Summers mark demand for room coolers

Each year people set up stalls to refresh the grass mesh in these machines

RAWALPINDI: The advent of summer marks a sharp increase in the sale of domestically manufactured room coolers.  These contraptions are Devised to draw wind from a mesh of dried khus grass or vetiver which is dampened with water. This simple cooling machine is not only far cheaper than the traditional air conditioners but also far easier and cheaper to maintain said traders at a local market.

Apart from fresh sales, many people take their machines to stores for service and replacement of the khus-mesh.

Hundreds of people are attached to the trade of replacing khus mesh in the room coolers. Besides permanent workshops, technicians set up roadside stalls to replace the grassy mesh.

Room coolers in high demand as temperatures soar

The main component of the room cooler, which was also known as a desert cooler, was the khus grass mesh. A fan draws hot air from its surrounding through the narrow, dampened pores of the khus mesh, thereby cooling the air.

Traders say that the rising demand for indigenous air-coolers has resulted in a rise in the rates for the filling material. Several people, they said, have set up stalls along the roadsides in various parts of the garrison city where they offer to fill khus in the room coolers.

Muhammad Riaz, who provides khus filling services at a stall, told The Express Tribune that a small-sized room cooler is being filled with a dry grass mesh for Rs800 to Rs1,000.

“We charge Rs1,200 to Rs1,400 for filling large-sized room coolers,” he said, adding that those willing to get their air-coolers filled with some extra khus have to pay up to Rs300 over the regular rates.

Further, The Express Tribune learnt during a market survey that a small, local room cooler was selling for Rs10,000 while a medium one was available for up to Rs14,000. The rates for large coolers varies between Rs15,000 to Rs20,000.

Beat the heat: Demand of Lahori air coolers increases in city

Similarly, branded room coolers from well-known fan manufacturers start at Rs15,000. Hafeez Khan, a shopkeeper, said that they charge customers extra for ensuring that the room cooler has a good quality motor installed in it. Defending the high rates, Hafeez, said that they have to source the raw material from Gujranwala and have to bear expenses including transportation cost. He said that everything has become expensive, including the labour charges, which has made these cooling fans dearer.

Regarding the durability of room coolers, Hafeez said the filling is exhausted in a year and needs to be replaced. Besides, the motor inside may not last as long unless water accumulating inside is regularly drained.

Moreover, the rise in demand has also provided a window of opportunity for motor sellers and they have increased their prices as well. The rates for a small-sized motor have been increased by up to Rs1,800.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 9^th, 2020.