Get more use out of your patio in the hot summer months by installing a mister.
You've created a beautiful outdoor room, only to find that the sweltering heat is driving you back inside. If you'd like to get more enjoyment out of your patio, porch, balcony or terrace, a water mister can help. Water misters cool the air using the process known as "flash evaporation." When a fine mist of water is dispersed in the air, it evaporates, lowering the surrounding air temperature as much as 20 degrees. If you think you need to call in a pro to install a mister system, think again. You can do it yourself and save money. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Measure the length of the area where you'd like to install the misting system. This may be along a roof line, porch ceiling or even through tree branches. Keep in mind that for the most effective air cooling, misters need to be about 8 feet above the ground.
2. Purchase your supplies. You'll need enough 3/8-inch plastic leader tubing to run from your outdoor faucet to your misting system, and enough mister tubing to cover the length of the measured area. A T-connector nozzle needs to be installed every 2 feet along the mister tubing, with two clips per nozzle. If you'd like to tack your leader tubing up and out of the way, purchase an additional clip for each 2 feet of leader tubing.
3. Attach the "Y" hose connector to your outdoor faucet. The "Y" hose connector allows you to use one faucet for both the mister and also a regular hose. The shut-off valves enable you to turn on the mister system and your hose either together or separately.
4. Attach the leader tubing to the faucet on one side of the "Y" hose connector the same way you would attach a hose. Run the leader tubing from the faucet all the way to the point where you'd like your first mister.
5. Cut your mister tubing. Using a sharp knife cut the tubing into lengths that are 2 feet long.
6. Connect your 2-foot long mister tubing pieces and T-connector nozzles. Insert a T-connector nozzle into one end of a length of tubing. Connect another length of tubing to the other end of the T-connector nozzle. Repeat until all tubing lengths and all but one T-connector nozzle have been used.
7. Insert the "elbow" nozzle or end plug into the end of the last length of tubing, then attach the leader tubing to the connected lengths of mister tubing and nozzles using the last T-connector nozzle.
8. Attach the misting system to your porch ceiling or roof line using the tubing clips and screws or nails. Use additional clips to tack the leader tubing up out of the way.
9. Turn on your misting system at the faucet and let the misting begin!
Tags: leader tubing, mister tubing, T-connector nozzle, misting system, hose connector