HOW ALL GOT STARTED: THE HISTORY AND THE EVOLUTION OF THE TANKLESS WATER HEATER

 

The first commercially available storage-tank water heater was invented in 1889, and it was highly energy efficient because of its thick copper tank design—but that also made it expensive.

 

However, gas tankless water heater development wasn't that much farther behind.

 

Erwin Ruud invented the gas actuator valve in 1889, which led to the automatic or instantaneous gas water heater, as it was known then.

 

It wasn't until the early 1970s that the name "Tankless" was coined. It became most popular in Europe and Asia as a point-of-use gas and electric water heater. 

 

There were some early and highly inefficient experiments with them in the 1890s. In 1929, Stiebel-Elton invented the first electric tankless water heater, which made the system more readily available.

 

However, the gas-powered models were more efficient and were the ones people bought and used, which became more popular.

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Still, it was not until the 1970s that the technology of tankless water heaters was effective enough to make them a viable alternative to the standard water heater industry in America.

 

Efficiency started to increase, and Europe and Asia began adopting more space—and energy-saving systems.

 

This led to gas tankless water heaters significantly impacting the U.S. market in the mid-1990s. Now, they are a significant competitor along with electric heat pump water heaters, with more and more homes discovering their immense advantages.

 

If you want to know more about what a tankless water heater can do for your home and budget, simply call us for a free, no-obligation quote.

 

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Now Let's Go Through The Water Heater Timeline

In 298 AD–306 AD the Romans built large baths with heated water, while these were not individual water heaters, this was a first step towards water heating that we know about.

After many centuries, in 1868, Benjamin Waddy Maughan, an English painter, patented the first instantaneous water heater.

 

He invented the "Gas Geyser" instantaneous water heater; however, this water heater did not include a vent and was dangerous for daily use.

 

This gas-powered unit was the first to heat water as it entered the bathtub.

Later, in 1889, Edwin Rudd used Mr. Waddy Maughan's ideas and upgraded his water heater design to include additional safety features.

 

This was the first automatic storage tank-type gas water heater, which was a step forward toward the modern water heater.

In 1890, many different designs of water heaters, including electric and solar heaters, were invented around the turn of the century.

 

Solar water heating started gaining popularity around the turn of the century. Originally, there were batch heaters, now called internal collector and storage (ICS) units.

 

Back to tankless water heaters, not until the 1890's, all forms of water heating took place, this included both heated and stored the water.

 

Many types of gases provided another option. Kerosene, gasoline, and other gases have been used to heat water. Some gases, such as acetylene, could even be made on-site.

 

With the advent of high-energy liquid and gaseous fuels, instantaneous heating became possible. These fuels were much easier to regulate automatically than wood or coal.

 

Tankless water heaters are sometimes called in-line water heaters, as they only heat the water they need as it passes through the unit.

 

Therefore, energy is not wasted by heating extra water not used all day.

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Tankless water heaters, commonly used in Europe and much of Asia, use a series of tubes running through electric elements to heat only the amount of water needed for a particular purpose.

 

The first electric tankless water heater was invented by Stiebel-Eltron in 1929.

 

The bath heater was one of the first instantaneous types of water heater.

 

Many different brands and styles of tankless water heaters are available in today's market. Still, recent manufacturers have started to design high-efficiency condensing gas tankless units that use a smaller amount of fuel to produce the same amount or more hot water than traditional storage tanks or tankless water heaters of the past.

 

If you want high-efficiency water heating, review some of our newest tankless water heaters on this site. Click here to see and learn more about the quality brands water heater pros recommend and install.

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It's hard to imagine living without immediate access to hot water, but many people have in the past and even today throughout the world. Here are some more interesting facts about the history of water heaters.

 

• In 298 - 306 AD, the Romans had large baths facilitated with heated water. Although not considered real water heaters, many consider them pioneering work in water heating.

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• Benjamin Waddy Maughan, an English painter, patented the first water heater in 1868. It was the first residential water heater. It used natural gases to heat the water but didn't have a flue to vent gas vapors, making it unsafe for households.

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• Waddy Maughan inspired Edmund Rudd. He advanced the design by adding safety features, which was the initial step toward the invention of the modern water heater.

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• In 1896, Clarence Kemp took things one step further with his solar-paneled heating. His invention used solar panels to heat water, a popular choice in sunny regions worldwide.

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• The modern tankless water heater made its debut in 1970.

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• 1990 is considered the golden period for water heater inventions. Many people advanced the design in the 1990s. It was also when the heated circulation system came about, providing pre-heated water circulated throughout your home or business on demand.