6 Surprisingly Cool Facts About Air Conditioning

by Kevin Smith Author

Ah, air conditioning. It truly is difficult to imagine modern life without the everyday comfort and convenience provided by state-of-the-art air conditioning systems. There are countless benefits associated with AC service in Acworth, GA, including a variety of different unit options and setups to suit any lifestyle. The long and the short of it is that air conditioning is amazing, and this technology has made a huge difference to the way people live their lives. With the significance of air conditioning not lost on anyone, let's celebrate this modern marvel with six intriguing cool facts about the AC everybody knows and loves.

Ice Power

The world would not be anywhere near as cool and comfortable without air conditioning, that much is for sure. Billions of people around the world rely on air conditioning to keep cool and comfortable in the summer heat. It's always a relief to step inside the crisp cold air of your home or workplace after sweating in the sun, and it's all due to what began as something called "ice power." In the early days of air conditioning, people knew that they needed ice to keep cool. That's where the ice power of air conditioning came into play, albeit much different than the advanced versions used so often today. In fact, the original AC unit models incorporated output settings measured in “Ice Power.” Basically, this was a measurement of how many blocks of ice would be needed to generate the same amount of cooling power. Now, AC units is the preferred term, and it's crazy how things change over time!

True Origins

Many people make the appropriate assumption that the inspiration for inventing air conditioning in the first place was to keep cool and comfortable. However, this isn't quite true, as Willis Carrier actually developed the first modern air conditioner in 1902 for a New York publishing company that was annoyed with ink control and paper expansion and contraction due to varying levels of humidity. Air conditioning sure is a great solution to these problems, and it has gone on to become a must-have household amenity of sorts.

Residential Resource

Speaking of AC in homes, approximately 88 percent of new single-family homes constructed in the U.S. in 2011 included the installation of an air conditioning system. Those figures are lower in northern stretches of the continent, with only 55 percent of Canadian households having AC units in 2013. This makes sense due to the colder temperatures overall, but weather can be unpredictable and it's better to be fully ready with a functioning AC unit! This is especially true for those who live in mild or warm climates across much of the United States.

Marvelous Mansion

Not long after this AC technology was first introduced, well-off and wealthy members of society took interest in this lifestyle luxury. These affluent individuals started to invest in AC and implement these units in their properties, including Charles Gates with his mansion in Minneapolis. This home, built in 1913, was the first fully air conditioned home, but Gates never got to see the finished results as he passed away prior to completion of construction.

Early Electric Fans

Before there was regular air conditioning installation to keep people cool for prolonged periods of time, electric fans were a big deal. As a predecessor to modern air conditioning, electric fans unfortunately did little to cool down the air, but they did generate a "wind chill effect" by evaporating sweat on the skin and lowering body temperature. Many people across the state and even the country who were searching for a way to keep cool settled for electric fans prior to the advent of air conditioning.

Life Saving

Anything involving modern air conditioning is impressive not only because it keeps people cool, but also because it can help save lives. Whether it's in all the houses right in your neighborhood, or blasting in the shopping complex down the street, having access to air conditioning can save lives. This cooling technology is a must for people of all ages, but especially the many young children and senior citizens in your community who are more prone to heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke or heat exhaustion. Researchers have even found that the likelihood of dying on extremely hot days has decreased by over 80 percent, with a correlation to the rise in AC units. That's why getting AC service in Acworth, GA, should always be a priority for everyone.