The A.O. Smith GDHE-50 Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Gas Water Heater is a new type of water heater, which offers up to 96% efficiency and almost endless supplies of hot water. It is a gas condensing water heater, which starts out like a regular water heater with a burner under the tank but instead of exhausting straight up through the center of the tank the hot flue gases are captured and allowed to rise to the top of a coil where they are forced down through the spirals of the coil to the bottom where they are exhausted after virtually all the heat has been removed from the flue gases. Energy Star states the added surface area of the coil allows so much heat to transfer to the water a family of 4 could save $170 a year on their water heating costs or about 30% of their water heating costs. In addition to saving energy the gas condensing water heaters are very green. Energy Star says, “If just five percent of the gas water heaters sold each year were ENERGY STAR qualified gas condensing models, the U.S. would avoid wasting $25 million — and 17.2 million therms of energy — each year. In terms of greenhouse gas emissions, that’s equivalent to taking almost 17,000 cars off the road.”
This fall a unique opportunity exists where a series of Rebates, Grants, and Tax Credits are available to people who purchase Energy Star appliances such as water heaters for their homes. The funding for these programs is at unprecedented levels in an effort to stimulate the economy and bring more green energy saving technology into our lives to reduce our dependence of foreign energy and protect the environment. The A.O. Smith GDHE-50 Vertex 100 is eligible for rebates under the Appliance Stimulus Package of up to $200, Grants are also available of up to $6500 under the Weatherization Assistance Program to those who qualify, and Income Tax Credits of 30% of the cost of purchase and installation up to $1500 are also available. All these money programs are designed to make the cost of this energy saving, environmentally friendly technology within reach for most citizens even in these tough economic times. They are hoping the sales of the green technology will keep the companies and jobs they offer going, give a boost to the trades persons that install these new water heaters and give the homeowners additional money from saving on their energy costs. The programs are a win for everyone involved.
The A.O. Smith GDHE-50 Vertex 100 features a 50-gallon tank water heater with an output that exceeds regular gas atmospheric vent 75-gallon water heaters. The Vertex 100 has a 100,000 Btu burner, which in combination with the high efficiency can supply a seemingly endless supply of hot water at 4 gallons per minute. The Vertex 100 has a 1st hour of 164 gallons/621 liters of water and a recovery rate of 129 gallons/488 liters with a 90 degrees F/32.22 Degrees C Rise. The Vertex can be vented with up to 120’ of PVC, ABS, or CPVC pipe and can be concentric vented with and optional kit. The Vertex is equipped with a condensate drain tee, factory installed T&P valve, and has side mounted hot and cold recirculation taps, which allows hot water through recirculation loops for virtually any applications even radiant floor heating. The A.O. Smith GDHE-50 Vertex 100 has an electronic control panel with an LCD display that provides diagnostics and temperature control and the interior of the tank as well as the heat exchanger coil both inside and outside are coated with a glass lining to provide corrosion protection for the tank and heat exchanger in addition to the 2 anode rods. The burner on the A.O. Smith GDHE-50 Vertex 100 can be fired on natural gas or, propane and is a green burner complies with the ultra low NOx standards coming in 2012. The Vertex 100 comes with a 6-Year limited Tank and Parts Warranty.
If your gas water heater has failed or is very old you owe it to yourself to consider a new A.O. Smith GDHE-50 Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Gas Water Heater.
I contacted AO Smith and they said this model does NOT qualify for the Appliance Stimulus because that program requires a minimum Energy Factor. They said EF ratings are not given for models higher than 76K BTU so this one at 100K does not have a rated EF.
It will, however qualify for the 30% Tax Credit w/ max $1,500 which is done by either High EF (>= 0.82) OR Efficiency greater than or equal to 90%
Hi Andrew,
Did they state it was just not qualifying in your states program or, all state programs?
Each states program has requirements imposed by the individual states.
Redwood
Hi Redwood,
You’re right, each state’s requirements could be different. They said it would not qualify for any program requiring a minimum Energy Factor.
-Andrew
Answer:Program inputs and CEC rules state that thermal efficiency rating
is Expressed as a fractional vaule (0.96 instead of 96%)
Want to replace two water heaters with this one unit, but the closet that I am going to place it in is close to family room…will the noise from the power vent be a problem?
Hi Ron,
It’s hard to say whether noise will be a problem for you with this unit. I haven’t seen a noise measurement number for the unit so I can’t give you a noise level for it. The unit does make noise mostly from the fan and ignition of the burner. The noise level bothering you is also subject to the construction of your home and how much of the noise gets past the closet. Gas water heaters require adequate air for combustion so you will not be able to seal the closet space keeping the noise contained unless you select a “Direct Vent” model which brings in outside air for combustion via a pipe to the outside, otherwise the closet will have to have vents in the wall or door allowing air circulation, which will allow noise to escape. One other thing to consider with the closet installation is the distance requirements for space between the water heater and combustibles which must be followed. The owner’s manual can be downloaded from AO Smith’s website showing venting and space requirements.
Redwood
Lots of noise coming from the top hot recirculating. I have a pump and before that I have a check valve happens when I use lot of hot water to fill big tub.
Hi Brian,
I’m not sure where the noise is coming from with the information you have posted.
Is it noise from the unit running, noise from the check valve or, noise from the recirculation system?
I guess you’d have to be onsite troubleshooting to go further.
Redwood