The History of the HVAC Unit

Air conditioning has existed since ancient times. In Ancient Egypt, people would gather reeds, place them in front of their windows and jerry-rig a system that dripped water onto the reeds.

The logic was that air blowing through the window would become cool because of the water. In Ancient Rome, the emperor would send servants into the mountains to retrieve snow. Home cooling in some form was pursued throughout history, but the modern HVAC system has its roots in mid-1700s America.

The 1700s-1800s

In 1758, Benjamin Franklin and John Hadley discovered that substances like alcohol produce a cooling effect powerful enough to freeze water. Michael Faraday of England discovered this effect as well in 1820, when he discovered how to liquefy and compress ammonia.

In 1881, after President James Garfield was shot, some navy personnel built a makeshift HVAC unit with wet cloth and fans to keep the wounded president cool and comfortable. It was highly effective, reducing the room's temperature by as much as 20 degrees, but used half a million pounds of ice in just 2 months. Sadly, however, President Garfield did not survive.

The 1900s

In 1902, Willis Carrier, the man who would go on to establish the Carrier Air Conditioning Company, invented a machine that blew air over cold coils. His invention was so effective that factories sought to cool their facilities with his invention, leading to the rise of his company.

Initially there was concern that the cooler environment made workers lazier, but when it was proven that workers became more productive in an air conditioned environment, Carrier's invention flourished. The term "air conditioning" was originally coined by Stuart Cramer in 1906 who invented the early humidifier. Humidity was necessary for proper textile work, as humidity kept thread and yarn from breaking during production.

Derivative Inventions

The home air conditioning unit was invented much later after Carrier's initial creation, made available in homes by H. H. Schultz and J. Q. Herman in 1931 after reducing noise, cutting down on harmful chemicals and shrinking the size from that of a computer.

The first household model is still around today, in fact; it was the box model commonly placed in windows to keep a room cool. In 1939 air conditioning came to cars, without the ability to stop the air flow on the passenger side. Central air is a surprisingly recent invention, just created in the 1970s.

If you're ever having Air Conditioning or Heating troubles in your Manchester home call Skovron Mechanical Services LLC. at (603) 674-9885!