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The water heater is an invention many take for granted. This piece of comfort-inducing technology is an important part of daily life, yet many never take the time to consider its beginnings. To explain the origins of the water heater, the team from Powell Plumbing & Pumps shares a brief oversight of its history.

It’s believed that the ancient Romans used a primitive form of water heaters. The first consistent supply of heated water came sometime around 300 AD when Romans had large, heated tubs. Rather than heat the water before distributing it, the Romans warmed their tubs with a furnace under the floor. The invention of the modern water heater did not happen until the late 1800’s in England.

hot water heaterBenjamin Waddy Maughan, a painter, patented the first water heater in 1868. The first version used natural gas like many do today, but it did not have the correct ventilation or a flue, making it unsafe for home use. About twenty years after the initial (but unsafe) version of these heaters, a new model was updated to have the correct ventilation and safety features to bring them into residential spaces.

In the 1990s, water heaters were regular fixtures in homes, and alternate designs took advantage of electricity, gas and solar power.

Today, the water heater exists in just about every home. Our seemingly instant hot water is quite advanced compared to the fire and coals the Romans used nearly two thousand years ago.

If your water heater needs an update, service or repairs to feel modern,  the Wisconsin Rapids, WI, plumbing team from Powell Plumbing & Pumps will help you out. They have experience in everything, from new plumbing installation to sewage pump repair. Call them at (715) 325-2050 or visit them online to see their full selection of services.

 

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