Interesting Facts Regarding The History Of Air Conditioning

Air Conditioning Contractor Ft Myers

239-267-2117

Air conditioning, or controlling humidity and air temperature, is a concept that has appealed to people throughout the ages.  Heating was a fairly simple matter, fire can be contained in a reasonably small space and warmth will radiate from it.  Removing heat and moisture from the air, however, proved to be far more challenging!  Over the years many cultures and civilizations have experimented with ways to create and improve on methods to keep their dwellings cool and comfortable.

During the 2nd century the Chinese used rotary fans and water to cool their dwellings.

Roman Emperor Elagabalus in the 3rd century had snow from the mountains carried in by teams of donkeys and piled up outside his home to keep it cool.

Wealthy citizens of ancient Rome circulated water from the aqueducts through the walls of their homes to keep it cool.

In 1820 an English inventor, Michael Farraday, discovered that liquefied ammonia would chill the air when allowed to evaporate.

In 1842 John Gorrie, a physician in Appalachicola, Florida used compressor technology to create ice and cool the air for his patients.

In 1851 Australian James Harrison invented an ice machine using vapor compression refrigeration, a predecessor of the technology used in our modern day equipment.  His commercial ice making machine could make 6,600 pounds of ice per day!
Ft Myers AC service Kurt Hartmann
In 1881 U.S. President James Garfield was dying.  To keep him comfortable air was blown through cotton sheets doused in ice water.  It is said that during his final 2 months over a half million pounds of ice were used for the process.

In 1902 Willis H. Carrier invented the 1st electric air conditioner.  It was not designed with human comfort in mind, but, to reduce humidity in a printing plant where he was employed.

In 1922 Carrier invented the centrifugal chiller which significantly reduced the size of the equipment.  The invention was made public in 1925 at the Rivoli Theater in New York on Memorial Day Weekend.  Other theaters quickly added air conditioning and movie-going became a great way to beat the summer heat … one of the reasons summer is the traditional time for the biggest movies of the year to be released!

In 1928 Thomas Midgely invented Freon.  Previous coolants were toxic and extremely flammable posing a serious threat to those who used the equipment.
Air Conditioning Service Ft Myers
Our Motto is…“We won’t send you a wolf in sheep’s clothing …
…  just an honest professional”

, ,

No comments yet.

Leave a Reply

Local SEO by Ft Myers Marketing