A Brief Look at the History of Air Conditioning

by | Apr 24, 2013 | Business

Latest Articles

Categories

Tags

Archives

When you have to contact your Round Rock HVAC repair service technician for minor air conditioning repairs, you probably never give a second thought to the fact that people have not always had air conditioning. Even though residents of Texas take air conditioning for granted, air conditioning has not really been around that long. Less than a century ago, air conditioning was almost unheard of.

While Round Rock HVAC businesses now enjoy good sales, it is hard to imagine that there was a time not so many years ago when people did not have air conditioning. People have always found means to heat their homes even before modern heating systems with fireplaces and such, but keeping a home cool was not such an easy task. In fact, modern AC systems did not come to be until sometime in the early 1900s. Even after this, AC in homes did not become commonplace until the latter part of the 20th century.

So, this makes you wonder how people in ancient times attempted to keep their homes cool. Ancient Romans had a device called aqueducts that they ran between their buildings in cities. This flow of water worked to keep homes somewhat cooler. The Chinese had another method. A Chinese inventor named Ding Huan invented something similar to a giant fan that was powered by the turning of many wheels. When the fan turned, cool air would blow throughout the building. Some later ancient cooling methods involved systems that were ran by flowing water.

As science advanced, in 1842 a Florida physician named Dr. John Gorrie worked with compressors to make ice. He would use the cool air produced to keep his patients comfortable. Dr. Gorrie’s invention never got off the ground because he was unable to find funding to mass produce his air cooling machines. These machines were also very primitive and were prone to leak and malfunction.

One invention that worked to keep homes cool was discovered by accident. Willi s Carrier was a young inventor who worked in printing. He was looking for a way to control humidity levels and keep the humidity from negatively affecting his printing. His invention was patented in 1906. It relied on the use of fans and condensers. These devices became popular to control humidity and temperature levels in many manufacturing facilities of the day. This invention was the first that was actually called “air conditioning.”

Other types of cooling for homes came and went without much success. In the late 1950s air conditioning for homes started to grow in demand. In the 1950s a little over 400,000 homes had air conditioning. This number would grow to almost 3 million within the next ten years. By the 1980s, nearly 75 percent of all American homes had air conditioning units. This number was closer to 90 percent in southern states.

This definitely gives you something to think about when you get upset at a minor AC problem that makes you call a Round Rock HVAC service. People have not always had it so good nor were they able to enjoy the cool comfort of a well-running air conditioner in their homes.

Round Rock HVAC service can take care of both minor and major AC repairs, keeping your home cool and comfortable.   The air conditioning professionals at Indoor Weather Professionals will make sure your air conditioning unit or heating unit is operating at peak condition. If you need a new system, they will provide you with a free estimate for a system that will best take care of your air conditioning needs. The company offers service 24/7, 365 days per year and offers a money back guarantee. You can get emergency repair services for Round Rock, Georgetown, Cedar Park, Pflugerville, and Lakeway. For a free estimate or to schedule an appointment, call 512.252.0063 or visit the website emergencyairconditioning.com/.

Similar Posts