I recently saw a video from Michael Czarick at the University of Georgia reminding us about the quantity of water that should be running over cooling pads to keep them at peak efficiency.
Water cools air most effectively. Birds use water vapor loss from their lungs to the surrounding air to help cool their bodies. By maintaining cooler pads properly, you increase cooling capacity in the building and help to keep your birds comfortable.
It is good to inspect the entire cooling system before peak heat season. Any holes or gaps in the pads need to be closed. Pads with heavy dust, algae residues, and scale should be cleaned per the manufacturer’s recommendation. Inspect the top header feed pipe for blockages, mold, slimes and other impurities that would restrict water feeding the pads. A bottle brush on the end of a stiff cable may be needed to swab out the header. Be sure check the bottom gutter and returns to the pump reservoir to ensure that sand or other materials are not there to clog the pump. Lastly, check any screens for obstructions and replace as needed.
When inspection is complete, fill the system and run to see how much water volume is moving through it. Worn out pumps may need to be repaired or replaced to give adequate water pressure to the system. Water supply valves should be checked to ensure that supply water is adequate to keep the system filled.
Run cooling systems long enough into the evenings to allow birds to recover from the heat of day. Just because the sun went down does not mean the birds have recovered. Feeding will create body heat that needs to dissipate, and this can be checked with a temperature gun. Running longer pad times will allow the birds to feed and digest before another hot day.
Source: Lancaster Farming
