A fresh gust of air

By Kelley Cai

Close your eyes and picture yourself on a sweltering day, the sun shining so bright it makes your eyes water. You’re just about to come inside for a refreshing sip of water. Except that the condition inside the house is worse, everywhere reeks of sweat, and to top the cake, you’re still hot as if you never came inside.

So, on a grim, blistering day in the summer of 1902, Willis Haviland Carrier decided to step up and do the work. His original intention was designed for the printing press where he worked. In the summer, the humidity caused paper to shrink and expand, which was highly inconvenient because the ink would smudge and misalign, rendering newspapers unreadable.

Willis soon proposed a machine that blew cold air over the newspaper to prevent moisture from seeping through. After years of moderation and refinement, the first AC box was installed in 1914; however, Willis’s visualization took an extremely long time to develop, and it was not until 1929 that the first commercial AC unit reached homes across the U.S.

More units were installed worldwide, and people began to normalize the use of AC. Notable places include the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904 for comfort cooling and the Rivoli Theater in NYC in 1925 for commercial use. Cars, homes, hospitals, and several public places started to install air conditioning.

Many people who worked in factories and tight spaces needed air conditioning to keep them cool and improve productivity. Even structures such as hospitals require air conditioning to prevent patients from discomfort and overheating. AC could also cool homes, tall buildings, and more.

When it finally got cooler towards fall or winter, no one really needed air conditioning, but as it got colder and colder, people relied on warm air to stay healthy and relaxed.

AC technology has revolutionized multiple industries. Many computers had to withstand overheating, a major problem because most devices would shut down after one or two heat waves. With air conditioning, overheating would no longer be a concern.

Take a look around the room and try to picture your life without air conditioning. With Willis Haviland Carrier’s urging, society might never have moved on.