Believe it or not, the air conditioning system you have in your home is a fairly recent residential accessory. While there are many mechanized differences, understanding how electric versions were invented will help you understand why you need air conditioner repair. At On Time Home Services Heating and Air Conditioning of Temecula, we want our clients to have all of the background histories that they need. Detailed below, you can gain a better understanding of the invention of modern air conditioning through this brief timeline.
Evaporation Pioneered Electric Air Conditioners
The first air conditioning unit was invented about 110 years ago. However, the ancient principle of using the process of evaporation to cool the air dates back thousands of years.
In ancient times, wet cloth was hung in windows to promote a cooling breeze. Obviously, evaporating was the key to cooling, and Benjamin Franklin was one of the first to note that other chemicals were more effective at cooling than water. Sadly, however, the first applications of coolant for air conditioners were flammable. In 1928, Thomas Midgley invented the less volatile Freon, which has been widely used as the coolant in modern air conditioners since.
Inventing the First Air Conditioner
The 1800s and early 1900s were a time when factories became a normal part of life. Sadly, the processes used to manufacture often created a lot of heat and humidity. Moisture in the air was a particular problem for the Sackett-Wilhelms Lithographing and Publishing Company. This Brooklyn factory was unable to print as long as the air was hot and moist.
Promising to fix this problem for them, Willis Haviland Carrier set up the first air conditioning unit on July 17, 1902. The brick-duct machinery effectively removed moisture from the air and reduced the temperature significantly with chemical coolants, marking the day as one that would go down in history.
The Rise of Commercial & Residential Air Conditioning
The good news about an effective system of air conditioning for factories spread quickly to the private sector. For example, the New York Stock Exchange ordered a system from Carrier so that stockbrokers and employees could be comfortable in their offices. Then, around the 1950s, homes throughout the United States began regularly installing air conditioning units, and the HVAC industry was effectively born.
Today, when you need repairs or installation from a Temecula air conditioner company, give us a call at (949) 649-8777. We not only know the history of air conditioning, but we have knowledge of any brand you currently have in your home. Let us help you make the right decisions for your budget and all your air conditioning needs.