Meet the Women Who Shaped the World of Heating and Cooling
March is Women's History Month, and one of the best ways to celebrate is by learning more about the women who have broken through barriers and helped change the world for the better. People often focus on the famous female activists, authors, athletes, and entrepreneurs who have left their marks on the world. But female engineers, inventors, and tradespeople have also had a profound impact on equality, progress, and technological advancements. In no field is this more true than HVAC. Keep reading to learn about the female pioneers in the HVAC industry, both past, and present.
Women In Today's Heating and AC Industry
Today, less than 2% of HVAC technicians in America are women. While that certainly seems like quite the imbalance, it's worth noting that that figure was only 0.6% a little over a decade ago. In other words, more and more women are entering the HVAC trade. To combat labor shortages, many companies and organizations such as the non-profit group Women In HVACR are actively recruiting women for positions in the trade, offering scholarships, mentorship programs, and other incentives.
Another encouraging thing to keep in mind is that technicians are only one piece of the pie - more women today are also taking on careers in other vital positions in the HVAC industry, such as customer service, sales, and management. The number of woman-owned HVAC businesses is also rising as more women work their way up through the ranks.
Alice H. Parker and Her Innovative Home Heating System
Alice H. Parker was a Black female inventor who was granted a patent in 1919 for her gas furnace design. While hers was not the first furnace to use natural gas as fuel, it was certainly unique. It involved several individually-controlled burners and air ducts - a huge step forward in central heating technology and a direct precursor to today's "zone heating" systems.
Unfortunately, not much is known about Parker's personal life except that she passed away in 1920. Although her groundbreaking invention did not see mass production, it served as the inspiration and building block for modern heating systems. And Parker herself remains an important figure in women's history has changed the world of home heating - before women even had the right to vote.
Margaret Ingels and Modern Air Conditioning
After graduation, Ingels became the first woman to gain a professional degree in Mechanical Engineer. She then went on to work for the biggest name in HVAC at the time, the Carrier Engineering Corporation. Ingels published 45 technical papers in numerous journals during her years of research and development and made significant advancements in air quality, humidity sensing technology, and many other areas.
As an accomplished woman engineer, Ingels also became a spokeswoman for the industry, giving over 200 speeches to thousands of young people. Though she passed away in 1971, Ingels remains an inspiration to young women in the engineering and HVAC fields.
About 360 Air Tech
360 Air Tech has been serving the Williamsburg community with pride for years. Their punctual and courteous technicians are fully licensed, insured, background-checked, and drug tested for every customer's safety and peace of mind. With their countless 5-star reviews, rewarding membership program, and 100% satisfaction guarantee, there's no one better to call for AC services in Williamsburg, VA!
