I grew up, really, in the days before air conditioning. So I can remember what it was like to be hot, for instance, and I can remember what it was like when your barber shop and your local stores weren’t air-conditioned, so it was hot when you went in them and they propped the doors open.
Bill Bryson
Most inventions start with a question and a drive to solve a problem that is consistent in everyday life. Air conditioning was one of those problems that have been around for over thousands of years. Since the invention of the AC, air conditioning hasn’t been much of an issue anymore, but many people wouldn’t have the comfortable homes they have today if it wasn’t for the invention of the AC. Let’s learn about Air Conditioning Appreciation Day!
History of Air Conditioning Appreciation Day
Before the days of air conditioning, many ancient civilizations had highly advanced ways of cooling down during the hot summer days. The Persians, for instance, had underground tunnels used to transport water for crops, allowing hot air to cool down the water and as cold air would escape the upper shafts, it would cool down the basements and lead up to the inhabited rooms. The Romans also had this same design, which helped cool off the stone walls and buildings so people could be comfortable. Ice has always been around, and the Roman emperors would use ice to cool themselves off. Fans have been around since the Han Dynasty in Ancient China, and centuries later, the United States in its early formation would use these techniques along with damp sheets to cool themselves off. Once Telsa made osculating fans, this led the way to the invention of the AC.
Then, 1902 came around in the United States. During a time of industrialization, Willis Haviland Carrier was trying to find a way to control humidity in the printing plant he was in at the time. He discovered that when air passed through water-filled coils, the air-cooled off as it moved through, helping maintain consistent ink alignments and paper dimensions. While he originally invented it for his printing plant, his invention became highly demanded, and thus he created the Carrier Air Conditioning Company of America. Today, ACs are practically vital to every residential home and automobiles, and this significantly increased during the 1950s. Hence, Air Conditioning Appreciation Day celebrates the birth of this remarkable invention as well as its long history.
