The Ancient Romans used geothermal energy from underground magma to heat water in springs and baths. They were not the first to heat water, however.The Minoans are the earliest known civilization to have underground plumbing, flushing toilets and heated water. They did it 1500 years before the Romans and more than 3500 years before the plumbers at Boerne Joe' Plumbing.

Over the centuries other methods of water heating were used, including solar heating and solid fuel combustion. In 1868 a painter named Benjamin Maughan invented the first instantaneous domestic water heater that didn't use solid fuel. His "geyser", as it was called, used a burner to heat gases that passed through wires in the tank that then heated the water.

Inspired by Maughan's invention, a Norwegian mechanical engineer named Edwin Ruud invented an automatic, storage tank-type gas water heater in 1889. The Ruud Manufacturing Company is still in operation today also known as Rheem. In modern water heating there are three basic kinds of water heaters: energy-efficient boilers, storage tank-type water heaters, and tankless water heaters. Water softeners are sometimes employed in conjunction with the water heater system, especially where the water has a high content of calcium and magnesium. Boilers can be used to produce hot water and steam, and are usually used in manufacturing or commercial facilities. There are efficient boiler systems in use for home water heating, but these are not common in North America.

The most popular type of water heater in North America and Boerne TX is the storage tank-type water heater. These consist of a tank that ranges in size from 20 to 100 gallons. The water in the tank gets heated to a desired temperature and then stores the water in the tank for later use. This system has the advantage of requiring a small amount of energy at a time, and the hot water is always ready for use. The downside is that the water can cool while it sits in the tank, forcing the water to be reheated again. Another disadvantage is that, once the tank is emptied of hot water it takes a long time to get more.

More homeowners in the Boerne, Fair Oaks Ranch, and Leon Springs TX area are replacing their tank-type water heaters with the newer, more efficient tankless and hybrid water heaters. Hybrid water heater systems are definitely the future of water heating.