FROM THEN TO NOW, AFFORDABULL HEAT & AIR OF RUSSELLVILLE WALKS YOU THROUGH A BASIC HISTORY OF IN-HOME AIR CONDITIONING.

We’re still a few months away from needing to fire up our air conditioning (although this is Arkansas, so you never know!) but as we get closer to spring and summer, you might be interested to learn how we humans developed the technology needed to keep our dwellings cool and comfortable when it’s anything but outside. After all, A/C is something we often take for granted until it goes out and then we realize just how critical that technology really is!

In the days of yore, long before today’s cooling technology, folks would go to amazing lengths to keep themselves cooling during those ancient dog days of summer. In fact, in ancient Rome, those who could afford it would tap into the city’s massive aqueduct system in order to let the cool water circulate through the walls of their home. Also competing for the award for most innovative/overwrought air cooling techniques was Ancient China, which, inspired by hand fans, created the first room-size powered rotary fan, manually operated by a lot of unfortunate peasants, of course. Early architects, living prior to the advent of modern AC technology, realized early on that room design and construction planning could make a major difference in the temperature of a room, so they started placing windows away from the sun and designed them to catch breezes in order to circulate cooler air throughout the structure. Of course, all of those cooling options were reserved for the very, very, very rich. If you were among the common folk, you were pretty much on your own when the weather was hot and humid. 

While a lot of us can’t imagine a life without indoor AC, it actually wasn’t until well after the industrial revolution that the first air conditioner was invented by a man whose last name might sound familiar to you, Willis Carrier, in 1902. While working at a New York printing company, the young engineer noticed that when the weather got hot it wreaked havoc on their printing process by causing the printing paper to wrinkle, and sought a way to keep the humid air out while bringing cool air in. That year he invented the first true air conditioner known to mankind, as it fulfilled all of the four basic functions of modern AC, controlling the temperature, humidity, air circulation and ventilation, and cleansing the air. In 1906, after 4 years of constant refining and testing, Willis Carrier was granted U.S. Patent number 808,897 for his “Apparatus for Treating Air”. It would then take nearly 20 years for the first air conditioner to make its debut to the public at Times Square’s Rivoli Theater in the year 1925. 

Air conditioning began to take off in the 1920s, quickly spreading to department stores and offices but it hit a few road bumps on its way into our homes. Those road bumps being the Great Depression and the onset of World War II, not to mention the humongous price tag of those early systems. However, once America hit the baby boom and started reaping the benefits of the post-war economy, it finally started to take off. The combination of a booming economy and the advent of more compact, inexpensive window air conditioners gave many homeowners their first taste of that sweet, sweet AC. By the 1960s, most new homes were being built with central air conditioning systems. And by 2009, the number of American homes using AC reached 100 million, roughly 87% of US households. 

The air conditioning we rely on now is much more energy-efficient than those early versions and today HVAC manufacturers continue to innovate. The most recent breakthrough has been the “smart thermostat” which pairs energy-saving features with the ability to control the temperature of your home remotely. These smart thermostats can even be programmed to make adjustments based on fluctuations in weather conditions. 

In the span of fewer than 100 years, following its public debut in New York City, air conditioning has transformed from a personal luxury to an absolute necessity, changing the quality of life for billions across the globe. Just another example of American ingenuity and determination! 

For more information on the latest innovations in in-home air conditioning, contact the experts at AffordaBull Heat & Air in Russellville, Arkansas, proudly serving residents of the River Valley!