A Brief History of Heating and Cooling

Do you know when heating and cooling techniques began? 

From the 1000s to the 1400s, the Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, and Indians all had their ways of cooling and heating. 

• The Romans used what was known as a hypocaust - a central heating system which has the furnace in the "basement" and flutes to distribute heat. The rich were able to use this tool to heat different rooms and even create steam for baths. 
• For cooling, the Egyptians used man-powered fans while the Indians utilized rope fans. 
• Chimneys became common toward the end of the 1400s as private rooms became more common.

The 1500s and 1600s held more advancements in heating and cooling technology. 

• In France, ventilation began to be used in the mines. 
• Chimneys became popular in Europe and America and wood and coal were in high demand to heat rooms. 
• This was also the era of the invention of the thermometer by Galileo. 
• The U.S. Parliament also received it's first exhaust ventilation system.

The 1700s and 1800s was an era of inventions for heating and cooling.

• The first ventilator using centrifugal fan was created
• Benjamin Franklin invented the first stove known as the first steam heating system
• What we know today as direct fired heat exchangers started to be used in England
• The invention of the steam engine
• Hhe development of the first warm furnace
• Heat began to be used for energy
• Water spray systems began to be used in houses for humidifying and cooling
• The first cooling apparatus on record was made by American physician Dr. John Gorrie. In the 1830s, Dr. Gorrie designed a machine for cooling hospital rooms--was a fan which blew across a container of ice

The 1900's brought a flow of inventions and the evolution of the modern HVAC systems. 

• Willis Carrier, known as the father of air conditioning, designed a pray driven temperature and humidity controlled system as well as a system for offices, apartments, hotels, and hospitals
• The New York Stock Exchange was equipped with a central cooling and heating system
• A company called Buffalo Forge invented the first fan coil dehumidifying system
• The same company also created the first spray type air conditioning device
• They also created a system to remove dust from steamers
• Sturtevant created the first railway and industrial air conditioning system, including a backward inclined blade centrifugal pump
• The first centrifugal refrigeration machine was made for air conditioning large spaces
• Hydronic circulatory pumps and radiators started to be used in the air conditioning systems for circulating water in the system
• The first residential air conditioning was created 
• Room coolers that mimicked refrigeration technology were made

From there, HVAC continued to develop into the modern systems we know today. Let the innovation continue!

10 Signs It's Time To Get A New HVAC System

Call your local HVAC contractor if you have any of these signs.

1. You could dust your furniture all the time.

• Excess dust is a sign your system is not working properly. It is a directly reflection of the air quality in your home.

2. Frequent breakdown.

• Are you on a first name basis with your repair company? It's probably a time to cut repair costs and purchase a new unit.

3. Some rooms are hot while others are cold.

• There are many reasons this could be the case-from a problem with your unit to an issue with your duct work or insulation. 

4. Your utility bills are unusually high.

• Does your bill seem high? Talk to people with homes similar to yours to see if your bill is higher than it should be. It might be a time to purchase a more new, energy-efficient unit to help lower your bill.

5. You can't hear over the noise of the unit.

• This is a warning for potential problems with parts of your unit. Call a professional to take a look.

6. No one is home for long periods and you don't have a programmable thermostat.

• A programmable thermostat can help keep energy costs down while no one is home.

7. Your unit is more than 10-15 years old.8. A funny smell coming from your unit.

• Regular maintenance can help lengthen the lifespan of your unit but if it is old and showing other warning signs, it might be time to consider a new unit.

8. You're remodeling.

• Are you adding on to your home or opening up rooms? It's the perfect time to consider purchasing a new unit to help keep your remodeled home comfortable and your utility bill down.

9. You know your unit has not been properly maintained.

• Without regular maintenance, units can stop unexpectedly. Prevent this and have your unit maintained to make sure you won't suddenly be without A/C or heat.