The History and Development of Modern Air Conditioning

In the year 1902, 25 year old Willis Carrier was an experimental engineer when he was hired by Brooklyn’s Sacket-Wilhelms Lithographic and Publishing Company … but not to produce air conditioning for people.  For two summers the heat and humidity in New York caused the printing company’s paper to wrinkle and swell, and caused the ink to misalign and blur.  To reduce humidity around the printer, Willis blew warm air over cold coils with an industrial fan, causing condensation to form on the coils.  That process of condensation not only helped reduce humidity, but also cooled the air and made people more comfortable. Carrier continued to improve upon his idea, and in 1922 created the smaller, safer and more efficient Centrifugal Refrigeration Compressor, which is considered the precursor to modern air conditioning.

This compressor was still too big and too expensive to be practical for residential use.  But manufacturers of all kinds of industries, from sugar to leather to macaroni, were well aware of how heat and humidity changes hindered production.  So it was the industrial sector that first made use of air conditioning.  It was actually when air conditioning was introduced to movie theatres that it came to be known by most Americans. Can you imagine sitting close together with dozens of other people in a room with no windows … without air conditioning?  Introducing cool air to theatres actually enticed more middle and upper class people to go to the movies and expanded the popularity of the industry.  However, air conditioning was still not practical on a residential application because of the size and expense of the machine as well as the harsh chemicals.

As the air conditioning system designed by Carrier continued to grow in popularity commercially, the race was on to make the machines smaller and more affordable to the average person. In 1931 a portable air conditioner was made to sit on a window ledge for cooling an individual room and was available on the market within a year.  However, it was far too expensive to be enjoyed by most Americans. 

It was not until 1947 that the cost of the window unit was affordable enough to become widely available in the United States. That revolutionized access to air conditioning for everyone in the country.  Sales of these window units continues to increase through the 50s, and by the 1960s new homes were being built with central air conditioning systems.  Today, it is easy to take for granted so many activities that would seem impossible without it … for example, working in an office building in August or having a dinner party in the middle of the summer, or even buying chocolate in July.  It makes sense that in 2000, the National Academy of Engineering named modern air conditioning to be one of the top 100 achievements of the 20^th century. 

While scientists had experimented with cooling air more than 100 years earlier, Willis Carrier is credited with being the father of the modern air conditioner because of its practical application and advancement.  His invention changed the world in ways no one would have imagined at the time. Although the need for conditioned air was sparked by industry rather than a notion for making people more comfortable, the impact on our daily lives is undeniable.  At Royal Heating and Air, we are proud to provide new HVAC systems at the Lake of the Ozarks, and be a part of making homes and businesses comfortable and productive.  We are here for all of your HVAC maintenance, repairs and service.  Willis Carrier may be named the father of modern air conditioning, but at Royal Heating and Air we are known as the king of comfort.  Give us a call at (573) 480-4313 with any of your HVAC questions. 

Royal Heating & Air - "The King of Comfort"

Visit our website: www.RoyalHeatandAir.com

CALL TODAY! (573) 480-4313

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Putting the "H" in HVAC

With the colder weather on its way, it's almost time to switch your thermostat over to the heat setting. At the Lake of the Ozarks, we don't always think about our heating units until it's freezing cold and we need them. The heating systems that we have today are a recent discovery, so how did people survive the harsh cold winters? Royal Heating & Air takes a look at the history of heating.

Heat By The Fire

In the early days of mankind, man would stay warm by building a fire pit in their living space. They would stay warm and cook their food using these fire pits. Soon after, they learned to build hearths. In fact, hearths have been used to heat homes since about 42,000 B.C. 

The Roman and Korean societies used under-floor radiant heating thousands of years ago. The Romans used a system of hypocausts, which pumped heated air into open spaces beneath raised buildings. The Koreans, on the other hand, used furnaces at one end of the home that pumped hot air under the home to a chimney on the other side. 

Insulation & Chimneys & Other forms of Heating

Although homes in the Middle Ages were still heated with fires on open hearths, they needed to figure out a way to keep the heat inside. Medieval home builders used clay and straw as a home insulation technique.  

Beginning in the 14th century, European homes began to have chimneys used to heat their homes, which allowed hearths to be moved from the center of the room to up against the wall. This improved living spaces, but the popularity of chimneys was slow moving and were relatively uncommon 200 years later. 

In the late 17th century, the next big movement in home heating came with the invention of the stove and was very popular over the next two centuries. Coal and wood were both primarily used as fuel for those who heated their homes with stoves. However, burning coal in stoves left black stains on the walls and ceilings. In addition, coal generated an especially large amount of soot, which is bad for the environment. Sulfur dioxide, a by-product of burning coal, is largely responsible for acid rain. 

Home Heating Today

In 1815, the first gas metering system for the home was invented, however, it wasn't used until 25 years later in the 1840s. Later in the 1920s, the oil burning furnace became a popular domestic heating option. Electric furnaces came along soon after and quickly became a favored option of home heating. Over half of homes in America heated with gas fired forced air furnaces. Oil fired forced air are still used in some homes. However, in warmer climates, homes are heated using electric heat pumps to supply both heating and cooling energy. 

Heat Your Home With Royal Heating & Air

Heating has become an important part of society and home comfort. At Royal Heating & Air, we are experts in all things related to heating and cooling at the Lake of the Ozarks. If your furnace needs maintenance or repairing, call the best HVAC repair company at the Lake of the Ozarks at 573-480-4313 to schedule your appointment today. 

Royal Heating & Air - "The King of Comfort"

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CALL TODAY! (573) 480-4313

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The History of the "V" in HVAC

HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) is a big part of modern society. However, it wasn’t always such a vital part of life like it is today. Ventilation is an important part of indoor air quality. Without a constant supply of ventilation, contaminants generated indoors could lead to serious health issues. Your Lake of the Ozarks HVAC company has taken a look at the history of ventilation and how it became a part of the heating and cooling systems we use today.

The Need for Ventilation

Ancient Egyptians recognized the need for ventilation when they noticed that the stone carvers working inside had a higher amount of respiratory distress than those working outside. They attributed this to the higher amount of dust that was accumulated indoors. They realized they needed a way to ventilate the space they were working in, so they created air shafts to control the dust in the workspace.

The importance of clean air can also be dated back to the Ancient Romans. The earliest architect whose written records are known to exist is Vitruvius Pollio. He said that towns should be located “without marshes in the neighborhood, for when the morning breezes blow toward the town at sunrise, if they bring with them mists from marshes and, mingled with the mist, the poisonous breath of the creatures of the marshes to be wafted into the bodies of the inhabitants, they will make the site unhealthy.”  

The Importance of Ventilation and Health

When open fires for cooking and heating moved indoors, there needed to be a way for indoor ventilation. Smoke exited through cracks and holes in roofs. However, these early flues did not vent particularly well, as a large number of deaths were linked to carbon-monoxide inhalation. During the coal mining era in France around the 1500s, ventilating machines were created to improve the air quality in the mines. There was a series of fans with blades that directed fresh air into the shaft. This was also the time that chimneys were introduced to America from Europe.

Modern Ventilation

After the Industrial Revolution, ventilation technologies made major advancements. By 1866, the U.S. Capitol was equipped with ventilating fans. The U.S. deputy surgeon general published “The Principles of Ventilation and Heating and Their Practical Application” in 1884. This was a comprehensive text providing standards and specification for properly ventilating large public buildings. This publication was incorporated into numerous building codes from 1900 – 1920s. Soon after, ASHVE was introduced as the industry standard.

As more architects used mechanical ventilations in buildings, the cost of outdoor air ventilation came into question. It is preferred to minimize ventilation in cold, warm or dusty climates to conserve energy, cost or filtration. This led to ASHRAE, which reduced outdoor ventilation rates in 1981. In 2004, ASHRAE changed from space by space ventilation rate recommendations to include both an occupant-based contamination component and an area-based contamination component.

Cleaner Air with Royal Heating & Air

Ventilation is an important part of heating and cooling homes. If your home is not properly cooling during these summer months, call our Lake of the Ozarks HVAC maintenance company. Royal Heating & Air is a full-service, locally owned and operated HVAC company at the Lake of the Ozarks. We can help you with anything from preventative maintenance to a complete HVAC installation. Call 573-480-4313 today to see how Royal Heating & Air can help you.

Royal Heating & Air - "The King of Comfort"

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History of HVAC: The Air Conditioning

Without air conditioning, this extreme heat wave happening at the Lake of the Ozarks would make this summer unbearable. AC used to be considered a luxury item, but in today’s world, it is definitely considered an essential. It is hard to imagine life without it. We use AC to cool our homes, hospitals, data centers, laboratories and other important buildings. According to the Energy Information Administration, 48 percent of a home’s energy consumption is a result of heating and cooling. In today’s blog, Royal Heating & Air takes a look at the history of air conditioning and how it became such a vital element in today’s society.

The Beginning of AC

In the 1840s, John Gorrie, a Florida doctor, believed that the way to avoid diseases, such as malaria, was to cool the patients down and make them more comfortable. He came up with a way to cool the hospital rooms down with ice. Unfortunately, the ice had to be shipped from frozen lakes and streams in the north to Florida. This became very expensive, so Dr. Gorrie began experimenting with the concept of artificial cooling. He designed a machine that created ice using a compressor powered by a horse, water, wind-driven sails or steam. In 1851, he was granted a patent for his design, but failed to bring his invention to the marketplace. Although he was unsuccessful, his invention laid the groundwork for modern refrigeration and air conditioning.

A Unique Solution

It wasn’t until several years later that the idea of artificial cooling was picked up again. Willis Carrier, a young engineer, took a job at Buffalo Forge Company in 1902 with the task of solving a humidity problem. The company he worked for printed magazines, and with the high amount of humidity at the plant, the pages would wrinkle and stick together. Carrier designed a system that controlled the amount of humidity using cooling coils. He secured a patent for his machine that could either humidify (by heating the water) or dehumidify (by cooling the water) air.

While refining his machine, he also designed and patented an automatic control system for regulating the humidity and temperature of air in textile mills. Soon, Carrier realized that humidity control and air conditioning could benefit many other industries. He eventually left Buffalo Forge and formed Carrier Engineering Corporation.

Home Comfort with AC

Air conditioning was slowly being brought to the American public. Even with the great depression, theaters would spend anywhere from $10,000 to $50,000 on a system that Carrier produced. Theaters were one of the rare places Americans could enjoy artificial air during the hot summer days. Although there were huge advancements in cooling technologies, the systems were still too large and expensive for home use.

In 1929, Frigidaire introduced the split-system, a unit that was shaped like a radio cabinet and small enough to use in the home, into the marketplace. However, it was very heavy, expensive and required a separate, remotely controlled condensing unit. General Electric improved on this and designed a self-contained room cooler. They produced 32 similar prototypes from 1930 to 1931.

H.H. Schultz and J.Q. Sherman patented a small AC unit that could be placed on a window ledge. They were available for purchase in 1932, but were not very popular due to their high price tag.  It wasn’t until Henry Galson developed a more compact version of the window AC, that homeowners could enjoy artificial air without having to make expensive upgrades.

By the late 1960s, most new homes had central AC and window ACs were more affordable, which led people to move to the hot-weather states like Arizona and Florida. With the energy crisis in the 1970s, laws were passed to reduce energy consumption, which led to the development of the Energy Department’s Appliance and Equipment Standards Program. This established a federal energy efficiency standard for AC manufactures.

Royal Heating & Air Makes Home Comfort Easy!

With temperatures rising and the humidity settling in, Lake of the Ozarks residents will be using their AC systems more and more. Make sure your AC is working properly by giving us a call at 573-480-4313 today! From preventative maintenance to complete furnace and air conditioning installations at the Lake of the Ozarks, we can provide you with affordable, dependable, trustworthy service.

Royal Heating & Air - "The King of Comfort"

Visit our website: www.RoyalHeatandAir.com
CALL TODAY! (573) 480-4313

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