Notable Women in HVAC History

When we talk about the great technological achievements throughout history, we tend to focus on the accomplishments of men. However, in any field, there are always plenty of women whose contributions are just as important, but often go unsung. The field of HVAC is no exception. Here are two women in HVAC history who helped define home comfort as we know it.

Alice H. Parker

For years, homes were heated primarily using wood or coal burning furnaces. Heat would eminate from the unit, which would then spread to the rest of the house. Then in 1919, African American inventor Alice H. Parker changed all that, by inventing a new, safer furnace that burned natural gas instead.

Furthermore, the furnace would heat up the air and distribute it throughout the house via a system of ducts and vents. This way, heat could spread through a home more evenly. Her furnace even allowed homeowners to set different temperatures for different areas of the house according to their individual needs - a concept that wouldn't become widespread until decades later, with the introduction of zoning systems.

Margaret Ingels

Another of the important women in HVAC history was Margaret Ingels. One of the first female engineers in America, she was the first woman to receive a professional Mechanical Engineering degree.

Spending six years in the American Society of Heating and Ventilating Engineers research lab beginning in 1920, Ingels researched how to measure the amount of dust and contaminants in the air in public places. Her crowning achievement, though, was the sling psychrometer, which measures the amount of moisture in the air.

In so doing, Ingels was able to develop the "effective temperature" scale. This scale considers factors like relative humidity and air movement in order to determine the "feels like" temperature when it comes to home comfort.

These are just a few of the women who helped define home comfort as we know it today. To learn about other women in HVAC history, contact us at Air Assurance. We've provided Broken Arrow with quality home comfort solutions since 1985.

How New Steel and Aluminum Tariffs Affect the U.S. HVAC Industry

Tariffs on the steel industry have been all over the news. One side claims they're great, the other side says they're disastrous. You don't work in the steel industry, though. Do the tariffs still affect you? Yes. For one thing, steel tariffs are causing HVAC industry changes that affect homeowners everywhere.

Examining the Tariffs

The current administration has imposed a 25 percent tariff on steel from other countries and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum. Both materials are significant elements in the manufacture of HVAC systems, from furnaces to heat pumps to air conditioners.With steel and aluminum more expensive to obtain, the cost of manufacturing HVAC equipment is going up. If the manufacturers want to make money, they'll have to raise their prices. Many already have. That not only means that purchasing an HVAC system will become more expensive, but likely having yours repaired as well. If your unit needs a replacement part made of steel, the cost will be higher.The increases in price don't just apply to steel and aluminum products, either. Some HVAC manufacturers are raising their prices on all their products, regardless of their materials, simply to compensate for the volatility of the industry and the impact it's had on them across the board.

What Can You Do?

If the steel tariffs are making life more expensive for you, you can always contact your congressperson and/or senators to let them know how you feel about the situation. Aside from that, though, the best thing to do amid these HVAC industry changes is what you've always done: shop around for the best prices and the best value.Find a system that will last you a long time. Look for one with good energy efficiency, so that the money you save on power bills can offset the extra that you're paying to buy the unit. And keep it well-maintained, to avoid needing lots of repairs and replacement parts.

To learn more about HVAC industry changes from steel tariffs and other factors, contact us at Air Assurance. We're Broken Arrow's trusted source for quality heating and cooling solutions.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273.

How HVAC Industry Changes Affect Homeowners in 2018

The HVAC industry changes for 2018 will have the most impact on homeowners who have older heat pumps and air conditioners, and the amount of fresh air ventilation new homes require. The phasing out of R-22 is nearly complete as the 2020 deadline approaches and the building codes for ventilation have been relaxed.

Refrigerant Phase-Out

If your central HVAC system uses R-22 and needs refrigerant, you’ll have to pay higher prices to fill it. Since 2010, no new systems can use R-22 because it’s an environmental hazard and the amount produced each year has been diminishing. By 2020, production will cease altogether.The new rules governing R-22 apply to HVAC technicians who need to handle it. They must pass a certification exam, and keep the certificate for three years after it expires. The technicians must also record how much they remove from a system that uses R-22, and how they disposed of it. They must also record where they disposed of the HVAC equipment.

Ventilation Codes

The International Residential Code (IRC) makes periodic changes to their building codes. They’ve rolled back their fresh air ventilation requirements to the levels established in 2010. Ventilation helps keep air healthier indoors either by exhausting stale air and replenishing it with fresh.Newer homes have been built to higher energy efficiency standards and require more mechanical ventilation since they have few air leaks caused by cracks or gaps in the exterior envelope.Some builders include balanced ventilation systems, like heat recovery ventilators (HRVs) that pull out as much interior air as they pull in from the outdoors. If not included as a standard feature, your HVAC contractor can add an HRV, which is the most energy efficient way to supply fresh air year-round.

If the HVAC industry changes for refrigerant will affect you in 2018, feel free to contact Air Assurance for more information. We provide trusted HVAC services for Broken Arrow homeowners.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about the HVAC industry and other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273. Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Gellinger/Pixabay”