Benefits Of A.O. Smith Water Heaters

A.O. Smith has been an industry leader for over 80 years.  They invented glass-lined water heaters way back in 1936, and that technology remains the best at blocking tank corrosion. With continued innovation they’ve become one of the largest manufacturers of quality residential and commercial water heaters, with a wide selection of gas & propane, electric, and tankless water heaters.

Their Leadership

A.O. Smith is highly-rated as best premium brand.  Whether for home or business their hot water heaters are well known for high efficiency and long lifetimes.  Many models are Energy Star (R) certified with advanced features such as modulating combustion and helical coil heat exchangers.  Various models also include features such as advanced corrosion-protection anodes and internal water jets that reduce scale build up.  And all incorporate quality materials and design details that make water heater installation easier and faster.

Their Water Heating Product Lines

Some of A. O. Smith’s lines may have only one or two models, but most offer several different tank sizes and configurations.

Gas & Propane

All of their ProLine gas water heater products have fast recovery time so there’s a shorter wait for their storage tanks to heat back up.  All models are also low-NOx or ultra-lowNOx to minimize the emission of nitrogen oxides which are harmful to the environment.

Their Vertex series is the “pinnacle of efficiency.”  In particular the Vertex GPHE-50 is gas-fired yet achieves an outstanding 90% thermal efficiency.  With  that high efficiency and 76,000 BTU burner capacity its 50-gallon tank performs more like a 75-gallon one, and can provide a sustained 3 gpm (gallons-per-minute) flow of hot water.  That makes endless showers a temptationA.O. Smith’s recent high-performance introductions include the following lines.

  • Effx achieves high efficiency through a patented technology which pushes air into the combustion chamber, reducing energy consumption by to 25% and making it the most energy-efficient standard-vent design in the industry.
  • Hybrid achieves an amazing 90% thermal efficiency by combining tankless water heater technology with a small buffer tank.  The buffer is warmed by the tankless exhaust and also serves to meet peek demand.  Like many of the other lines and models this series meets the requirements for Energy Star products and is currently eligible for a federal tax credit $1.5 k or 30% of the total installed cost.
  • Cyclone MXI features a condensing heat exchanger to meet latest and most stringent standards for residential and commercial hot water heaters with tank sizes above 55 gallons.

Electric

The ProLine also includes electric water heaters with digital displays.  Other A.O. Smith electric series include Conservationist, Polaris, and the extra-fast recovery ProMax.

The recently introduced electric Vortex line uses hybrid heat pump technology for major savings in energy costs.  Home or business pay back periods (the time for operating cost savings to exceed increased initial costs) can be 3 years or less.  The Vortex line also qualifies for the same federal tax credits as the Hybrid line.

Tankless

A.O. Smith’s gas and electric tankless water heaters maximize conservation, saving water as well as energy.  By heating water as you use it there’s no heat losses from a big tank and you can get hot water almost instantly.  And never run out or have to wait for a tank to warm back up.

TIP:  As noted by Consumer Reports (https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/water-heaters/buying-guide/index.htm) hot water heating is typically 20% of the household energy budget.  So don’t be like most people and just replace a failed unit with something that’s more or less the same.  Seriously consider the benefits of high-efficiency makes and models.