13 Cool and Surprising Fun Facts About HVAC You Never Knew

1. Southern Breeze Architects

Who let the breeze in? Architectural geniuses from the good ol' unbearably-hot-South, that's who: By designing buildings like shotgun houses with one-room width, they enabled a cross-draft when all doors and windows were open while making good use of wraparound porches, sleeping porches, awnings, and transom windows to maximize shade and air circulation before air conditioning became a thing.
Source => archive.curbed.com

2. Chill at the Expo

As the chilled winds of the industrial era blew through the Windy City and the "coolest" minds from every corner of the globe flocked with icy anticipation, a revolution in human comfort was set to unfreeze: The first international refrigeration expo took place in Chicago in 1913, featuring industry giants like Willis Haviland Carrier – the inventor of the first electrical air conditioning unit in 1902, and setting the stage for groundbreaking developments like the introduction of safer and more efficient refrigerants such as Freon in 1928 and eco-friendlier options like R-410a in modern times.
Source => todayshomeowner.com

Did you know that Ancient Egyptians had advanced plumbing systems in their pyramids and tombs, complete with stone basins and metal fittings? Discover more intriguing plumbing facts from history!

=> Fun Facts about Plumbing

3. Packard's Icy Fail

Long before anyone complained about their car's AC being "not cool enough" or "too cold!", Packard jingle-jangled their way into becoming the original icebreakers: In 1939, they introduced the "Weather Conditioner," the first factory-installed air conditioning system for their One-Eighty model, with a lovely price of $279. Unfortunately, this chilly prototype didn't have temperature control, requiring a trip to a second factory for installation and eventually leading Packard to put this cool idea on ice in 1942 after poor sales. Fast forward to today, where AC is pretty standard, except for those brave base model Jeep Wrangler drivers who continue to embrace the wild wind.
Source => yahoo.com

4. Saving Ink, Saving Lives

In a plot twist worthy of M. Night Shyamalan, the hero who saved us all from sweltering summers was actually just looking out for his ink: Willis Carrier developed modern air conditioning to keep pesky humidity from ruining printed pages in a Brooklyn printing shop. And thus, our goosebumps were born: this innovative solution for print quality preservation prevented bleeding ink on paper and unintentionally opened the door to widespread adoption of air conditioning in both commercial and residential settings.
Source => pbs.org

5. Cinema Coolness Hero

Next time you visit the movies, raise a bucket of popcorn to Willis Carrier: the man who brought comfort to cinemas with a groundbreaking cooling system! In 1922, he installed his ingenious invention at the Metropolitan Theater in Los Angeles, which used high vents to distribute chilled air evenly and effectively, boosting the efficiency and slashing the cost of large-scale air conditioners nationwide.
Source => energy.gov

6. Cramer's Cool Coining

Before Stuart Cramer got his "cool" on, air conditioners were a "figment" of our "humidity" driven imaginations: In 1906, the term 'air conditioning' was birthed by Cramer, as he marveled at the enhanced quality of cloth fibers in his textile plant due to controlled heat and humidity. Now, air conditioning is a vital part of modern life with strict energy efficiency standards for commercial buildings and a phasing out of CFC refrigerants to save our ozone layer one cool breeze at a time.
Source => greatachievements.org

7. Roman Water Bottle Homes

Feeling the heat, ancient Roman style: The Romans turned their homes into giant, refreshing water bottles by running water from aqueducts through small pipes in the walls, creating the first central air conditioning system and making their abodes the coolest spots in the Mediterranean hood.
Source => reinerac.com

8. Gorrie's Ice Legacy

Before "Netflix and chill" was even conceivable, Dr. John Gorrie was making cooling a reality for the first time: In 1851, he was granted the first U.S. Patent for mechanical refrigeration, initially designed for treating yellow fever patients, by rapidly expanding gases to cool compressed air and drop the temperature of brine to 26 degrees F or below, enabling him to produce ice. However, the modern fridge was not birthed by Gorrie in 1844, contrary to popular belief.
Source => phys.ufl.edu

9. Swamp Monster AC

If your air conditioner's breath reeks like a swamp monster's armpit, it's time to play detective and sniff out the culprit: The unpleasant odor might be caused by algae and mildew buildup on the blower and coil, thanks to the constant dampness in those areas. Banish the stench by spritzing a vinegar-water concoction on the coil and scrubbing any stubborn gunk with an old toothbrush – your AC will be smelling fresher than the Prince of Bel-Air in no time!
Source => precisionairandplumbing.com

10. MacGyver's DIY Aircon

Who needs coolness from the Arctic when you can steal it from your computer? Behold the tech-savvy MacGyver's dream hack: A DIY aircon project using a Peltier-12706 thermoelectric cooler, the secret ingredient typically found cooling computer CPUs, to magically concoct a small, portable AC system that shuns ice and cooler boxes.
Source => makeuseof.com

11. Hollywood's Icy Secret

Feeling hot, hot, hot? Head to the movies for an icy escape! The real star of the show isn't on the silver screen but hidden in the walls: air conditioning not only played a crucial role in the expansion of the Sunbelt region in the United States, but it also gave rise to the ever-popular movie theater experience during the Great Depression, ultimately contributing to Hollywood's Golden Age.
Source => theatlantic.com

12. Humidity Boss Willis

In 1903, Willis Carrier was literally the coolest guy in town, inventing not just a way to chill your air, but also to keep your humidity in check like a boss: his groundbreaking "dew point control" system used heated spray water in the air conditioning process, making him the uncontested godfather of modern AC.
Source => williscarrier.com

13. Heatwave Bailout

Back in the day, when the heat got "unbearable" and the air felt like "walking in soup," it was quitting time for Uncle Sam: Before the widespread installation of air conditioning in government buildings, federal employees were sent home when the temperature and humidity combo hit oppressive levels, as determined by certain heat index benchmarks set by the former Civil Service Commission.
Source => washingtonpost.com