2 Surprising Ways Air Conditioning Has Shaped The Modern World

In many parts of the country, air conditioning is as much a fact of life as electric lights or paved roads. Your air conditioner isn't something that you give much thought to, even when you're using it. You may change the temperature or notice the hum of the condenser, but these things are a normal part of your day, not the marvelous new innovation that they once were. You only really think about your air conditioning when it's not working and you need to have it repaired, or have a new one installed. What you may not know is that air conditioners have brought about many changes in the society that you live in. They've influenced the way your home is designed and what movies you watch in the summer. Take a look at a few major changes that the air conditioner is responsible for.

The Architecture Of Your Home

You've probably noticed that historic homes are built very differently from the way that new homes are built, especially in hotter climates. Have you ever wondered why? It isn't that home builders weren't capable of building smaller homes that were less drafty and more airtight. Homes were built that way by design.

Before air conditioning, architects had to take into account how the people living in the homes that they designed would stay cool during the hottest months of the year. Too much heat can be deadly, particular for babies and the elderly. So they built high ceilings, that allowed the heat to rise far above the heads of the home's inhabitants. They designed open floor plans, to keep hot air from pooling in any one area. They added large, shaded porches, so that people could sit in the shade and enjoy the breezes. In the south, the area of the house used for cooking was often built separately from the living areas of the house, and then the two were connected by a large, open corridor. This prevented the home's inhabitants from overheating while food was cooking.

With air conditioning came the need to insulate a home well enough to keep the cooled air from escaping and allow the air conditioner to work at peak efficiency. Gradually, ceilings were lowered, floor plans were changed, drafts were sealed, and porches shrank. Sprawling homes were replaced with more compact homes, because there was no need to separate the kitchen from everything else. Today, if your air conditioner breaks down, you'll be considerably more uncomfortable in your modern home than you would have been in a historic, pre-air conditioning home. Everything in your home is designed with air conditioning in mind, so it's not set up to be comfortable without it.

Your Summer Entertainment

Are you counting down the days while you're waiting for the latest summer blockbuster to hit the theaters? Have you ever wondered why the movie studios wait for the summer to put out some of their best material? It's not because the kids are out of school, like you might think.

Movie theaters were some of the earliest adopters of air conditioning technology. The first movie theater to test out the air conditioner was the Rivoli Theater on Times Square in New York City. The first theater-goers to watch a movie in cold comfort were those who went to the Rivoli on Memorial Day in 1925. After that, movie theaters across the country were quick to jump on the trend. Patrons packed the theaters in the summer so that they could cool off while watching a show. It only made sense to release the biggest and best new movies to a packed house, and pretty soon, the summer blockbuster was a tradition.

Today's air conditioners may not get as much credit as they're due, considering all the changes they've been responsible for. But a new air conditioner can still make important, major changes in your life. A new air conditioner can save you money every month on your electric bill, leaving you with more cash to save or to fund your next movie night or vacation. A new air conditioner can run more efficiently, reducing your carbon foot print and having a positive impact on your environment. And of course, a new air conditioner can increase your comfort in your own home. If your old air conditioner is on its last legs, it's time to change your life by having a new one installed. 

To learn more, contact a company like QUICK SERVANT CO.