The actual AC issue aside, I feel that this is a good argument for some urban redevelopment to plant more area/climate appropriate trees. It would provide shade and provide some offset for the CO2 emissions. Getting shade between the sun and the buildings would help make the heat more tolerable and getting some shade over the roadways and parking lots would help decrease urban heat bubble effects.
The issue here is that your wife bought this thinking it’s an ac when it’s an evaporative cooler aka swamp cooler. They do work if you have low humidity. If you are in a humid area this definitely won’t work. Since the unit is small it won’t cool the entire room but she should feel nice and cool about 3 to 5 feet in front of it. She will need to make sure the wicking action is working to get the pads nice and wet, otherwise she will have to manually remove them to wet them.
Edit: I wanted to add that I have had a similar small unit before which is why I know that she needs to be 3 to 5 feet in front of it to hit the little target cool zone.
My cat didn’t get any love over on insert community name here. I hope you guys updoot me more than they did.
He’s not smiling.