Meet Some of the Women Who Transformed the HVAC Industry!
Marie Curie. Ada Lovelace. Rosalind Franklin. Many people learn about these women of science in school. However, just as many do not know about the innovative women in the HVAC industry. HVAC - also known as heat, ventilation, and air conditioning - is responsible for keeping a house cool in the summer and hot in the winter. Without certain women, who knows what the inside of the modern home would feel like? While many history books omit these women’s contributions, here, interested parties can learn about the lives of these remarkable inventors.
Introducing Alice H. Parker
Not much is known about Alice H. Parker’s life. Born in 1895, Parker was an African-American inventor who was an honored student at Howard University. Parker grew up in Morristown, New Jersey, where the winters were brutally cold. Instead of relying on gas, in-home heating systems relied on wood, fire, and coal. This hardship inspired Parker to look for ways to heat homes more effectively.
In 1919, Parker filed a patent for the gas furnace. There is little information about how and when she died. Sources say that Parker died shortly after she filed the patent. However, in 2019, she was honored by the National Society of Black Physicists for her contributions.
Margaret Ingels: The Mother of the Air Conditioning System
Margaret Ingels was born over 100 years ago in 1892. Ingels lived an accomplished life. Before she helped invent the air conditioning system, she was the first woman to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering. Her interest in developing a useful model for air conditioning began in 1917 when she worked for the Carrier Engineering Corporation.
She spent the majority of her scientific career working for the Carrier-Lyle Corporation. Through her research, she created a system that regulated both temperature and humidity in a home. She passed away in 1971, and in 2005, a building was named for her at the University of Kentucky.
Women Today Are Changing the Face of the HVAC System
Alice H. Parker and Margaret Ingels both faced insurmountable challenges when it came to their engineering pursuits. While many people consider the HVAC industry to be a male-dominated field, this is changing. Information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in 2018, less than 2% of HVAC technicians were women.
Now, that number is on the rise. Alice H. Parker and Margaret Ingel’s contributions paved the way for women to enter the HVAC workforce. With annual increases of women entering the trades, and more specifically HVAC, who knows what else their inventions could lead to?
About Barker Heating & Cooling
Top-notch customer service. Effective work. Open communication. These are just some of the things that set Barker Heating & Cooling apart from their competitors. HVAC systems are the only thing they do - and they are good at it. Interested parties can call them today to get expert HVAC service.
