The Evolution of the Air Conditioner

The air conditioner, as we understand it, is an invention of the modern world, providing our homes with cool air under the hottest conditions. However, you might be surprised to learn that as long as there have been people we have been finding ways to cool our homes, even without the advantage of modern technology. Much like civilization itself, air conditioners have evolved from modest, low tech beginnings to the indispensable household products that we enjoy today. Learn more about the evolution of the air conditioner, and find out how ServiceWhale can help you find an air conditioning contractor that can help cool your home with the modern incarnation of the air conditioner.

Ancient Air Conditioning Solutions

Dating as far back as ancient Egypt, humans have been conditioning air to stay cool. The aforementioned Egyptians would use wet reeds hanging in the windows to cool the air. Ancient Romans, the forbearers of many modern conveniences, used water acquired from aqueducts to cool the walls of their homes. Additionally, Persians constructed giant fans, akin to windmills, to cool their communities during the warm seasons. So, as you can see, conditioning our air to stay cool is by no means only a modern phenomenon. However, cooling our air has only gotten better as the years have gone on with ServiceWhale bringing in the new era of easy contracting for your air conditioning.

Early Attempts at the Modern Air Conditioner

One of the very first attempts at a modern air conditioner didn’t happen until 1902, and it happened out of necessity. Willis Carrier, worked for a publishing company. Unfortunately, because of the printing equipment, the rooms of the company were almost unbearably hot, which prevented people from working well and actually damaged the paper. Carrier, fed up with heat, used his knowledge reverse engineered the process of steam heat to cool the rooms. By running air through coils that had been cooled with water, Carrier invented the first incarnation of the modern air conditioner, which he received a patent for in 1906.

The First Home Air Conditioner Model

Although Carrier’s initial forays into air conditioning were mostly used for business applications, it wasn’t long before his invention made its way into homes across the country. In 1914, the air conditioner debuted in its first U.S. home, and the rest, as they say, is history. From that point forward, air conditioners boomed until reaching today’s heights of being in almost 100 million homes across the country, and while Mr. Carrier may not have intended to invent such a life changing machine, modern air conditioners are still based on his initial design.

Beat the Heat with the Help of an Air Conditioning Contractor

From meager beginnings, the air conditioner has become one of the most necessary pieces of equipment for comfortable, modern living. In fact, it can be hard to imagine our lives without an air conditioner. However, if you haven’t yet taken advantage of an air conditioner for your home, then it’s time for you to enjoy cool air in your home by partnering with an air conditioning contractor through ServiceWhale. ServiceWhale contractors are of the highest quality, pre-screened and reviewed by actual ServiceWhale users. Sign up with ServiceWhale today and find a contractor to install an air conditioner in your home right away.