Unless you’re one of our technicians, or shopping around for a new cooling system, you probably don’t find the topic of air conditioning all that fascinating…but…
The story of how we humans figured out how to escape the Florida heat is actually pretty incredible!
While you might not want to read an entire book on air conditioning (though some people have!), we’ve compiled these 10 surprising facts that will give you a new appreciation for that magical box keeping your Florida Gulf Coast home comfortable during those scorching summer months.
1. Air Conditioning Has Ancient Roots
While modern AC is a relatively recent invention, humans have been trying to beat the heat for thousands of years! Ancient civilizations were quite creative – archaeologists have found evidence of double-walled living quarters with air gaps designed for cooling in the ancient city of Hamoukar in modern Syria. Ancient Egyptians also utilized various passive cooling techniques in their buildings. Talk about ancient innovation!
2. Benjamin Franklin Was an Early Cooling Pioneer
Long before electricity, one of America’s founding fathers experimented with cooling. In 1758, Benjamin Franklin and chemist John Hadley conducted experiments with evaporation and alcohol to achieve freezing temperatures. Franklin noted that rapid evaporation of certain liquids could actually freeze water! This basic principle is still fundamental to how your air conditioner works today.
3. The First Air Conditioner Wasn’t Created for Human Comfort
Surprisingly, the first modern air conditioner wasn’t designed to keep people cool. In the early 20th century, a young engineer named Willis Carrier was commissioned by a publishing company to solve a humidity problem in their building. The high humidity was causing magazine pages to wrinkle and ink to smudge. Carrier’s solution to control humidity ended up revolutionizing indoor comfort forever!
4. The Term “Air Conditioning” Has Textile Roots
The phrase we use today wasn’t originally about cooling. In 1906, Stuart Cramer, a textile mill engineer, was the first person to coin the term “air conditioning.” He was working on ways to add moisture to the air in textile plants, as humidity makes yarn easier to spin and less likely to break. Willis Carrier later adopted this term for his own company.
5. The First Home AC Was Enormous
Early residential air conditioning units were massive compared to today’s sleek systems. The first home air conditioning system, installed in 1914 in the Minneapolis mansion of Charles Gates, was approximately “7 feet high, 6 feet wide, 20 feet long” and might never have been used because no one ever lived in the house. Today’s systems are thankfully much more compact and efficient!
6. Summer Blockbusters Exist Because of AC
Ever wonder why the biggest movies come out in summer? Before home air conditioning became common, people often went to movie theaters to enjoy the cool air. Production companies took advantage of this fact and began releasing their biggest hits during summer months. Even though most of us now have AC at home, the tradition of summer blockbusters continues today.
7. AC Has Saved Countless Lives
Your air conditioner doesn’t just provide comfort—it can be a lifesaver during Florida heat waves. Between 1960 and 2004, heat-related deaths in the United States were 80 percent lower than they had been in the previous 59 years. Air conditioning played a major role in reducing those numbers. This is especially important here in Venice, where summer temperatures regularly climb into the 90s.
8. The White House Didn’t Always Have AC
Even the President’s residence had to wait for cooling technology. The first air conditioning system in the White House was installed in 1930 in the West Wing during Herbert Hoover’s presidency. Later in 1933, while Franklin D. Roosevelt was president, air conditioning units were installed in the private quarters. Imagine running the country in D.C.’s swampy summer heat without AC!
9. AC Shaped America’s Population Growth
The widespread adoption of air conditioning literally changed where Americans could comfortably live. By the 1960s, air conditioning was affordable and widespread. People took advantage of comfort cooling and started to move to hot states such as Arizona and Florida. Without AC, Venice and much of Florida might not have seen the population boom of the last several decades!
10. Modern ACs Use Far Less Energy Than Earlier Models
Today’s air conditioners are much more efficient than their predecessors. New air conditioners today use about 50 percent less energy than they did in 1990. This is great news for both your utility bills and the environment! At Brown Cooling and Plumbing, we’re proud to offer the latest energy-efficient models to keep your home comfortable while minimizing energy usage.
Keep Your Cool with Brown Cooling and Plumbing
Now that you know a bit more about the fascinating history of air conditioning, make sure your system is ready to handle another hot Florida summer! Our expert technicians can help with routine AC maintenance, repairs, or even system replacement if your unit is getting older.
Don’t wait until your system fails on the hottest day of the year! Schedule service on our website or call Brown today at (941) 722-9276, and make sure you stay cool all summer long!
