tenant complains cooling not cool enough

[candyinvest]

I have just leased out my old PPOR (4 year old, now IP) last month and the new new tenant is now complaining the evaporative cooling unit is not cool enough and request it to be serviced.

Although I have no problems to organise and pay for the service (the company quoted me $190), I actually doubt it is going to change the situation

As evaporative cooling can never be as cool as the refrigerated one, what should I do if the tenant complaint again after this service?

 

[westminster]

How often should evaporative aircons be serviced? when was it's last one?

step 1 - ensure that the tenant knows how to use an evaporative - ie windows open etc etc

step 2 - tell them that if you get a technician out and there is nothing wrong with it they will be paying for the technician

step 3 - Get the technician to write a report as part of service saying that the machine is functioning normally and providing cooling consistent with a standard evaporative air conditioner.

 

[Scott No Mates]

a) where is the IP? Is it in an area where evap cooling is effective?
b) has the water to the unit been turned off?
c) is the unit functioning correctly? ie motor, belts etc
d) do the pads need replacing?
e) as per Westminster - does the tenant know how to operate the unit effectively? Have they opened windows/doors to allow the air to escape the house?
f) does the tenant understand it is not a refrigerated air conditioning unit and operates by pumping in heaps of moist air creating a cooling effect on your skin through evaporation/air movement and not by lowering the temperature in the room?

 

[The Fence]

Educate tenant on how to use Evap cooling.

Not many have any idea.

Humid days like lately it is nowhere near as effective as when it's a dry hot day.
But yes, education is the key.

Evap cooling works on exchange of air.

So, there has to be just enough windows/doors open to have the air from ducting pressure the house so that air flows out of any openings, not into the house.

Depending upon how many duct outlets and where they are located, you can for instance have all doors and windows shut except for the room you might be spending a bit of time in say the loungroom in the evening. have a couple windows and a door(to the outside) slightly open and the loungeroom should have all the air being pushed in the house exit through the loungeroom, creating the wind effect, hence cooling.

When going to bed, close the lounge openings and open the bedroom windows.
Create that draft.
Sleep easy!

 

[WattleIdo]

Great advice here.

Also, fans are great in humidity. Tenant can get his/her own?

 

[The Fence]

Yes agree about fans.

We are in the bush where usually it is a dry heat, but sometimes it's quite humid, like the last few days.

No good using the evap cooling set on "cool", better to put it on just "fan" only and open the house up a fair bit to get the flow moving outwards.

A few ceiling fans will also help this.

We only have ceiling fans and a ducted split system.

Hardly used the split system this summer, but the fans do a great job if you get the flow going the right way through the rooms as you need them.

Fans dont use much power either.

 

[Scott No Mates]

When going to bed, close the lounge openings and open the bedroom windows.
Create that draft.
Sleep easy!

Positive air pressure makes it harder for the mozzies to get into the house too.

 

[pasey25]

Positive air pressure makes it harder for the mozzies to get into the house too.

unless they congregate in the evap system when its not in use.

I hired a beach house last year for a short break with an evap system and when we turned it on for the first time, we got a swarm of mozzies through the vents!

not fun

we went through a LOT of mortien.

 

[Scott No Mates]

That's why you drain the system when it is not in use.