In the United States, any modern home is expected to offer heating and air conditioning. According to Forbes, the percentage of homes with air conditioning is about 90%. It’s made life a lot more bearable for many people — but it also begs the question of why heating and air conditioning are so important. Read on to learn about how these appliances have made themselves a necessity.

Air Conditioners

According to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the first air conditioner was made in 1902, a year before Wilbur and Orville Wright took flight. The units were made by Willis Haviland Carrier, and they changed how people stayed cool in their homes during brutally hot summer months. They also helped save a lot of lives.

In the past, when oppressively hot heat waves would scorch cities, people would have to do their best to keep both the young and very old in shaded areas. These two groups are very susceptible to heatstroke, which can be fatal. There are several reasons why senior citizens are at more risk. They sweat less and they may also take medication that reduces their ability to regulate their core temperature.

Heating

While air conditioning is important, one can't forget heating. For the other half of the year, we're trying to stay warm during the numbingly cold days of winter. The temperatures drop sharply for weeks at a time. There could even be times when an unprotected person could succumb to the cold in a matter of minutes. Even when bundling up, the cold is no joke. That's where heating comes in.

The same groups of people who are at risk when it's hot are also in danger during the freezing cold. Babies lose their heat rapidly due to the surface size of their bodies. According to the Centers For Disease Control, babies also can't shiver, which is why they shouldn't be left in a cold room.

Senior citizens are also at a higher risk of things like hypothermia, which is when their body temperature drops too low when it gets cold. They may have issues with circulation, which is also very dangerous since they might not be able to tell how cold they actually are. Unfortunately, some may have memory issues, too, which could result in them forgetting to dress appropriately.

This is where heating comes in as a literal lifesaver. There are heating systems out there that can make a room toasty and warm within minutes. It's a much better way of keeping your home warm rather than depending on fireplaces or other methods of burning wood. They are also much safer than things like space heaters, which can wind up being a fire risk if not properly monitored. A heating system can help both young and old survive those frigid winter days and nights.

As you can see, heating and air conditioning are far from being luxuries for a lot of people. The lack of either could be a matter of life or death for them. That's why there are often cooling centers, like libraries, for children and senior citizens, that open during the hottest times of the day. Then those susceptible groups will be able to go home when things are cooler.

Fortunately, technology has improved a lot in the HVAC field. People will be able to buy appliances that can both keep them warm and cool while also saving them money on their energy bill, thanks to their energy-saving features that can regulate when they run at higher capacity.

There have been a lot of things invented and discovered that have not only made things easier for people but also saved lives. While some may point to all the millennia that civilizations lived without true heating or air conditioning, it also means that a lot of people may not have had the chance to live as long as they possibly could have. That makes them life-saving and they will only help more people in the future.

Do you want to make sure that the heating and air conditioning units you own are working at their best capacities? Here at Centerline Services LLC, we do HVAC work, along with other electrical contracting. We're licensed, bonded, and have more than 20 years of experience. Contact us today to learn more and to get a free estimate.