What Kind of Pads Do Evaporative Coolers Use?
One last important consideration before purchasing an evaporative cooler is what kind of pad it uses. Most pads are made of excelsior (wood wool or aspen fiber) inside of containment net. Modern materials such as some plastics and melanin paper are also entering use as cooler pad media. The good thing about the excelsior pads is that the wood absorbs some of the water, which allows wood fibers to cool passing air to a lower temperature than unnatural materials. The thickness of the pads affects the cooling efficiency of the pads. The thicker the pad, the longer the air contact. This means an eight inch thick pad with its increased surface area will be more efficient than a one inch pad.
