20 Interesting Facts About Air Conditioners And Cooling Systems You Probably Don't Know
When you are thinking about a cooling system, "interesting" is usually not the first word that pops to mind, right?
Well, today our mission is to change all of that!
We are getting to know the air conditioning systems a bit better, so stick around and find out something interesting about the invention that keeps you cool during those hot summer days.
So without further delay, let’s dive into the past and uncover the history of the AC systems!
Interesting AC Fact 1: Who Invented The Cooling System?
The first cooling system was invented in 180 AD by Ting Huan, an inventor from the Han dynasty, and it was powerful enough to cool a large room full of people by its system that included extremely large wheels that were powered by one person (who was moving them).
Interesting AC Fact 2: Air Conditioning Has Medical Benefits
A doctor in the 1800s decided to use dry ice to cool down his practice in Florida (including himself and his clients). The reason for this was because he believed the lower temperatures can air malaria, and invented an entire system that included ice, wind, steam, horses, and water. This system is considered the foundation upon which the air conditioning systems we have today were built on.
Interesting AC Fact 3: Honouring The OG
The electric fan was invented in the year 1882.
Interesting AC Fact 4: Who Invented The Modern Day Air Conditioner?
The first air conditioner was invented just 20 years later by Willis Carrier. The air conditioner was invented in 1902, and the brilliant mind behind this created an engineering corporation just 13 years later.
Interesting AC Fact 5: First Famous Building
The New York Stock Exchange building was the first famous building to implement air conditioning, in the year 1903.
Interesting AC Fact 6: Who Owned The First Home Air Conditioner?
Charles Gates from the United States owned the first residential unit that had an air conditioning system included. The mansion had been built in 1913 and spanned over 38,000 square feet, however, was demolished briefly after, in the year 1933. The reason for this was because the owner, Mr. Gates passed on, and nobody wanted to own a home that had an AC included.
Interesting AC Fact 7: Who Installed The First AC In The White House?
The engineering company of Willis Carrier we mentioned earlier installed the first proper air conditioning system in the West Wing of the White House in the year 1930 when Herbert Clark Hoover was president. After that, under the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt, the White House had had several more air conditioning units.
Interesting AC Fact 8: Movie Theatres Made Money Because Of Their Air Conditioning Systems
One of the most interesting fun facts regarding the air conditioning system is that the summer cinemas started just like that – as a refuge on those hot summer days for people who wanted to cool off. The movies were a great place to relax and get cooled down, so the theatres quickly picked up on that and managed to add some blockbuster movies during the summer, which attracted more and more people. Nowadays, even though people have AC systems and can watch movies in the comfort of their own homes, the tradition still goes on.
Interesting AC Fact 9: Packard Was The First Car Manufacturer To Include Air Conditioning
1939 was the year when the company Packard started including the air conditioning systems in their vehicles. It was believed that this was the first vehicle company to include AC systems in their vehicles.
Interesting AC Fact 10: Energy Costs
The average American family spends about 2000 USD on energy costs annually, and about half of those costs go towards heating and cooling. In addition to that, about 45 percent of that half goes towards heating the home, and only 5-6 percent goes towards cooling down the home.
Interesting AC Fact 11: How AC Impacts The Environment?
According to the latest research and numbers, cooling has a lot smaller negative effect on the entire planet than heating.
Interesting AC Fact 12: Biggest AC System Is In The Holy Mosque In Makkah
To create a system that would be able to cool down about 1 million visitors every month, the largest AC system can be found in the Holy Mosque in Makkah (Mecca). Believe it or not, this HVAC system contains about 135,000 tons of refrigeration capacity.
Interesting AC Fact 13: How Many Homes Have An Air Conditioner?
In the 21st century, more than 95% of all households include an HVAC system, contrary to the 20th century, when the number was less than a third.
Interesting AC Fact 14: Quality Air Conditioning Installation Matters
If you have a poorly installed air conditioning system, chances are you will pay much more for it. A recent study from 2012 in New York showed that people who owned property and had poorly installed HVAC systems were losing about 100 million USD in damages during a full year.
Interesting AC Fact 15: Energy Efficient Cooling Systems
The well-known Energy Star ductless systems for cooling and heating assist homeowners everywhere reduce costs by about 40% in comparison to the forced HVAC systems. This is why most homeowners are shifting towards the Energy Star in the last period.
Interesting AC Fact 16: How Your Air Conditioner Keeps You Cool
The air conditioning system dries the skin very easily, thus leading to faster evaporation, helping you cool down – this is only happening in those cases where the home has low humidity levels – it is much easier to cool down.
Interesting AC Fact 17: Air Conditioning Optimization
A lot of heat can reduce the optimal work of the air conditioning system. The system makes much more errors when it is faced with higher temperatures, and thus needs more energy to cool down.
Interesting AC Fact 18: Ductless Cooling System Benefits
You can add a ductless cooling system in your own home or office without any disruption of the peace or flow of work. Depending on the vastness of the space, this is a process that can be done as fast as within a day, or a few days (if the space is commercial).
Interesting AC Fact 19: Air Conditioning Demand Is On The Rise
In the future, the need for an AC system will triple. It has been predicted that by the year 2050, about 5.6 billion homes and office spaces will have an added air conditioning unit, meaning that the need for one will increase in the following 25 to 30 years.
Interesting AC Fact 20: Air Conditioning Saves Lives
The air conditioning systems can save lives! Believe it or not, in some hotter US states, the suicide rates are closely connected to the increased heat waves that people have been experiencing in the last 50 years and more. Also, when people are deprived of the option to cool down, they are more likely to get affected by the heatwave and die. For example, during the Chicago 1995 heatwave, 739 people that did not have access to an air conditioning system died.
The air conditioners are an excellent addition to any home. Come rain or shine, whenever you need a cooling down, the AC is the best way to do that. So if you are still thinking about whether to install one in your home or office, take the leap and start browsing through options!
If you have any questions about air conditioning or air conditioning system installation services feel free to call us at 416-566-1842 or chat with us in near real-time on our Facebook fan page.
Commentaires