The Joys of In-Line Water Heaters

In Japan many homes or apartments were built in eras before the demand for hot water was met by centralized water heaters. Especially in areas with predominantly warm climates, many building that aren’t even particularly old lack what many Americans might consider this very basic feature.

I am currently living on one of those apartments, and I can say that having been here for over a month, this has not been a problem. In fact, the small in-line water heaters that serve both the shower/bath and kitchen have been an improvement over what I am used to in the United States.

Like my water heater at home, the in-line water heaters here are gas-powered. However, the similarity stops there. The small unit rests on the wall adjacent the sink, with its own temperature control and faucet head, waiting for use. It does not burn gas throughout the day keeping large amount of water warm, but rather kicks on with the press of a button for instantly hot water. No more waiting while 60 seconds of cold water runs through the pipes, and no more leaving hot water in the pipes of your house just to have it cool off later.

While I realize there are in-line water heaters in the US, they’d always gotten the short end of the stick in reviews from friends, but now I am a lot closer to considering an inline install whenever I move back home.

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