Tag: women

How Women Have Helped Shape the Heating and Cooling Industry

Women in the HVAC Field

From the innovations of early female inventors to the prominent women working in HVAC today, it is impossible to deny that women have influenced the heating and cooling industry. In honor of Women’s History Month, read on to learn more about how pioneering ladies revolutionized heating and cooling systems and explore women's presence in the HVAC field today. 

Women in HVAC Today

With early pioneers in the industry, one would think that women would be better represented in today’s HVAC industry. However, despite the achievements of women in the field of heating and cooling at the turn of the last century, women today represent a small percentage of workers in the HVAC field. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 1.4% of HVAC technicians in the U.S. were female in 2018. However, the industry is expected to grow rapidly, opening the door for more women to pursue a career in it. There is also an organization that supports women in the HVAC field. Women in HVACR offer scholarships, mentorships, networking opportunities, and much more to help women succeed in this male-dominated field. 

Alice H. Parker 

alice One of the earliest female pioneers in the HVAC field was Alice H. Parker. Parker lived in New Jersey in the early 1900s, and the cold winters there inspired her famous patent. Hoping to find a better way to heat the home, she developed and patented a natural gas furnace with ductwork, an idea revolutionary for its time. 

Most homeowners at the time were heating their homes with wood or coal, but fireplaces could not effectively heat an entire home. Her design used principles still in use today, including natural gas as fuel for a furnace and using air ducts to evenly distribute the heat through a house. Her original designs were never put into production but influenced modern heating systems. 

Margaret Ingels 

margaret Margaret Ingels was the first female engineering graduate from the University of Kentucky and the second female engineering graduate in the U.S. She was a pioneering engineer whose innovations in air conditioning changed the field. Her developments included controlling humidity, temperature, ventilation, and other factors of indoor comfort. 

When working for the Carrier Corporation, she developed the psychrometric chart, which quantified the relationship between air temperature and humidity. This chart provided a more accurate understanding of the conditions necessary for comfortable indoor air quality, helping improve air conditioners. Ingels was a pioneer in air conditioning technology, and her innovations influenced modern air conditioners.

About Morrow Mechanical

Morrow Mechanical has more than 20 years of experience serving Spring, TX, and surrounding communities. They provide same-day service, honest pricing, and financing. Call them today for indoor air quality, air conditioning, and heating services in Spring, TX.

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Women In The Heating and Air Conditioning Industry

Women Pioneers of The HVAC Industry

In 1996 Sandra Garza was the only female in Chicago’s Coyne College HVAC program. Since then, women in various states have pursued this type of education for a secure career. Two of the most influential women in the business were taught before many of these programs even existed.

Women’s History: Then and Now

Women’s history month celebrates women in all fields, including the HVAC industry. Several women have contributed to this profession starting from the early ages of mechanical engineering.

Women in the HVAC profession today are continuing to improve the industry. Women know more about the industry than ever by including refrigeration in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning profession. Women in the HVACR industry now own their own companies and actively improve life for other women in the profession. 

Options for women in the profession are based on the same education and training provided for men, allowing women to become HVACR associates to assist technicians, technicians, or specialized technicians. An HVACR engineer oversees the entire installation in addition to performing audits.

Who was Alice Parker?

alice

Alice Parker, a female engineer and inventor changed heating forever. She grew up in the early 1900s without sufficient heat in the home. The family kept a fire during the cold winter nights, but it still left her fingers feeling numb in the morning. Since most homes were heated with wood or coal during this time, many people did not question the chill. Alice Parker did.

In 1919 Alice Parker earned a degree to become a female engineer. She immediately began focusing on heat. She patented her gas furnace, creating a safer method to use gas. It was the first to reach homes across the country. Many of these first-generation gas furnaces can be found in modern homes across the United States. 

Why Is Margaret Ingels Still An Inspiring Woman In The Field?

margaret Margaret Ingles has inspired countless women to receive a degree in Mechanical Engineering. She was the first woman in the United States to receive the degree in 1916. 

She spent most of her time studying air conditioning and the quality of air in labs. She then perfected a machine that could measure the amount of germ-infested dust through her research. 

By developing what is known as a sling psychrometer, she could effectively measure temperature. This led to the eventual development of modern air conditioning. Without Margaret Ingles, the HVAC industry would look very different today.

Although it was not easy being female in a male-dominated industry, she was able to pave the way for future women in the profession. Margaret Ingels worked with the Carrier-Lyle Corporation from 1931 until her retirement. In 1940 she was known as one of the 100 women in the United States to break into a “man’s profession.”

The legacy of Margaret Ingels continues to impact the lives of students. At the University of Kentucky, a dormitory is named after her for her engineering achievements. A Fellowship Fund is also named in her honor that helps students succeed.

About Morrow Mechanical

Morrow Mechanical has served Spring, TX, and the greater Houston area for over 20 years and provides same-day service and honest, upfront pricing. Call today for a professional heating and air conditioning technician in Spring, TX. 

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