The latest patio trend is to have cool water misters. You know what those are if you've ever been to Las Vegas or to Palm Springs. We recall being in Palm
Springs one spring and heading off for some shopping. It was 110 degrees but we felt fine: as we walked along the shaded sidewalk, cold mist sprayed on us. It was delightful. No water got on us, it just cooled us off. Now the technology is available for homeowners.
"It's the next step after patio heaters," said Jerry Rike, owner of Rapid Cool Misting Systems, based in the Los Angeles area. His company has installed misters at the Bellagio, Mirage and Venetian casinos in Las Vegas. "People want to extend the season when they can enjoy the outdoors in comfort. It's like having an air conditioner outdoors."
On a dry day, misting systems can reduce the ambient temperatures by 28 degrees, Rike said. The thin spray "flash evaporates" and doesn't leave droplets on the skin.
But hot, dry weather is the norm in the desert climes of Vegas. Are cooling misters effective in places like the muggy Midwest?
Yes, but there are a few caveats.
Scott Wedman of Weatherby Lake, Mo., installed a two-nozzle system above his patio years ago. The mist feels refreshing on days when there is less humidity.
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Newer misters have high-pressure pumps and nozzles with microscopic spray holes, and they do a better job of dispensing moisture.
Rapid Cool sells stainless-steel pipe systems that can be concealed in soffits or behind fascia boards of covered patios and overhangs.
Homeowners can install the systems, which start at about $1,500, Rike said. The pump makes about as much noise as a room air-conditioning unit, so it should be placed away from the patio area.
Rapid Cool also sells poles resembling shepherd's hooks that can be installed along the railings of decks. Rapid Cool and other companies, including catalog retailer Frontgate, also sell misting fans, good for poolside patios.
"On very humid days, high-pressure systems make the air 15 or 16 degrees cooler," Rike said. "You can wear your glasses and not get speckles of water on the lenses."
We love cooling misters. We always rent outdoor gas heaters for parties when the weather is a bit nippy, and the misters are great for when it's really hot but you still want to be outside.
The latest patio trend is to have cool water misters. You know what those are if you've ever been to Las Vegas or to Palm Springs. We recall being in Palm
Springs one spring and heading off for some shopping. It was 110 degrees but we felt fine: as we walked along the shaded sidewalk, cold mist sprayed on us. It was delightful. No water got on us, it just cooled us off. Now the technology is 
