History of Tankless | Tankless Pros Az | Phoenix, Az

History of Tankless

Water Heater Pros in Sacramento, California Early 1900's water heaters on display

A BRIEF HISTORY OF TANKLESS

The history of tankless water heaters can be traced back to 1889 when the first commercially available storage tank water heater was invented. This heater was made of thick copper, making it energy-efficient and expensive. The same year, Erwin Ruud invented the gas actuator valve, which led to the development of the automatic gas water heater (known today as the gas tankless water heater).

In 1929, the Stiebel-Elton Company invented the first electric tankless water heater, which made the system more widely available. However, gas-powered models were more efficient and became more popular. The technology wasn't compelling enough to be a realistic alternative to standard water heaters until the 1970s when energy conservation became a global topic. As efficiencies increased, Europeans began to adopt tankless systems more and more, and they eventually significantly impacted the U.S. market in the 1990s.

Today, tankless water heaters offer many benefits, including an endless hot water supply, potential space savings, and longer lifespans. Some models even come with built-in recirculation pumps that save water and reduce wait times for hot water. With many manufacturers offering WIFI compatibility, homeowners can now monitor and manage usage from their mobile devices, making tankless water heaters a convenient and efficient choice.

HOW THE TANKLESS WATER HEATER EVOLVED

Instantaneous water heater development quickly caught on. In the 1890s, some early and highly inefficient experiments with them were conducted. In 1929, Stiebel-Elton invented the first electric instantaneous water heater, making the system more readily available. However, the gas-powered models became more efficient and popular in larger cities.

Instantaneous water heater technology was not effective enough until the 1970s to make it viable as an alternative to the standard water heater industry. Efficiency started to increase, and Europe and Asia began to adopt more of these space—and energy-saving systems. In 1974, the reference "Tankless" was used, and "automatic" or "instantaneous" references were dropped.

In the early 1990s, gas tankless water heaters significantly impacted the U.S. market. Now, they are a substantial 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, give us a call for a free in-home no-obligation quote at 602-833-1533

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 the first step towards the water heating 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 took us one step forward to the modern water heater, the first automatic storage tank-type gas water heater.

In 1890, many different designs of water heaters were invented around the turn of the century, including electric and solar water heaters. Solar water heating started catching on around the turn of the century. Initially, there were batch heaters, now called internal collector and storage (ICS) units.

Back to tankless water heaters, not until the 1890s all forms of water heating took place; this includes both heating and storing 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. Sometimes tankless water heaters are called an in-line water heater, as it only heats the water it needs as it passes through the unit, and therefore energy is not wasted by heating extra water all day that is not being used.

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, invented by Stiebel-Eltron in 1929, was used as a bath heater, one of the first instantaneous electric water heater types.

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 are interested in high-efficiency water heating, you can review some of our newest tankless water heaters on this site; click here to learn more about the quality brands Tankless Pros Az recommends and installs.

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

Bet You Didn't Know?

The Instantaneous (Tankless) Was The First Water Heater,

Edwin Ruud's proof of patent, as shown, was dated Dec. 30, 1890

This is a typical early 1900s instantaneous water heater sometimes referred to as an

"Automatic" water heater: this type of water heater worked very well and lasted a long time, Edwin Ruud, while working for George Westinghouse as an apprentice, invented and patented the actuator gas valve, this

made the water heater possible.

The Ruud actuator valve

Edwin Ruud Biography

Early life

Edwin Ruud was born in the parish of Askim in Østfold, Norway. He was educated in engineering at the Horten Technical School (Horten tekniske skole) in Vestfold, Norway.

The Fuel Gas And Manufacturing Company

In the 1880s, Ruud began working for George Westinghouse at the Fuel Gas and Manufacturing Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Eight years after filing his first US patent, Ruud filed the first of five patents he would assign to Westinghouse's Fuel Gas and Manufacturing company.

In 1889, Ruud engineered a design for an automatic storage tank-type gas water heater that used a bottom gas heater and temperature-controlled gas valve. He later patented the plan on December 30, 1890. In October 1890, he expanded on his first water heater design under the Fuel Gas and Manufacturing Company.

Ruud Manufacturing Company

On January 22, 1897, Ruud filed a patent separate from the Fuel Gas and Manufacturing Company for an Automatic Water Heater. His new design consisted of a cast-iron shell enclosing burners, heating surfaces (a coil of copper tubing through which water flows), and thermostat-controlled gas valves. The object of the design improvement was "to maintain the supply of water at the desired temperature at all times."

With this new design, Ruud left the Fuel Gas and Manufacturing Company to start Ruud Manufacturing, his own engineering and manufacturing shop. There, he began manufacturing and popularizing in-home, commercial, and industrial water heaters. Ruud was issued his patent for the copper coiled tube Automatic Water Heater on September 6, 1898.

A 1915 diagram showing the innards of a Ruud instantaneous water heater

Ruud's business expanded as he popularized and improved his instant water heater design.

In 1908, Ruud Manufacturing acquired two local heating and plumbing firms. James Hay of the James Hay Company, a heating and plumbing engineer, closed his business to operate as president of the Ruud Manufacturing Company in 1908. and J.H. Folsom of Folsom-Webster Co., a heating and plumbing contracting firm, dissolved his partnership in Folsom-Webster Company in 1908 to serve as chief of the Cincinnati branch of the Ruud Manufacturing Company.

By 1915, the Ruud Manufacturing Company had offices in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Kalamazoo, Michigan; Toronto, Canada; and Hamburg, Germany.

The Ruud Instantaneous Automatic Water Heater

A Ruud Type F Size NO3 instantaneous and automatic water heaters from 1906

Thermal Valve and Model Type F heaters were manufactured in four residential sizes, reflecting their output in gallons per minute: 3, 4, 6, and 8. The Ruud Instantaneous Automatic Water Heater's Thermal Valve Model, Type F, design allows the user to heat water for on-demand applications without heating instantaneously, thus saving fuel when not in use.

The Type F was able to use LP gas, natural gas, and gasoline, requiring only a change of burner spud orifices, and was manufactured in two variations, the "Standard Pressure Heaters," designed to operate in conditions where pressure was at least twenty-five pounds per square inch (1.7 bar), and "Low-Pressure Heaters," where operational water pressure could be as low as four pounds per square inch (0.3 bar). In 1915, approximately one hundred thousand Type F was installed throughout The United States and Canada.

Ruud Heating and Air Conditioning Equipment

Edwin Ruud died in 1932, and his widow, Minna Kaufmann Ruud, died in 1953. In 1959, the water heater arm of the Ruud Manufacturing Company was purchased by Rheem Manufacturing Company and has continued to operate as a division of Rheem until the present.

Awards

1904 - Louisiana Purchase Exposition (St. Louis World's Fair) Gold Medal for his automatic water heater.
1905- Franklin Institute presented him with the Edward Longstreth Medal of Merit for the Ruud Instantaneous Automatic Water Heater.
1927 - Honorary doctorate at the University of Pittsburgh
1929 - Appointed Knight of the Order of St Olav

Patents

Balanced Slid-Valve: July 4, 1882 - US260612
Stuffing Box: August 5, 1890 - US433824
Water Heater: December 30, 1890 - US443797
Fluid Meter: May 5, 1891 - US451881
Water Heater: September 29, 1891 - US460513
Automatic Steam Regulator for Gas Producers: September 6, 1892 - US482320
Automatic Water-Heater: September 6, 1898 - US610281
Automatic Cut-off For Gas-Service Pipes: September 10, 1901 - US682345
Storage Water-Heater: May 14, 1907 - US853738
Thermostatic-Valve-Operating Mechanism: December 31, 1907 - US875217
Automatic Temperature Control for Self-heating Flat Irons: September 30, 1913 - US1074467
Water Valve for Instantaneous Water Heaters: February 26, 1918 - US1257932
Fluid-Mixing Apparatus: April 6, 1920 - USRE14836