Florida – Life Before Air Conditioning

It’s difficult to imagine that people lived here in the tropical atmosphere of Southwest Florida before there was such a thing as air conditioning.

The truth is, we all are quite spoiled these days. While it may be 98 degrees outside with 75% humidity, we move quickly from our air-conditioned vehicles right on into our cool comfortable homes or well-chilled businesses. We do not have to roast.

Back in the old days, this wasn’t the case at all. If you resided in Florida and wanted to cool down on a hot summers day, your choices were limited. You had to hope for a cool summer breeze down by the water. Homes were left with open windows containing just mesh screening to keep the bugs at bay.

Fans were a popular item. Women used folding fans that they could easily carry in a purse. Hassock fans were very widely used as well. These were industrial grade work fans made of metal which pushed quite a lot of air and did cool down a hope significantly. If your home had an attic, most Florida homes do not, you might also have a “whole home fan” or “Attic fan” which would circulate the air throughout the entire home.

Homes were built for the climate. Large windows in every room, overhanging shade giving roofing, especially on porches, openings were designed for cross breeze, and iced tea was invented in 1876 giving everyone a delicious drink to help them keep cool on hot days.

Blocks of ice were sometimes set behind a fan to help cool the air. They melted fairly quickly and were not particularly convenient as you ended up with a puddle, but the cool air was refreshing enough that many dealt with the mess.

By 1902 some relief was available, an appliance called the NEVO (oven spelled backward) hit the market. It was a cold air stove.

“It was like a gigantic ice cream freezer connected to a fan—you would put in 200 pounds of ice a day and it would blow out cold air,” says Basile. “Alexander Graham Bell made a big deal out of it a few years after by air-conditioning his basement and spending his summer there.”

From there the idea of being able to stay cool in the summers took off. It was in that same year that Willis Carrier invented the first air conditioner. They first were placed in movie theaters and it wasn’t all that long after that homes became able to use these new-fangled machines as well.

Today we are thankful for these inventions as they make our lives far more comfortable. If you are in need of AC repair, sales, or service let All Day Air Cooling help. Give us a call today at 239-357-0727 or visit us online at www.alldayaircooling.com. Now serving all of Southwest Florida including Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres, Cape Coral, and more.

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