• Some people use water misters to keep pets or livestock cool in the heat.horse mist image by Christopher Meder from Fotolia.com
  
  Water misting systems work in dry climates by forcing a minute amount of water out of a fine nozzle, creating mist. The mist dries quickly and cools the air by evaporation. These systems are not complicated, but do need routine maintenance to work effectively. Water misting systems are either permanently attached to patio covers or are portable, making them useful for outdoor sporting events, fishing, or even attending outdoor concerts.
  
  

Maintain Adequate Pressure

• Water misters rely on adequate pressure to force the water through the tiny holes on the misters. The portable water misters have manual pumps built into them and when the pressure is high, they work very well. With inadequate pressure, however, they will spit out larger drops of water or none at all, making them less effective.
  
  The same is true of permanently installed water mister systems. Sometimes pressure regulators need to be added to the system to bring the pressure up high enough to create the fine stream of mist.
  
  

Replace Filters

• Most water mister systems come with a filtration system that keeps out larger particles which could easily clog the misters. When a mister clogs frequently, finer filters may be required to keep out the dissolved solids found in water. The filters should be changed at the beginning of each misting season, and if the water is excessively hard, the filters should be examined weekly when the system is in use to prevent excessive buildup. If you experience clogs or poor system performance, you might even check the filters every two or three days. In areas where water is known to be very hard, a finer filter can be added in addition to the original filter to keep the misters from clogging.
  
  

Check and Clean Misters

• The misters themselves can clog if the water is excessively hard. If they are not working properly, unscrewing them and soaking them in vinegar or a cleaning product that dissolves lime may unclog them. Never insert a needle or nail into the orifice of the mister. These are delicate parts and are easily damaged. Make sure that you bring an old mister along when shopping for a new mister to match the threads and the orifice size.
  
  

End-of-Season Care

• When the weather cools off or gets too humid to use the misters effectively, draining the lines and misters will keep hard water deposits from forming in the lines and misters, prolonging the life of the misting system.