It comes as no surprise that heated water has been essential to human life since the beginning of time. But, when was the first water heater invented? How did it become the heater that you have in your home today?

The Invention

In 1868, English painter Benjamin Waddy Maughan came up with the idea to heat up cold water in pipes with Bunsen burners. Although he was on the right path, this was a very dangerous method to heating water.

Inspired by Maughan's ideas, Norwegian mechanical engineer Edwin Ruud designed the first automatic gas water heater in 1889. Thus, the official design and concept of the water heater was born.