Fun HVAC Facts
Without a properly working heating or cooling system, you wouldn’t be able to keep your home at a comfortable temperature. It’s pretty easy to use today’s systems, but things have changed quite a bit over the years. Did you know that the first air conditioner dates back to 180A.D.? While it was a very primitive version created by a Chinese artisan Ding Huan, it did provide him with a way of keeping cool. Here are some more fun HVAC facts that you probably didn’t know.
Cooling Facts
- The electric air conditioning system was invented by Willis Carrier in 1902. The New York Stock Exchange was the first building to have one installed a year later. It wasn’t until 1913 that a home had an A/C system installed that cooled every room in the house.
- The Oval Office at the White House didn’t have air conditioning until Herbert Hoover was in office. It cost about $30,000 back then. Right around the time window units became available. Unfortunately, most people couldn’t afford them as they would have cost more than $100,000 today. When Frank Delano Roosevelt became president, the bedrooms in the White House got air conditioning.
- Some cars started being manufactured by Packard with air conditioning in 1939. The units were bulky and took up a lot of room. By 1969, over half of the new cars manufactured were equipped with air conditioning systems to keep drivers and passengers cool.
- It costs a lot of money for Americans to stay cool yearly. The amount of energy usage for air conditioning annually is equivalent to all of Africa’s energy usage for an entire year.
Heating Facts
- People have tried to figure out ways to stay warm for centuries. The Romans invented the hypocaust to keep their dwellings warm. This primitive heating system used a furnace that was fed with wood. It sent warm air through hollow spaces in walls and floors.
- The first radiator was invented in 1855 by Russian Franz San Galli. The first thermostat was patented the same year by Warren Johnson.
- The patent for the heating system was granted to Alice Park in 1919. This came years after the invention of the car heater in 1893. Since there wasn’t electricity yet, natural convection was used to transport the heat through strategically placed ducts.
As you can see, it took years for our current HVAC systems to be developed for what it is today. If you are having issues with your system or it’s just in need of some maintenance, give us a call today. We’re here to help you with all of your heating and cooling needs.