Misting Systems for Home Cooling
Misting systems are an important tool during the warmer summer months for both gardeners and backyard enjoyers alike. Whether you want to create a cool and refreshing garden or keep your plants thriving in the heat, knowing what misting systems do and how they work is essential.
Understanding Misting Systems
Misting systems are installed in much the same way that normal drip systems are, with the main difference being that misting systems are almost never installed along the ground like a drip system. They are typically installed along the ceiling in greenhouses (often called “inverted” installation) or connected to eaves or overhangs along the outside of a house or patio. When connected to a water source, the misting nozzles spray tiny water droplets into the air. This fine mist helps cool the air in dry conditions and increases the humidity in enclosed spaces. The main components of a misting system are misting nozzles, tubing, connectors, and a water source connection.
Common Uses
- Greenhouses: Helps to maintain the desired temperature and humidity levels.
- Outdoor Settings: Helps to keep outdoor areas like patios and pool decks cool in dry conditions.
The Drip Store carries both pre-assembled misting kits and misting system components.
Practical Applications of Exotic and Native Plants in Gardening
Pre-assembled misting kits are perfect for people who want a misting system without needing to learn how to design one. These kits have a selection of products that are ensured to work together, taking the guesswork out of the design step. You’ll still need to install the system yourself, but you can at least be assured that you won’t buy anything that won’t work for your system. The pre-assembled kits that we sell are all technically intended for home cooling use, but nothing says you can’t use them in a greenhouse. Regardless of how the kit is branded, all misters do the same thing, aka filling the air with fine mist. That fine mist will cool and increase humidity no matter what the box looks like or what color the nozzle is.
Misting System Components & Design Tips
If you’re the type of person who enjoys a DIY project then you might prefer to design your own misting system instead of using a pre-assembled kit. We carry a number of mister heads in both black and beige, as well as one mister head assembly that’s explicitly designed for greenhouse use. Here are some tips for designing your own misting system:
Misting Systems Are Basically Drip Systems!
While they do different things, a misting system is still a drip system. You can use the same head assembly, tubing, and fittings as you would use with a normal drip system. The use of misting nozzles instead of drippers or sprayers is what makes it a misting system instead of a drip system. Our home cooling section has some beige-colored tubing, fittings, and nozzles to keep your system incognito when installed in a visible area, but it’s not required to use the beige items if you don’t want to.
Elevation Is Your Friend
Misting systems are best installed above the area you want to mist. This gives the mist ample room to diffuse through the air and spread its cooling and humidifying powers far and wide. Installing misters too close to the ground will keep the mist from covering the maximum area, while installing them in too small an area will result in the mist collecting on walls instead of diffusing. You can use c-clamps or other fasteners to hold your misting tubing in place against a wall, deck, awning, etc.
Higher Flow Rate = More Area
Like drippers and sprayers, misters all have a flow rate measured in GPH (gallons per hour). Misters with a higher flow rate will put out more water and thus will cover a larger area. If you have a relatively small area, start with the .8 gph or 1 gph nozzles. For larger areas you can either move up to nozzles with a higher flow rate or add more nozzles. Like all drip systems, misting systems are modular and very easy to adjust and/or upgrade. If you install your system and wish you had more or less coverage, fixing it is as simple as adding more nozzles or replacing some with goof plugs.
Misters Aren’t Magic
Misters are great at what they do, but they aren’t magic. The cooling effect of misters is dependent on evaporative cooling, the same mechanism that our bodies use to cool us via sweating. This works really, really well in dry environments like our home state of Arizona. Misting can bring the temperature of an Arizona patio down significantly during our hot, dry summers. If you change the locale to, say, New Orleans in August, the effect is much different. I’d venture to say it may make it less hospitable to put a misting system out if you live somewhere with extreme humidity. Drier areas will get much more bang for their buck out of a misting system than humid areas.
Don’t Fret About System Flow Rate
One of the main things we tell people when designing a drip system is to be aware of the max flow capacity of the system they are designing. It’s easy to put too many drippers on your system and prevent it from working properly. While that’s technically possible with a misting system, it’s much less likely. Patios tend to be smaller than gardens, and misters cover a wide area with a very small flow rate. Unless you’re designing a system for a large restaurant patio, public space, or greenhouse, you shouldn’t worry too much about the specs of your system. Just put as many misters on it as you need to feel comfortable and go have fun!
Misting systems are an important tool for gardeners, home designers, and DIY-ers as a whole. They’re an inexpensive and quick way to transform an outdoor area, especially if you live in a dry climate. While we carry a wide range of options for both pre-assembled misting kits and misting system components, we know that the world of drip irrigation can be confusing. If you have any questions whatsoever feel free to call us at 877-597-1669, email us at [email protected], or schedule a free consultation.
