AC Over Time

The Advancement of AC Over Time

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Do you ever think about a time before air conditioning?

It’s tough – we know. Fathomable or not, there was once a time when this glorious invention didn’t exist.

So, what creative approaches did people take to stay cool back in the day? Thanks to a few handy sources, we’ve found some very interesting past solutions to beat the heat and the interesting development of AC over time.

Our ancestors used to:

  • Have their homes built on hilltops to catch the breeze.
  • Strategically place their windows on opposite ends of each other with a door between them to produce a steady flow of cool wind.
  • Use ice water-soaked sheets and have air blown over them to create cold air.
  • Sleep on their porch at night.
  • Have attic fans installed. (The most effective approach of them all, right?)

Here are some more interesting approaches specifically for homes:

  • Trees. We often think of trees as just shade for outdoors, but that wasn’t the case in earlier days. People would strategically plant trees on the east or west side of their home, (this being where the sun rises and falls), to block out the sun.
  • Transom and Double-Hung Windows. Transom windows sit above doors, which allow hot air to rise upstairs. Double-hung windows allow you to let heat out from the top opening during the day and let cool air in from the bottom opening at night.
  • Reflective Roofs. Using light colored, reflective material to build rooftops made for a significant decrease in the heat absorbed into the home.

Have an expert cool your home.

And lastly, here are some notable breakthroughs in air conditioning:

  • In 1904, mechanical cooling was used to cool the World Fair’s Missouri State Building.
  • In 1922, the first well-designed cooling unit, using a technology called centrifugal cooling, was installed in movie theaters.
  • In 1929, a smaller cooling unit was produced but was modified between 1930 and 1931 to create a self-contained room cooler.
  • By the 1960s, new homes were built with air conditioning.
  • As of present day, air conditioning is now found in over 87% of homes.

From strategically placed homes and windows, to cooling units being available in establishments, to now being available anywhere, air conditioning is here to stay. We project that the industry will continue to shift towards greener HVAC solutions, and we’ll be analyzing this trend every step of the way.

Learn more about your modern day air conditioning solutions – give us a try.