Who Invented the Air Conditioner?

Air conditioners are an important part of life for many Colonial Heights people. Air conditioners are used to keep people cool in their homes and cars on even the hottest summer days. For many people, they have used air conditioner for so long that they don't give them any thought. They are just a natural part of life.

But the more curious among us are always asking questions. They want to know who invented this tool. This question gets divided into two sections. There is the invention of the modern air conditioner, but there is also the invention of air conditioning in general. We are going to look at both of these questions.

Ancient Air Conditioners

People in Colonial Heights have always worked to find ways to make life more efficient. There was a need to stay cool on hot days long before the invention of electricity. To find one of the earliest air conditioners, we are going to look back 1,500 into the past. Ancient people needed a way to stay cool in the desert.

Creating step wells is one of the ways they did this. They discovered that water takes some heat with it when it evaporates. So, they would dig into the ground and create housing areas near bodies of water. Another method was to put buildings in pillars above the ground. This would allow the wind to pass by more efficiently and cool the inhabitants.

Modern Air Conditioners

The first modern air conditioner was created by an American inventor, Willis Carrier. After graduating college, Carrier began trying to find a way to create an efficient cooling system. His first design was successfully completed in 1902. His air conditioner worked by drawing in air and passing it through coils filled with cold water.

This process cooled the air as it was circulated back into the environment. It was a simple process that did not involve refrigeration. The goal of the first air conditioner was to improve the productivity of a press room. People are less productive when the air temperature is not comfortable.

Use of Refrigerant

Refrigerants use gas to lower the temperature. The first gases utilized in this process where toxic. If there were a leak in the refrigerant system, it could be fatal to anyone in the area. Freon was the first non-toxic refrigerant. The name was trademarked in 1928. Freon gets hot when it is compressed. The compressed Freon gas is passed through several coils that lower its temperature.

Feron gets cold during this process and starts to absorb heat from the surrounding area. A fan is used to blow the colder air out and circulate it through a building or vehicle.

Interested in taking a closer look at your Colonial Heights, VA HVAC system? Call Colonial Plumbing & Heating Co., Inc. today at (804) 526-8415 today.