HVAC

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. A common core of utilities most of us enjoy these days. I remember when heat was portable, and then it was permanent but not central to the building. In warmer climates space heating was accomplished by both means. In colder climates, space heating is central to a furnace.

Still much later, with heating well under control, space cooling was the problem. Window air conditioners were the thing, marveled at and considered a luxury. When installed during a wild whimsy of spending, the power bill became the focus. Air conditioning required a lot of electricity. Still does.

Over the years technology managed to extract more and more heat from smaller bits of fuel, whether natural gas, coal, or electricity. And then technology improved air conditioning’s use of electricity more and more. Still costly, HVAC allows us to be comfortable no matter the climate.

If you have allergies or respiratory problems, HVAC is used year-round. We do. AC is turned on around April 1 and turned off usually on November 1. Sounds ludicrous but keeping the air conditioned and filtered improves breathing immeasurably. Weather to us has become one of visual delight. We see the green trees and shrubs, lawns, too. We delight in wintry snow covers when fresh. We watch wind toss the landscape about from time to time. But we don’t go out except by car, and then we are protected. Enter the car in the in-door, connected garage, drive about in whatever weather, drive to garages and drive throughs, then return to our own garage. We might never have encountered the weather skin on skin. Protected every inch of the way.

During career days commuting involved a lot of walking in the weather, standing in the weather waiting for trains, and then the same on the other end. The return trip was the same. Four hours a day commuting. Five miles of walking including both ends of the commute. Weather was a central concern in those days. Clothing choice was important. Footwear, too. And time required to manage the challenge of weather.

Not these days. I sit at the computer and gaze out the window at weather. I sit behind the wheel of the car and gaze at the weather. I sleep at night and at times hear the weather. Rarely do I feel the weather.

In commuting days, I worried about our utility bills. One day we faced the question of whether we would move to a nicer climate or invest in the house to improve its energy efficiency. We chose the latter. We super insulated the house. We replaced windows. We caulked every known joint. And we carefully calibrated thermostats. We even added heating units to provide different energy zones. We mastered HVAC efficiency and remained in the cold, Illinois climate zone.

Now in retirement, we take energy efficiency for granted. HVAC has made life much more comfortable. Now I wonder if I will ever feel a snowball again!

October 18, 2024

 

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