Fun Facts About HVAC You May Not Have Known Before

It’s tough to learn about HVAC sometimes, especially when our lives are so preoccupied with other, more pressing matters. There’s COVID-19 this year, and how we’re continually trying to adapt in order to stop the spread of it; many businesses have temporarily closed and, unfortunately, some for good.

We fall under the category of businesses who have temporarily closed our doors, however that does not mean you should neglect HVAC or ignore the signs of a problem. Now is a good time to maintain your systems! If they’re already cleaned up though, you may be wondering how to best pass the time. Why not learn some interesting facts about HVAC? Here are some fun trivia and facts that maybe—just maybe—you didn’t know about before.

Before HVAC, We Had Evaporation

It’s a fact that the most basic form of air conditioning relies on evaporative cooling methods. Back in Ancient Egypt, people stayed cool amidst the heat by hanging water-soaked reeds on window sills. The water would evaporate when the wind would blow, making the air all around the space much cooler.

Egypt was not the only place to rely on ancient methods. Ancient Rome circulated their water from the aqueducts through the walls of certain houses, also for the sake of staying cool.

Of course, nowadays we have HVAC to help stay cool or even stay warm, thanks to a few certain inventors….

The Father of Air Conditioning

John Gorrie, a Floridian doctor in 1842, is known to be the father of air conditioning. The machine he developed made ice so that the air could be cooled down for his patients. Gorrie was granted a patent to create a similar model for homes and buildings. Sadly, he passed away before he could create one.

HVAC Becomes Reality

In 1902, John Gorrie’s machine was brought to life and then some. Willis Carrier created a genuine air conditioner for a publishing company he worked for in Brooklyn. He made it to keep the temperature and humidity levels low enough for the paper they used to keep from shrinking or expanding too much. This machine did not, however, become a widely available system for every home and building until much later in the course of history.

How Air Conditioning Got Its Name

Even though Willis Carrier made the very first air conditioner, the term ‘air conditioning’ didn’t really have a name until 1906. It was coined by a textile manufacturer in North Carolina after the technology improved the quality of the fabric being produced in the factory. It’s definitely a catchier, easier to remember term than air conditioning’s patent title for one of the first modern systems, which was “An apparatus for treating the air”.

HVAC: The Real “Summer Blockbuster”

Did you know that air conditioning is in fact the reason we have the term ‘summer blockbuster’? That’s because movie theaters were among the first public places to have air conditioning. This was their way to get everyone to come to the movies and out of their non-air conditioned homes at the time. The theaters would then release their biggest films in the summer with the air conditioning turned on all the while. Thus, the term ‘summer blockbuster.’

HVAC Saves the Day

Gorrie had the right idea to use air conditioning for his patients. Hospitals with A/C have helped prevent several diseases and even saved lives. A few examples include defeating malaria, advancing developments in surgery, inhibiting bacteria, and decreasing infant mortality rates.

If you know a thing or two about HVAC that we haven’t listed here, let us know! Our doors may be closed for now, but we are still available for online or phone consultations and estimates. Get in touch with us for all your HVAC needs! At Rep-Air Heating And Cooling we provide our customers with many options that will best suit your needs from heating and cooling to refrigeration. Contact us today for your complimentary quote: 1-778-728-1476 or contact@repairheatingandcooling.com and don’t forget to take a look at our website: https://repairheatingandcooling.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.