Over 100 years ago, one of the most famous buildings in New York City achieved an even greater renown when it installed one of the first working, building-wide air conditioning systems in the entire country.
The New York Stock Exchange building’s HVAC system commenced operation in 1902, weighed a colossal 300 tons, and was powered by steam. Tourists were so delighted by the novelty of cool air wafting around indoors that they would take trips to the building as if it were a tourist attraction instead of an important financial building.
Nowadays, the best heating and cooling systems are a lot more lightweight; the entire HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) industry is valued at over $70 billion and a building with a working air conditioning system is no longer a tourist destination.
There are over 85,000 heating and cooling contractors, and the entire idea of air conditioner repair has become rather routine.
Still, many homeowners do not realize that they need to change their HVAC air filters every three months or so, or that they should avoid closing more than one out of five wall vents to avoid damaging their system. Heating and cooling repair can be avoided by regular maintenance on the system, much of which homeowners can perform by themselves.
Heating and cooling companies tend to estimate that a properly maintained HVAC system should still be upgraded or replaced every 15 years. Many homeowners are gathering dust in old systems that could benefit from a thorough cleaning: the circulation of allergens and pet dander throughout the house may be making its occupants sick.
Sometimes, several varieties of potentially toxic mold can flourish in an older HVAC system: air conditioner repair may be combined with a system-wide diagnostic and evaluation of the “health” of the home’s HVAC functionality and cleanliness.
Although the existence of air conditioning in a building does not draw tourist crowds like it used to over 100 years ago, HVAC is still a vital home system that must be maintained and attended to on a regular basis for homeowner comfort and health.
