Cooling Mists

Ohio.com: In the summer, misters that spray fine droplets of water on tourists are a common sight at casino pools and restaurant patios. Now the cooling systems are becoming a hot trend in outdoor living at home.
”It’s the next step after patio heaters,” said Jerry Rike, owner of Rapid Cool Misting Systems, based in the Los Angeles area. His company has installed misters at the Bellagio, Mirage and Venetian casinos in Las Vegas. ”People want to extend the season when they can enjoy the outdoors in comfort. It’s like having an air conditioner outdoors.”
On a dry day, misting systems can reduce the ambient temperatures by 28 degrees, Rike said. The thin spray ”flash evaporates” and doesn’t leave droplets on the skin.
Newer misters have high-pressure pumps and nozzles with microscopic spray holes, and they do a better job of dispensing moisture.
Rapid Cool sells stainless-steel pipe systems that can be concealed in soffits or behind fascia boards of covered patios and overhangs.
Homeowners can install the systems, which start at about $1,500, Rike said. The pump makes about as much noise as a room air-conditioning unit, so it should be placed away from the patio area.
Rapid Cool also sells poles resembling shepherd’s hooks that can be installed along the railings of decks. Rapid Cool and other companies, including catalog retailer Frontgate, also sell misting fans, good for poolside patios.
”On very humid days, high-pressure systems make the air 15 or 16 degrees cooler,” Rike said. ”You can wear your glasses and not get speckles of water on the lenses.”
Cooling mists are the newest hot trend [Ohio.com]