Monday, June 21, 2010

The Traditional Air Conditioner

Design and Drawing by James Ray Polk, Architect

This week's newspaper column: (Read it in the Hattiesburg American)


In spring, thoughts turn to love. In summer – even for hopeless romantics - thoughts turn to air conditioning.

Nowadays, we Americans have all become accustomed to the expectation that every building must be equipped with air conditioning to mitigate the summer heat. Air conditioning is as ubiquitous as walls, roof, and floor in any modern home. Who could live without it? I’ll tell you who: our ancestors.

Now when I say ancestors, I’m not referring to Ice Age cave painters, I’m talking about our immediate predecessors. The first modern electric air conditioner was invented by Willis Haviland Carrier in 1902, barely over a century ago, and air conditioners did not become “standard equipment” in homes until after World War II.

That means, most likely, everybody reading this article had parents, grandparents, or great grandparents who lived much of their lives in non-air conditioned houses. How did they do it?

In short, houses were built to “be” air conditioners.

You’ve probably noticed that older homes have tall ceilings. Far from being a statement of high style, those ceilings had a purpose. They helped cool a home in the summer by taking advantage of a basic law of physics called convection. Hot air rises and cool air sinks, thus those high ceilings took into consideration the proportions of our human frame distributing the hottest air in the house to the empty space above the heads of its inhabitants.

Look closer at that vintage home and you’ll see transoms above the interior doorways. Again, the origin of this detail had nothing to do with aesthetics. Open the transoms in the summer months and hot air migrated from room to room until it escaped through a high vent. (The most elaborate vents took the form of ornate hat-shaped roof embellishments called cupolas.) And as hot air escaped, the home naturally balanced the air pressure within by drawing cooler air through large low windows under shaded porches.

Presto! - natural air conditioning.

Can we still do this today? Of course! It’s a simple matter of design. It may be a lost art, but consider this: any run-of-the-mill builder a century ago knew how to build a home that conditioned itself. It’s not rocket science. Although our reconstituted sensitivities to summer heat may require that electric air conditioning be utilized in the hottest parts of summer, especially at midday, a modern-day home can be cooled using this principle.

So if you’re planning to build a new home or renovate an existing one, think about the air flow. Use porches or landscaping to shade windows, install operable transoms, and allow the air to escape through a ceiling vent. For added comfort, add a few ceiling fans to keep the air moving.

You may not want to give up your central air, but with a little forethought, you can bring down the temperature and your summer electric bill – naturally.




86 comments:

plumbing supplies said...

In the workplace and businesses, these central air conditioners, or HVACs, provide a better environment for both workers and consumers

me said...

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Macky said...

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Solar air conditioning is better if you can afford it. If you can't, buying an energy efficient unit is still very smart and will still save you money.

trade plumbing supplies said...

Obviously solar air conditioners and standard units are going to share a lot of similar qualities. When it comes to pure ability, they are pretty much equal. Anyway, thanks and I definitely visit here more often.

plumbing supplies said...

Air conditioning is all over the place.It makes the people comfortable especially when summer.It turns out to be a one major home appliance to have.And every year,it's evolving,new technologies applied for your convenience.

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Traditional air conditioners remove moisture from the air, except in very dry locations where recirculation can lead to a buildup of humidity. Evaporative cooling adds moisture, and in dry climates, dryness may improve thermal comfort at higher temperatures

Double Glazing said...

Air conditioner is one top appliances today in every home.Very useful especially on summer days when heat is up most.But actually,not all homes have them because of electricity charges.

Unknown said...

Yes, Americans consider air conditioning systems whereas it became as ubiquitous as walls and roofs. According to my grandpa, they only put air conditioning system during the great summer heat of 1995, when global warming first starts to alarm as sincerely. That’s why they’re not so accustomed to duct cleaning. Indianapolis’ summer heat is so hard to resist, especially to those older Americans who are not so used in this different heat. Well, by terms, it all goes to dealing with HVAC. Indianapolis older residents are not really into these.

As for me, what matters most is how we able to utilize the appliance by not over-using it to the point of harming the environment.

Gail Connick said...

Indeed a splendid idea. If our ancestors can do it, then why can't we? Besides, in today's world when prices just keep on rising, it's a basic thought to go back to the old ways and do the things as they were before.

I'll go try to emulate this natural air conditioner at our house in Minneapolis. HVAC services will surely help me on this one. They'd be even more impressed. Utilizing proven natural techniques lessen the reliance to appliances, thereby lowering energy bills. It's also a good thing that we've got the best HVAC services Minneapolis has.

Double Glazing said...

I can say not all homes here has air condition.Most of the time,you can see electric fans running when summer.One great benefit we can have on double glazing windows,giving our home relaxing ambiance whether summer or winter.

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So before building a new house these things should be taken into consideration so that you can feel the natural air conditioner.

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In the workplace and businesses, these central air conditioners, or HVACs, provide a better environment for both workers and consumers

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دكتور تجميل said...

عمليات تجميل الوجه بالليزر من العمليات التي يكون حولها العديد من التساؤلات يعد المظهر الجيد من أهم العوامل التي تزيد من الثقة بالنفس تقنيات عمليات تجميل الوجه بالصور كيف يستطيع دكتور تجميل الوجه أن يساعدك في الظهور بمظهر اكثر إشراقًا وجمالًا، وماذا عن سعر عملية تجميل الوجه، وهل تكون أسعار عمليات التجميل للوجه في مصر باهظة الدكتور حامد قدري  وما هي عملية نحت الوجه بالليزر وغيرها من التساؤلات التي لطالما نتعرض لها عند التحدث.