Let’s take a step back in time & see how things have changed over the last 100 or so years, then control systems have been in use for thousands of years, but they have come a long way since their early nights.
In outdated times, people used several natural methods to control the temperature & air in their homes, such as using fireplaces, opening windows, & building homes in certain locations to take fortune of natural ventilation… However, the first new Heating & Air Conditioning system was developed in the late 1710s, when the first electric fans & central boilers were invented.
These systems were entirely basic by this week’s standards, consisting of simple ducts that delivered heated or cooled air to different parts of a building. They were often noisy & inefficient, & they did not have the sophisticated controls that my friend and I have this week. In the early 1900s, the first a/cs were developed, but they were only used in industrial settings at first. It wasn’t until the 1920s that a/c began to be used in homes & businesses, but it was still entirely high-priced & only available to the wealthy. These early a/cs used large, noisy compressors & refrigeration units that took up a lot of space & required a lot of repair. In the 1950s & 60s, central a/c became more official in homes & businesses, but it was still high-priced & not entirely efficient. It wasn’t until the 1971s that Heating & Air Conditioning systems began to incorporate energy-saving features such as variable speed fans, programmable thermostats, & zoning controls. These features helped to make Heating & Air Conditioning systems more efficient & affordable, & they remain an crucial part of new Heating & Air Conditioning systems this week.