Innovation in Heating and Cooling by Women for Women’s History Month
Women have made significant contributions throughout history to industries such as science and the trades, but one area often overlooked is the HVAC industry. While most heating and cooling technicians are male, even today, several notable women have developed inventions to help improve home comfort systems. This blog post will highlight groundbreaking women who left their mark on the HVAC industry and women's presence in the heating and cooling industry today.
Women in HVAC Today
Despite women representing nearly half of the workforce, they comprise less than 2% of HVAC technicians. To address the disproportionate number of women in the field, several organizations have set out to create better opportunities for women in heating and cooling.
Women in HVACR are one such organization that offers conferences, education, mentoring, scholarships, and networking opportunities to help women succeed in this male-dominated industry. As a result, more women are finding success within the HVACR sector.
Alice H. Parker’s Impact on Heating
Alice H. Parker was an African American inventor whose most notable invention was the gas furnace with air ducts. In 1919, she obtained a patent for her heating system, which would allow homeowners to heat their homes more efficiently and safely than with fireplaces and stoves fueled with wood and coal.
Her design was unique in that it used natural gas. Parker’s invention changed how people heated their homes, reducing heating costs and improving safety. Although her original design in the patent was never produced, her invention has had long-lasting impacts on how people heat their homes.
Margaret Ingels’ Impact on Cooling
Margaret Ingels was a pioneering engineer and inventor who greatly advanced the field of air conditioning. She graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1916, the very first female engineering graduate at the university and the second female engineering graduate in the country. After graduating, she worked as an engineer at the Carrier Corporation, working on air conditioning.
While developing air conditioning systems, she laid the groundwork for modern temperature control systems and helped create an instrument used to read the relative humidity of the air called the sling psychrometer. These innovations helped develop more efficient air conditioning systems that could control humidity, improving indoor air quality.
About Swick Home Services
Swick Home Services has over 40 years of experience serving Marquette and the surrounding communities with plumbing, heating, and cooling services. They provide a price match guarantee, 24/7 support, and financing. Call them today for air conditioning or heating services in Marquette, MI.