Amazing and Spectacular Women Who Changed the World of Heating and Cooling
The heating and cooling industry is mainly male-dominated, but this is significantly changing the more women find interest in engineering and the trades. HVAC is a tough job, but some women understand and are willing to work these jobs and contribute!
As early as 100 years ago, various women were making large strides and inventions that benefit homeowners today. Two wildly popular names are Margaret Ingels and Alice H. Parker. These women were not afraid to show off their intelligence and became female engineers with patents.
The Heating and Cooling Industry Today
Sadly, only about 43% of women in the world are employed. Out of this already small percentage, only a small percentage works in the trades, specifically HVAC. Out of all the people who work in HVAC, about 9% are female. This means that less than 1/10 of all HVAC technicians are women.
Although the percentages are small, it may surprise homeowners to know that the numbers are changing with each year and rising. Various organizations and associations encourage women to go into these fields and provide them with much-needed support! Comparing HVAC over one hundred years, more women are actively taking a role in the industry as engineers or technicians.
Alice H. Parker and her Gas Furnace
Alice H. Parker is a remarkable woman who rose above adversity and changed the HVAC industry forever. This woman inventor was not only a woman but also an African American woman who struggled to get support and equality.When neither African Americans nor women were widely respected, she became a female inventor and created an invention everyone could use safely in their own home. The gas furnace was patented and almost immediately produced safely for homes.
Her design offered a duct that let warm air escape outside instead of in the home. Instead of using extremely flammable objects like wood and coal, her design used gas. At this point, gas was less expensive than wood and coal, which made it easier to purchase for low-income families.
Meet Margaret Ingels: Super Engineer
Another super engineer is Margaret Ingels, born in the late 1800s when women were first accepted into the workplace, but only as help during times of war. She excelled in science and inventions as a young girl and first became interested before her teen years.
Her curiosity for science and inventions did not stop as a kid, as she went on to study engineering at the University of Kentucky. Quickly, she was accepted to a lab where she worked on creating heating and cooling systems that were safe, energy-efficient, and produced good air quality.
Margaret Ingels is a name that many people do not know, which is sad as she is a spectacular woman inventor who created the machine to measure moisture in the air.
About Jerry Brittingham A/C & Heat, Inc.
Jerry Brittingham A/C & Heat, Inc. has been serving Daytona Beach, FL, since 2002. They provide homeowners with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, no diagnostic fees, and licensed, knowledgeable technicians. Call them today for heating or cooling services in South Daytona, FL.
