The high-efficiency water heater revolution is here and utilizing innovation and its expertise, A. O. Smith has set the new standard with its launch of four new high-efficiency residential water heater products.   

The company’s newest products include the:  

·  A. O. Smith Effex™ - High Efficiency Gas Water Heater -  the most efficient and advanced conventional vent gas water heater on the market 

·  A. O. Smith Voltex™ - Hybrid Electric Heat Pump Water Heater- the most advanced technology in electric water heating 

·  A. O. Smith NEXT™  Hybrid High Efficiency Gas Water Heater – a whole new category in water heating 

·  A. O. Smith Cirrex™ - Solar Thermal Water Heating System – the ultimate solar solution 

Effex™ high efficiency gas water heater.  This gas water heater is the highest efficiency standard gas model on the market.   Its patented air intake system turbo charges the combustion process to produce the highest efficiency possible for a standard atmospheric water heater.  This efficiency translates to as much as a 25 percent savings in water heating costs.  

The Effex is Energy Star ® qualified with a .70 Energy Factor (EF).  Many state and local agencies offer significant rebates for high-efficiency Energy Star products.

A. O. Smith designed this water heater for the customer who is looking for energy efficiency with ease of installation.  The EFFEX installs with the same gas, water and venting connections as a standard model. 

A. O. Smith Voltex™ Hybrid Electric heat pump water heater.  The Voltex is an integrated system that uses heat pump technology to provide a more efficient way to heat water with electricity.  It absorbs environmental heat and transfers it to heat the water, at the same time cooling and dehumidifying the ambient air.  This water heater is over twice as efficient as a standard electric water heater, and it is easy to install. 

A. O. Smith designed the Voltex to dramatically decrease the cost of operation.  When it comes to a hybrid electric water heater, the bigger the storage tank, the bigger the savings.  The Voltex has an 80-gallon capacity, the biggest available.  This means more energy created through the heat pump technology can be stored, resulting in larger savings. 

The Voltex has a 2.3 EF rating (compared to an average .93-93 EF rating of a standard electric model) and can cut annual operating costs by more than half.  The DOE Energy Guide, a standard set of industry efficiency tests, estimates the annual operating cost for a VOLTEX unit is $203 annually compared with up to $575 for a conventional electric model.  It is the only type of electric water heater that is Energy Star rated. 

A. O. Smith NEXT™ Hybrid High Efficiency Gas Water Heater.  The NEXT Hybrid is a completely new category in water heating.  A. O. Smith designed this high-efficiency gas water heater to improve upon tankless technology.  Conventional water heaters perform well with simultaneous demands because of their stored hot water, but at times run out of hot water during continuous long draws.  Tankless technology performs well with long draws at steady flow rates but struggles with simultaneous demand from multiple fixtures.  The NEXT Hybrid combines the advantages of both of these technologies.  It is built for the way people actually live and use hot water.  It performs like a tankless and can also handle high hot water demand periods.    

The NEXT Hybrid offers 90 percent thermal efficiency, has interactive controls with multiple lifestyle modes and is simple to install. 

Cirrex™ Solar Water Heating System.  The Cirrex is more than just a solar water heater—it is the ultimate solar thermal solution for every green lifestyle enthusiast.  It utilizes energy from the sun to provide hot water.  The solar heating system is composed of solar thermal collectors (panels) fastened to a roof facing the sun.  The panels heat up a heat transfer fluid, which is pumped to a heat exchanger to transfer the energy to the water in the storage tank. 

This system has a 2.5SEF (Solar Energy Factor) rating and a properly sized solar water heating system can provide up to 70 percent of the energy needed for heating water directly from the sun. 

With the launch of these new products, the bottom line is:  A. O. Smith now has a high-efficiency water heater in every category. 

For more information regarding these products.