fan-only ventilation and try cooling again in the evening.
Still warm?
Seeley says the unit may then need servicing. That's the time to book.
What a Perth evaporative service should cover
- The tank drained and cleaned, and the reservoir and components left clean, as Seeley asks.
- Every pad checked for even soaking, and replaced if it's past its life.
- The pump, water distribution and float valve tested.
- The bleed or drain valve working, with the bleed rate still right.
- The fan, motor and wall control tested.
- The roof unit's mount and fixings looked over.
- Anything needing parts written down before it's done.
Who should service it
Someone who services evaporative coolers every week, knows the pads and pumps on your brand, and works on roofs safely. Seeley's schedule names your installer or an authorised Seeley service company, and if your cooler's under warranty, ask whether the brand needs its own service people.
The ceiling is the other hazard. WorkSafe Victoria reports workers falling through plaster ceilings in roof spaces, so leave the ducts and outlets to the technician as well. Our general evaporative cooler servicing page covers the rest, and Perth's heating and cooling page has the local picture.
From the ground, and on the roof
You can
- The inside checks above.
- Booking the service in spring.
- Asking a garden centre before putting drained water on plants. Seeley says it's high in mineral salts.
Leave to a licensed installer
- Anything on the roof, for any reason.
- Cleaning the tank, changing pads and setting the bleed.
- Pump, motor and electrical repairs.
What we'd do
Where we'd start
We'd run the inside checks first, then book an evaporative specialist in spring if the cooler's due or blowing warm. While they're up there, we'd ask for the pads' condition and the roof mount to be checked and written up. On a coastal home, we'd ask whether a yearly service makes more sense than every two years.
