The History of Air Conditioning

05 Feb The History of Air Conditioning

How have Americans beaten the heat in the past?

When the weather turns hot, most people look for ways to stay cool. Before the advent of air conditioning, people went to extraordinary lengths to try and keep cool. They fanned themselves and sometimes put their clothes in the icebox to try to cool off. But the invention of modern air conditioning changed all this as the following history will show.
First American Cooling Machine
The first American cooling machine on record was made in the 1830s. Invented by Dr. John Gorrie, it was a simple machine that consisted of a container for ice and a fan that blew air across the ice. This was mainly used in hospital rooms.

First Modern Air Conditioners
In 1902, Willis Carrier built a precursor to today’s modern day air conditioning units. It was called an Apparatus for Treating Air and it operated by using cooling coils to cool off the air. The device also helped to lower the humidity in the air to help provide additional comfort levels. These units were very expensive and very big. They also could be dangerous if they developed a leak because the coolant that was used was ammonia, which could be toxic. These early units were usually installed in factories, mills and hospitals.

In 1917, the first movie theater was air conditioned in Alabama. Until 1930, the air conditioning industry concentrated on providing cooling for factories, hospitals and movie theaters.

Smaller Units
In 1922, ammonia was replaced with dielene, which was a much safer coolant. They were also able to reduce the size of the air conditioning units. This meant that air conditioning could now be installed in smaller buildings like stores and office buildings.

By the time that World War II was over, air conditioners had shrunk small enough that they could be installed in residential homes. They quickly increased in popularity and by 1953 they were selling over a million units a year.

Modern Air Conditioners
As the air conditioning industry continues to evolve, the units have become smaller and more efficient. The refrigerant used has become more environmentally friendly.

Modern air conditioning has caused increased migration to the south and southwest. Working and living conditions are much more comfortable when homes and buildings are air conditioned.

When choosing an air conditioner for your home or business, it’s important to choose the right unit. Temco Air Environmental will help you choose the unit that’s right for you. We’re proud to offer our clients the very best answers in the world of heating and air conditioning.