As a homeowner, one of your top concerns is your HVAC system. HVAC stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. Keeping your HVAC system in top shape will ensure that you’re comfortable all year-round.
While many people adjust their HVAC systems several times a day, very few know much about the inner workings of HVAC systems. Check out this post to learn about the top quick facts about home HVAC systems.
1. The First HVAC System
The first air conditioner was invented by a man named William Carrier in Buffalo, New York in 1902. Not only did it help control room temperatures, but it also helped control humidity levels.
Carrier figured out that sending air through cold coils filled with water was the trick to cooling the surrounding air. In the subsequent years, more improvements were made to the invention.
The first air conditioners to hit the market actually contained toxic chemicals and flammable gasses such as propane, ammonia, and methyl chloride. If these gasses were to leak, it could result in fatalities.
Luckily, modern-day HVAC systems don’t contain these harmful chemicals. If you’re having issues with your home’s HVAC system, you can contact Larsen Heating and Air.
2. Air Conditioning in the White House
Air conditioning units first came to the White House in the late 19th century. US Navy engineers brought them in as an effort to cool the room for President James A. Garfield who was mortally wounded.
The device they brought in helped bring the temperature of the room down and lower the humidity levels. President William Howard Taft also tried to install an air conditioner in the West Wing of the White House in 1909.
The experiential air conditioning system he brought in was composed of electric fans that blew over large bins of ice sitting in the attic. This cooled the air in the room and forced it through the air ducts in the heating system. Unfortunately, it didn’t work well enough, and the system was soon abandoned.
Like Taft and Garfield, President Woodrow Wilson also struggled to keep cool in the White House. During the summer, he moved his office into a tent at the corner of the Rose Garden. It wasn’t until President Truman came along that a centralized air conditioning system was installed.
3. The Future of HVAC
While HVAC systems have come a long way, they still have a long way to go. In the future, we should see more HVAC systems that are motion-activated.
MIT engineers have invented a new air conditioning design that is made of aluminum rods with sensors that hang from the ceiling. Movement activates the sensors so that the air conditioning system only kicks in when people are present.
An Australian company named Chromasun is also working on an air conditioning system that is thermally-driven. The system uses solar energy that is supplemented by natural gas to benefit the environment.
Home HVAC Systems: Next Steps
Now that you know this information about home HVAC systems, it’s time to start thinking about your own home’s unit. When is the last time you checked on it? Have you hired a technician for maintenance recently?
If not, now is the time to do so. You can browse our blog for more HVAC-related news and tips.
