AO Smith Pro Max Direct Vent Water Heater

You may recognize the name AO Smith from boilers or maybe motors but they are most recognized for are water heaters. They have an extensive line of water heaters; one of their premier models is the ProMax Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater. The direct vent design features a single pipe with a two channel closed combustion system. The air comes from the outside rather than the inside.

The outside air works best with the direct vent system because the outside air won’t have the same problems that indoor air does. The best part of the direct vent system is that the air intake is a horizontal intake design. The installation works on all models that are up to 80 inches from the outside wall and there is no electrical use at all. You will save money on that feature right away. The ProMax Direct Vent Water Heater has 4 different models, the gallon capacity ranges from 40 to 75 gallons. The ProMax is a high efficiency water heater that is called the Green Choice Gas Burner.

It is designed with AO Smith’s patented eco-friendly design that includes a reduction up to 33% in NOx emissions. Some other features that contribute to the energy efficient water heater are the Heat Trap Nipples, these nipples come factory installed and they are designed to keep all water in the system as well as protect against any heat loss.

The ProMax System is equipped with a Push Button Piezo Igniter. Unlike other water heater systems that can be annoying to light, the ProMax makes the lighting of the pilot quick and easy. The Push Button system is easy, simply push the button and it will spark up the boiler. No other boiler can make it any easier than that. The AO Smith ProMax is coated with their own coating called Permaglas, not only does this help seal the water heater but it is rust and corrosion proof, thereby prolonging the life of the water heater. The water heater has the company’s DYNACLEAN Diffuser Tip, this works to help stop the amount of sediment that may build up on the water heater over a period of time. Plus it works to help maximize the hot water output.

Before buying this or any water heater, you should read the requirements for installation. Here are just a few of these requirements for the ProMax water heater. You must have a maximum horizontal vent distance of 80 inches from the outside of the exterior wall. You must have at least 30″ of room in order to install the unit. AO Smith recommends a height installation for the heater vent pipe to be 68 inches for the 40-gallon models and 76 inches for the 50 gallon and 75 gallon models. You can read all about the requirements and all other information on the AO Smith website. Do as much research as you can on any water heater that you are thinking of buying. It will be a huge investment and you want to get the most for your money.