Heat, Air and Light: Machines to serve humankind

Heat A. Radiant and hot air systems. 1. Benjamin Franklin's stove a. Uses fire to heat air directly. b. With a normal fire "man is scorch'd before while he's froze behind." c. Concern over the quality of American heating: "a terrible grievance to persons not accustomed to it, and a fatal misfortune to those who are." B. Steam/hot water systems 1. Uses water or steam as an intermediary between the fire and the space heated. a. Directly related to using steam as a propellant and for its other properties. b factory heated with exhaust steam in Middletown CN. c. Hot water heating systems are not found before the 1880s.

Frank E. Kidder, et al. The Architect's and Builders' Handbook, Page 1311.

Air Conditioning 1. Conditioned air was an important ingredient in modern buildings. 2. Manufacturing processes were early conditions that needed air conditioning. 3. The Stock Market was air conditioned in The earliest convenience air conditioning came with the Motion Picture theatres of the 1920s. 5. Residences are not air conditioned until World War II. 6. Willis Haviland Carrier was the first engineer to efficiently solve the problems of humidity and temperature.Willis Haviland Carrier

Gas/Electricity Artificial Lighting 1. Beyond the development of kerosene and oil lamps the first architectural construction for lighting were gas lighting systems. First installed in Baltimore in a. "Light came from the incandescent particles of unburned carbon, so the greater the flame the brighter the light." b. Early systems suffered from moisture present in the gas, especially with traces of ammonia that corroded the brass tips. In 1858 the stetite (stone) tip was developed which eliminated this difficulty. c. The ceiling fixture was the most successful use of gas lighting. d. Almost only found in cities, and most often in commercial buildings. 1. wrought iron pipes for delivery, cast iron mains. 2. first gas meter for measuring charge was invented in 1816.

Electricity Generators supply power to buildings until the 1880s when local communities create steam powered or coal fired electric dynamos. 1. The supply of heat and light without fire. 2. Libraries were early customers of electric light. 3. Rural electrification is very late, usually post World War I. Rural Electrical Authority sought to bring electric power to rural areas by subsidizing construction Wiring systemsWiring systems change over time. a. Knob and tube. b. Insulated wire systems.

Telephone A. The telephone begins as a replacement for the telegraph. 1. First exchange was in New Haven, CT in 1878, 21 phones to switchboard. 2. By 1887, 150,000 subscribers across UStelephone B. Telegraph began in 1845, but not a homebased infrastructure.

Plumbing A. Early use of wells and cisterns. 1. By Civil War most cities are supplying water to homes. Also provided water for fire fighting municipal water works, 1880, Awaited the development of inexpensive metal pipe. B. Thomas Crapper and the toilet. Early problems of trapped gas. C. Until 1910 most plumbing left exposed to show the engineering in the home. D. Built in systems are part of the cult of household technology demanded clean white surfaces that would lead to healthy families.Thomas Crapper