Stop before you shop
Cooling is a long term investment so before you even begin looking at systems, there are a few things you should consider. For instance, how will future lifestyle changes affect your cooling needs?

Think ahead, and purchase a system that fulfils your current needs as well as your future ones. And keep in mind that a good cooling system increases the value of your home. The money you spend now is sure to pay off later.

Finally, determine how many rooms you want to cool at any given time. Figure this out, and you're half-way to finding the cooling system that's right for you.

Whole house cooling
During the summer months, everyone wants their living area cool throughout the day and their bedrooms cool at night. There are several options which make this possible.

Split refrigeration systems perform this task by cooling only the rooms they are placed in. Ducted evaporative cooling, on the other hand, provides whole house cooling through a network of outlets located in the ceiling.

Doors open or closed?
Unlike refrigerated cooling which requires you to keep doors and windows closed to maintain a cooler temperature, evaporative cooling requires you to leave your doors and windows open. This is great news if you have children who are constantly running in and out of the house!

What is it?
Ducted evaporative cooling comprises a central cooling unit, which is connected to a series of outlets. Positioned strategically throughout the house, these outlets, or ducts, are installed in the ceiling while the cooling unit is installed on top of the roof. Cool fresh air flows through these outlets into every room of your home.

How does it work?
The cooling unit fan draws in fresh air from outside your house. (The hotter the air is to begin with, the better the cooling effect.) As it passes through moistened pads, the air is cooled and filtered before flowing through outlets in your rooms - just like a cool, refreshing sea breeze.

Saving the environment and you
Refrigerated cooling makes the air dry and uses refrigerants which may harm the environment. Evaporative cooling, however, is based on a totally natural process of air cooled by water which means it won't dry out the air, irritate your skin, throat or eyes, or affect the environment. Evaporative cooling is also up to 50% cheaper to install and three times cheaper to run than refrigerated cooling. In fact, it can cost you less than R1 a night.

Fresher, healthier air
Evaporative cooling is the healthiest way to cool your home because it replaces stale old air with clean fresh air many times an hour - remember, you keep your doors and windows open. The air inside your home is never re-circulated which means smells and airborne germs are expelled.

But why just benefit from evaporative cooling during summer? Simply turn on your fan and you can remove stale air from your home in the middle of winter, too.