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50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (Nat Gas)

SKU:GDHE-50-NG

Brand: AO Smith

50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (Nat Gas)
Qty	Price
	$2,066.95 / each

In Stock! Ships in 24-48 Hours

22 Available

Specs

Product Specs
Intended Household:	3-4 Person
Application:	Plumbing
Fuel Type:	Natural Gas (NG)
Capacity:	50 Gallon
BTU Input:	100000
Efficiency: ? Efficiency close Efficiency refers to how much waste a process creates. Higher efficiency produces less waste.	96%
Vent Size:	2"
Vent Type:	PVC
Water Connection:	3/4"
Gas Connection:	1/2"
Height:	68-1/2"
Diameter: ? Diameter close Diameter is a measure from one side of a circle straight through to the other.	22"
1st Hour Delivery (Gallons):	164
Recovery 90°F Rise:	129 gal/hr
Weight:	255 lbs
Voltage: ? Voltage close Voltage, or volts, is a measurement of the difference between two electric fields (in heating terms, the difference between the Earth's electrical field and the electricity running through your wires).	120v
Max PSI: ? Max PSI close Max PSI is the maximum amount of pressure per square inch that can be tolerated.	150 psi
Max Pressure:	14" W.C.
	8" W.C. (Propane)
Warranty:	6 yr Tank/6 yr Parts Limited

Description for AO Smith GDHE-50-NG

The more hot water you need, the more you need a Vertex water heater!

Through an inspired blend of innovation, efficiency, and years of industry expertise, the Vertex power direct-vent gas water heater takes high-demand homes to the pinnacle of hot water availability. With its fully-condensing design, Vertex delivers "continuous hot water" - shower after shower, hour after hour, with 96% thermal efficiency. Plus, it's easy to install, with dimensions and installation requirements comparable to standard power direct-vent units.

Features:

Power direct-vent
Continuous hot water means homeowners will always get "one more hot shower"
An advanced internal heat exchanger with 100,000 BTU input, inspired by the time-tested Cyclone commercial design
96% thermal efficiency
Includes side taps for simple installation in combined appliance applications
Vents with single or dual PVC pipe
Advanced electronic controls including large LCD display, precise temperature control, and advanced diagnostics
Complies with SCAQMD Rule 1121 and other air quality management districts with similar requirements
6-year parts limited manufacturer warranty

NOTE: May require the use of a lift gate. Please note the product weighs 255 lbs

50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (Nat Gas)

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AO Smith50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (Nat Gas)

4.9

(based on 50 reviews)

100%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Reviewed by 50 customers

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Displaying reviews 1-10

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5/2/2012

5.0

I love it

By JD

from Alberta Canada

Comments about 50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (Nat Gas):

Well let me start by saying that ordering from Pex supply is easier than ordering a pizza, only 7 days shipping to western Canada,and they brought it right to my back stairs. The unit is heavy, it took me and my 14 year old son to get it into the basement(good thing he is bigger than me).I had a pro install it with my help, it took quite a while,not because its difficult to install its just that I moved the location, and we had to move and renovate water and gas lines, otherwise its not overly complicated.It heated the initial cold February Canadian water to 120 in about 12 min. That night I had a 50 min shower and by the time I dried off(quickly I mite add)and went to the tank it had already recovered and shut off. I did notice that at 120 degrees you need to turn the water hotter a bit as your shower time increases, but now have it at 140 and its perfect(140 is also the recomended temp to ward off legionella) I would buy this product again,and would also deal with pex supply in a heartbeat, I saved almost 40% from local suppliers.

4/24/2012

5.0

Exceeded expectations

By Nauxbody

from New Orleans

Comments about 50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (Nat Gas):

Consumer Reports was right. This is absolutely the finest heater made. In fact, it's more like a super-efficient boiler. Digital controls. A blower on the top to push air through it. And it transfers heat so efficiently, that it is vented with a PVC pipe. I replaced an 80 gallon heater with this one, and it recovers quickly from temp drop. Nobody can tell that it is smaller than what I had before. And I'm going the get that 30% tax credit !!!

4/4/2012

(0 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

excellent shipping

By Sam

from peoria, il

Comments about 50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (LP Gas):

Haven't used the heater yet, but PEX Supply shipping was super fast. Arrived on a semi, so I had to pick it up at the local trucking company.

4/1/2012

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Great hot water heater

By Jim

from Punxsy, Pa

Comments about 50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (Nat Gas):

I have a pre-civil war home that we are slowly renovating. We decided to install radiant heat as part of the renovation and needed a hot water heater powerful enough to heat the house and our normal hot water use (showers, dishwasher, etc.). Unfortunately our current hot water heater died before we got to that phase in the reno so we had to pull the trigger on the new hot water heater before we were ready. Aside from having to go without hot water for a week (shipping time), the Vertex was easy to install and works really well. I did not install it in a direct vent setup (where both intake and exhaust are piped to the ouside), but only vented the exhaust to the outside. I wanted the heater to pull air from basement. Some things to note: They deliver it in a semi-truck. If you live on the other side of a ten-ton bridge, you'll have to meet them (like I did) with a trailer or pickup truck. It's VERY heavy. The packing slip stated 345lbs but I think it was closer to 250. Still, very heavy. I had my brother help me dolly the heater into the house and down into the basement. It requires a power supply. My old heater did not, so I had to run a line to it. All of the venting is with 2" PVC; they provide the termination with the critter screen. The gas connection is on top, just FYI (my old heater's was on the bottom). Once installed, it started up and heated all 50 gallons to 120 degrees in 15 minutes. Haven't run out of hot water since.

3/16/2012

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

One smooth water heater

By JR

from Springville, Ut

Comments about 50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (Nat Gas):

I have had this water heater in operation for about 3 months now and am very pleased with its performance. Reviews of how fast it is are not exaggerated. The first time I filled it (with cold rocky mountain water in January 2012) it reached temperature in about 14 minutes. Just to test the water heater I ran all the hot water taps in the house at full blast till water was tepid, turned them off and then took a hot shower. It can certainly handle one shower without ever running out of hot water. In the first 17 days of use it ran a total of 12 hours 4 minutes with 6 people taking daily showers, laundry, dishwashing etc. I did notice that teenagers started to lengthen shower times once they figured out that they wouldn't run out of hot water or get yelled at for depriving the next sibling of the pleasure of a hot shower, perhaps one disadvantage of never ending hot water :-).
I did rest it on some blue board insulation to keep it off of the floor, and as someone else suggested plugged it into a surge suppressor. Installation took me about 8 hours, but I had to drain and wrestle a 20 year old water heater full of sediment out of the basement and also resolder all of the plumbing (as this is a tall water heater) and cut, thread and assemble a new gas line because the gas inlet on this heater is on the top (also a few trips to the plumbing supply for parts I forgot). It did take a while to rout the exhaust line around and keep the proper slope for the condensate to drain. Having replaced other water heaters this one is more complex to install although I did find the directions easy to understand and follow.
I had no problems ordering this unit from pex supply, price was excellent and delivery was prompt.
I am using this unit to heat my home with an attached air handler that has a circulation pump built into it. The water heater has built in ports to allow this. This has of course increased the amount of time the unit runs. It has not had any trouble heating the house even with the temperature set at 120F. Highly recommended.

2/20/2012

5.0

This thing is a beast!

By Just a Homeowner - Mark

from NJ

Comments about 50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (Nat Gas):

It is amazing on how quickly this unit heats water and how infrequently it runs. The standby loss must be minimal (although I have no way of testing) seeing that you never see the unit running. In the past with my standard high recovery tank heater it would run anytime I did a load of wash or run the dishwasher. This unit will let me do at least one load of wash without turning on. Waiting for the first gas bill but expecting it to be lower.

2/8/2012

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

After five (5) months, still loving it!

By John J

from White Mountains of Arizona

Comments about 50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (Nat Gas):

This is an update to my 9/12/2011 review of this hot water heater. After more than five months, we still enjoy continuous hot water and it has saved us money on our gas bill.

Our winter has been colder than normal and our gas bill has been about $10 less per month than prior years and Nat Gas has gone up in my area. Without a doubt, a BIG plus.

Some things we have noted in the past months since I installed this thing is

1). Inside our laundry room it is very quiet. Outside, it is really noisy!

2). When the humidity is high, this thing will pour a stream of water out the condensate drain.

3). Hot water never ends, but in a shower and after a few minutes, we have to adjust and add more hot water. If a long shower we have to keep adding more hot water. We have never run out and it has never-ever gotten cold, but with a top down heating arrangement, cold water will keep arriving, coming up from the bottom fill inlet. Heat rises and as the burner starts at the top the heat is more focused at the top where the hot water outlet "collects" the water. So, makes sense that this would occur. Heat really never reaches the bottom of the water heater, so I do not believe that we have 55 gallons of 120 degree water.

I would like to see the water temp remain more stable. It is almost as stable as our previous bottom fired direct vent water heater that this replaced, other than the old water heater WOULD run out of hot water! We adjusted the offset a bit closer to the 120 degree operating temperature, but can't say that did much.

BUT, we still love this machine!

2/2/2012

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Good so far..

By tcrosland

from Salt Lake City

Comments about 50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (Nat Gas):

Installed this about 2 weeks ago and so far all is well. Despite having a manual that is poorly written and illustrated it is reasonably easy to install. Don't try to do the install alone as this thing is heavy.
If we have any complaints about it so far its the fan noise and the fact that when purchasing it I wasn't clear on the fact that it produces waste water and needs a drain in close proximity to the unit.
Purchasing from Pex Supply was a good experience, for sure it was less than I could find elsewhere. It did take a week before it was shipped even though they said it was in stock.

2/1/2012

4.0

AO Smith 50g Vertex 100 PowerVent

By LSS

from Bozeman, MT

Comments about 50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (Nat Gas):

I am very satisfied with the performance and operation of this water heater in just about every way. Efficient, responsive etc. The only exception is that the venting is a bit noisy -- especially the air intake. The neighbor adjacent to this install was bothered by the intake so badly that I had to relocate the fresh air intake to a different location. In most applications this may not be an issue but it is something to be aware of.

1/19/2012

5.0

This is a Nice Machine!

By John, the weekend plumber

from Medford, OR

Comments about 50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (Nat Gas):

The Vertex 100 was recommended by my radiant floor system designer as part of my new radiant heating system I am installing in my 100 year old "cold" Crafstman Home. The water heater was installed in the basement and the installation went very well. The directions provided are straight forward and easy to understand. Since this is a taller water heater than the 50 gallon electric unit it replaced, I was glad to see that I did not have to place the Vertex 100 on a +18" stand in my basement per local codes. This is important to know if you have a reduced ceiling height. The unit fired up quitely and brought the temperature up to 120 degrees in exactly 20 minutes! I really like the display screen and will find this a great help when I get the radiant loop system installed. The unit has additional built in taps ready to go for the radiant plumbing system as well. I had a couple of questions for PexSupply.com regarding the need to elevate the water heater and if those blue inserts in the supply inlet pipes stay put prior to the install and they replied back promptly! An yes, do not remove the blue inserts in the supply pipes. This is an attractive high efficiency water heater and I plan on getting my radiant flooring supplies from PexSupply.com very soon.

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50 Questions | 101 Answers

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50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (Nat Gas)
Q:
tankless vs vertex power 100
Asked on 5/8/2012 by michael from los alamitos ca
Know the answer? Answer this question
5 answers
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  If you live in an area where the incoming water temp is high (above say 60
  degrees) then tankless may be a good choice. If you live in an area where
  the water temp is cold (e.g. I live in Colorado and my incoming water temp
  in the winter is ~40 degrees) then it's hard to beat the Vertex. We have
  four kids, three baths and the Vertex 120 and have never run out of water.
  We love it.
  Answered on 5/9/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  The efficiency of the tankless does not compare to the vertex. Heated
  gallons per minute is another comparison that favors the vertex and the
  price is almost the same. When comparing the estimated annual cost the
  vertex seems the best choice.
  Answered on 5/8/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  I am extremely happy with my Vertex. When faced with the same choice, I chose the Vertex to avoid the criticisms of tankless water heaters while compromising only slightly on efficiency. After installing the Vertex, I was quickly convinced I made the right choice. It has far exceeded my expectations.
  Sent from my iPhone
  Answered on 5/8/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  It depends on the conditions and usage purposes. I switched from a tankless heater (electric) to the vertex 100. The tankless ran a closed loop floor heat system but still used too much energy. The vertex can and is maintaining the floor heat system and the household hot water supply at a lower cost. Granted my old water heater was not an energy saver, it had an continuous flame, the heat exhaust piping was inconvenient and didn't heat enough water for more than two showers and a dishwasher. That was a 75 gallon tank. With the vertex and with the operator panel I know exactly how often it runs so I know the exact energy consumption and I love the fact I can plan a plumbing system a dozen different ways and the vertex is flexible in design to fit any of those ideas. A tankless is great if the house is small and the incoming water is above 65 degrees or in the case of floor heat, if you are running a small home with great insulation. PS I got a better price and free shipping with PexSupply.
  Answered on 5/8/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  We've had our vertex hot water heater for a year now. Our gas bill is
  extremely low, and I think it's virtually impossible to run out of hot
  water.
  Answered on 5/8/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (Nat Gas)
Q:
I am due for a new anode rod for my Vertex 100. Which one do I purchase? I notice that they come in different lengths and diameters.
Asked on 4/22/2012 by Grey from Dexter, MI
Know the answer? Answer this question
1 answer
- CUSTOMER CARE
  
  A:
  For GDHE-50 Vertex units, the replacement aluminum anode rod is part 9003892005. The magnesium version is part 9001829005.
  Answered on 4/25/2012 by PexSupply Staff from NY
50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (Nat Gas)
Q:
We're building one one those multi-head showers. The heads use up to total 21 gal.(of mixed) water per minute (probably 15 gal of hot per minute). Will this unit keep up? Does the temperature change (get cooler) at all during prolonged use?

Thanks
Asked on 3/19/2012 by Tom from NJ
Know the answer? Answer this question
14 answers
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  I'm not using mine with multiple head showers so I can't really help. It
  seems to keep up fine with everything we've ever asked it to do.
  Tom Gilbert
  Answered on 3/21/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- CUSTOMER CARE
  
  A:
  Funny you should ask that. We have been using the water heater now for about 8 months in our new home and I am contemplating getting another one to supplement it. We have a 6 head Kohler DTV system that we absolutely love. However, like you, I estimate that it is probably pumping out at least 20 gal of hot water per minute. To be fair we have tremendous water pressure coming from the street and 1" lines going to the shower. With all the heads on I have measured the flow rate to be roughly 30gal/minute. (I'm sure you are aware that average shower head puts out a max of 2.5 gal/minute!)
  To make matters worse, (or better in my opinion) I removed all the flow restrictors in all the heads. (I try to do my part in other ways to help save the environment but clearly this is NOT one of them). The result is what my wife refers to as the "decontamination chamber". It's simply awesome and easily the best part of the whole house. Having said all that the hot water cuts out in about 10 minutes. With the digital temp gauge on the Kohler panel you can see that the water stays at perfect temperature with no fluctuations for all ten minutes but once it reaches its limit the temp drops rapidly. The good news is that the recovery time is excellent. In about 20 minutes the tank will restore itself to full capacity again. (my wife gets up about 20 minus after me so the timing works for us).
  At first I was a little disappointed that this unit that I had heard such great reviews on was only good for a maximum of 10 minutes but my plumber put things in perspective by saying that our shower was the equivalent draw of most small hotels...and he was blown away that it was able to keep up that long.
  For daily use, the 10 minutes is actually a good thing. I have heard that most people who buy efficient heaters like this end up using just as much energy because when the hot water never runs out they end up staying in twice as long.
  However sometimes my wife and I like to take a longer showers, (on the weekend for example) and that's when I start contemplating another unit.
  I think if we got another tank just like this one and put it in parallel we would never run out of water, especially given the recovery period of the units working in conjunction.
  I notice that A.O. Smith also makes a commercial version of this unit which I would imagine would probably also do the trick, however it looks like it costs just as much as buying two residential units.
  My plumber said he later installed the Vertex unit in a more conventional 4 head shower system and the owners told him they never ran out of hot water so I would hate to recommend a commercial tank or two of the Vertex's if you don't really need them. My recommendation therefore would be to start with one unit and see how it performs once the shower is installed. To install another unit right next to it really wouldn't cost that much more in labor, (just the cost of the extra unit).
  Good luck and please let me know if you have any other questions.
  Dean
  Answered on 3/20/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  We have had a Vertex 100 since March of 2011 and are very pleased with it.
  The unit replaced two 50 gal. power vent hot water heaters. Our shower is a
  standard low flow one and our family consists of two adults, so our
  experience may not relate to your proposed use. I would suggest your
  question be directed to A.O. Smith. FYI -after initial installation, we
  perceived some temperature change when taking a shower and reset the default
  maximum temperature to 126 degrees and the differential to 7 degrees. A.O.
  Smith does not recommend reducing the differential too low (which could
  improve outlet temperature consistency) to avoid "excessive heating cycles
  which can cause premature failure of components". Hope this helps.
  Answered on 3/20/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  Sir,
  This water heater will easily be able to keep up with your needs since we installed the heater we have hade no problems and it will produce all the hot water needed.
  Ken
  Answered on 3/20/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  best water heater for the money, can keep up
  Answered on 3/19/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  Mine is heating water for a 5-unit apartment building. The tenants only
  have showers. I've heard no complaints, which means it's "probably" doing
  fine. Maybe this helps.
  Answered on 3/19/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  The Vertex 100 amazed me with the fact that it NEVER runs out of hot
  water. Yes, we do not have multihead showers or any other advanced
  equipment. Just a regular household with 3 bathrooms and 5 people. But
  what I can confidently state from about a year of experience with the unit
  is that you can take a hot 60 minute shower and never run out of hot water
  even with the rest of the family using whatever they decide to use. It
  looks like the unit is powerful enough to heat the water on the fly
  without storing it in the tank. I think I sometimes can feel the moment
  when the tank is empty and it starts instant heating. The temperature may
  drop a couple of degrees, but a small adjustment to the faucet makes the
  mix blazingly hot again.
  Really happy with the Vertex 100. The summer gas bill dropped
  significantly too (more than 50%).
  Answered on 3/19/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  15 GPM seems very high. I doubt any water heater could keep up with that level of usage. Here are the stats from the Vertex Specification Manual: http://s3.pexsupply.com/manuals/1277407495583/32775_PROD_FILE.pdf
  The 50-gallon Vertex delivers hot water output that exceeds a 75-gallon
  atmospheric gas water heater. In fact, the fully condensing Vertex design is so
  advanced, it can deliver continuous hot water for shower after shower...a continuous
  flow of over 4 gallons per minute.*
  * 4.31 GPM continuous flow, based on 65ºF inlet water temperature, 110º outlet temperature.
  Eric
  Answered on 3/19/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  Our experience is this: The first shower the hot water supply is shorter. A fter 5 minutes of the first shower and once it starts is can keep up with any demand. One morning 6 of us showered one right after the other and it kept up beautifully.
  Answered on 3/19/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  Yes. This water heater is amazing. It can supply two shower at the same time and still has good reserve of hot water. I am having it for 1 y now and very pleased with my purchase.
  Thanks
  Ashkan Farhadi
  Sent from my iPhone
  Answered on 3/19/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  The water temp does drop when both the shower and tub are used together.
  I would recommend large volume tankless for any app over 6 gpm with longer use times.
  Sent from Randy's iPhone
  Answered on 3/19/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  If you set the water temperature of the heater all the way on high (160F), you will get about 6 minutes before it starts feeling cooler unless your water is already warm coming into the heater. It has no trouble keeping the water hot all day long in a normal sh, even with 50F incoming water.
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  Answered on 3/19/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  I don't think you can run this unit out of hot water. You can set the
  temperature and the differential so you never have to worry about the water
  cooling down during a shower. In my opinion this is by far the best and
  most efficient waterheater on the market.
  Answered on 3/19/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  IT says 4 GPM continuous in the manual so probably not
  Answered on 3/19/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (Nat Gas)
Q:
I read reviews about noisiness. The attenuator pictured in the install manual, is it for intake or exhaust side? Cost? Neighbor's patio is only 25 ft. from my inlet/exhaust.
Asked on 3/17/2012 by T from NJ
Know the answer? Answer this question
12 answers
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  if there is noise it is very little and not only that but the recovery is very quick. I can't coment on the cost. I do know that for our house with 2 washing machines and 5 bathrooms we never run out of hot water. I am very happy with this unit and will buy another one if i ever move.
  Answered on 3/20/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  Not sure about the attenuator. No real noise outside of the house
  but yes it is a bit noisy inside. Ours is in the utility room in
  the attached garage but can not hear it in the house itself.
  Cheers
  Ken
  Sent by me.
  Sent by StarTribune Mail http://www.stribmail.com
  Answered on 3/19/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  I believe the intake is high and the outlet is low.
  I haven't noticed any extreme noise with mine, and it seems to reach
  temperature quickly. A sensitive neighbor my complain, I have never sat
  next to mine. With that said I have loved the performance and saving it
  has afforded me.
  Answered on 3/19/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  The Exhaust noise is just a blowing noise, that to me is not very loud.
  And I don't have any noise suppression on it. I don't see this as an
  issue and my Deck is right next to the vent and no one has ever
  complained when the Hot water heater kicks on. This unit does not run
  that long anyway!
  Dave Curran
  Answered on 3/19/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  My unit is in the garage. Outside, at 25' to your neighbor, I don't think
  the exhaust sound will be an issue. When I'm in the garage and the unit
  comes on, it definitely makes some white noise, so I would not want the unit
  inside unless in a basement, even then maybe in a closed area. My gas
  furnace makes slightly more noise than the water heater.
  -bob
  Answered on 3/17/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  I don't think it should be an issue, our intake/exhaust is only a foot away and it never bothers us. Don't know what the other part of the question is, I did not use one for my installation.
  Jon Wyngarden
  CFO Indiana Rotomolding Inc. (IRI)
  ***.****
  Answered on 3/18/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  I have one of these AOsmith water heaters, but don't have access to the manual right now. The exhaust and inlet are clearly marked both in the manual and on the top of the tank and neither is noisy when the tank is operational. So don't worry about your neghbors and noise. You'll love the efficiency of this unit,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,chuck
  Answered on 3/18/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  My intake/exhaust is right out to my deck, and there is little noise. Less
  than a dryer vent.
  Answered on 3/17/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  We are very happy with this boiler. It is in our garage and we can't hear it. We usually hear our furnace, not our water heater. No worries about the exhaust or noise. It is a good water heater.
  Regarding the price, we think we got a good deal over the internet. They do not carry this water heater in Oregon and the special order was twice as expensive.
  Vlad
  Answered on 3/17/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  Yes this WH makes jet like noise. Intake is on top of the unit and exhaust
  is on bottom. If you want to reduce noise you can extend intake pipe to the
  roof, make sure it properly covered so water doesn't get in. But you will
  have to calculate intake+exhaust to allowed lengths of exhaust pipe.
  Answered on 3/17/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  We don't have an attenuator installed, and have not noticed any excessive noise with this unit. The fan makes slightly more noise than the burner on our old water heater. Tound seems equivalent to the intake/exhaust of our furnace.
  Answered on 3/17/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  T,
  My exhaust is less than 25 feet from my deck. I installed it using parts
  that came standard with the unit. I can hear it run, but I would
  characterize the noise as "detectable" not annoying. I would not hesitate
  to install it 25 feet from the neighbor's patio. The noise seems similar to
  a dryer vent, or a bit better, and much less than a pool pump. My inlet is
  in my crawl space, so I am less sure about that, but it seems pretty quite
  too.
  Greg
  Answered on 3/17/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (Nat Gas)
Q:
What is the effect of not being able to provide the unit with 100,000 BTU of gas at times? Rough numbers indicate that my house has the capability of drawing more gas than the meter is rated for under a worst case use situation.
Asked on 3/6/2012 by Anonymous
Know the answer? Answer this question
4 answers
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  Call your natural gas supply company, they would be able to answer your question.
  Jon Wyngarden
  Answered on 3/8/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  My response to this is contact AO-Smith the manufacture of the unit. As
  this unit is a direct vent, you may have problems with a flame outs and
  restarts.
  Answered on 3/7/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  Hmmm,
  That I am not sure about... a good question for A.O. Smith! It's
  possibltt it will simply adjust it's ratio's to accomodate b
  at may or may not have an effect on overall efficiency. I would
  call the manufacturer about that one.
  Cheers
  Ken :)
  Sent by me.
  Sent by StarTribune Mail http://www.stribmail.com
  Answered on 3/7/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  I can't really say. when the plumbers installed the unit they thought the
  gas line diameter was a little undersized for the unit, but it has run
  perfectly since it was installed.
  Answered on 3/6/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (LP Gas)
Q:
I am building an addition to our home that will need a separate water heating and radiant floor system. It is not a large addition - 864 square foot and we will add one and a half bathrooms, laundry and kitchen. Would one of these be over kill?
Would it serve both for water heat and the radiant floor installation?
In winter it goes down to - 20 Farenheight is that a problem for air intake?
We will be using propane.

Thans
Asked on 2/27/2012 by Anonymous from Chester VT
Know the answer? Answer this question
13 answers
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  I am unfamiliar with radiant floor heating but I do not think that this
  would be over kill for that reason. I am completely satisfied with this
  water heater and on natural gas it does not cost a lot to operate. Being in
  the gas industry I do know that it will be a bit higher to operate on
  propane, but the high efficiency of it should be all the difference. It only
  took about 10 minutes to fully heat a tank of water after installation!
  To answer your question on the intake, I live in Wyoming so I have seen the
  subzero temps with this water heater. The only problem that I had with
  freeze ups was with the included screen (on a 2" intake) installed. It gave
  the moist air a place to collect and freeze until it was blocked. The wind
  direction sometimes also allows for the warm moisture from the exhaust to be
  pulled in and freeze. Once I removed the screen my problems went away. I
  don't think I will have any issues with birds building nests so I go without
  the screen.
  Hope this helps!
  Answered on 2/29/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  I use a Vertex 100 (natural gas... fewer btu per cu. ft. than propane) to provide domestic hot water AND provide in-floor radiant heat for a 2800sf house + a 1700sf garage slab. The Vertex is an unbelievable unit. First time I fired it up, it ran for a few minutes & shut off... leading me to believe it was broken. It wasn't... it's just that fast. I live @ 8000' altitude in the Rocky Mountains, and have seen ambient temperatures as low as -29*F. She ran like a champ the entire time. Ensure the exhaust path is elevated & clear of obstructions... because you will see condensate icicles.. Also, She will generate (as will any unit) a LOT of condensate at such low inlet air temps... no big deal, as long as you've provided proper exhaust condensate drainage. One note: During extreme cold snaps (below 0*F conditions), I am able to 'overtax' the unit... by taking a long shower & depleting the 50 gallons of stored hot water during periods of continuous 'furnace' duty. Basically... I've come to expect continuous, unlimited hot water from the unit... because that's how she usually performs. I tend to forget that she's really NOT a boiler... just a water heater on steroids.
  Of course, the key to space heating is retaining the btu's the Vertex puts out in the first place... so proper insulation of your addition will impact your observed performance as much as (or perhaps more than) the quality of the unit itself.
  Long story short: 864sf shouldn't even begin to touch this unit's capacity, even without a stellar insulation job. You may even be overdoing it, unless you plan to replace your existing heat-plant & service your entire house with the Vertex.
  -JE - Colorado
  Answered on 2/28/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  I bought this heater because of it's ultra-high energy efficiency. I
  replaced two standard 50 gallon water heaters with this one heater in my
  4,800 sq foot home and have been very pleased.
  I am in Utah and the low temperatures usually don't go below single
  digits. I would suggest contacting the manufacturer related to very low
  temperatures. There are additional instructions for side-wall venting in
  cold climates: "When direct venting through the wall, as shown in figure
  32, the exhaust should terminate a minimum of 24" from the intake vent
  terminal.
  I would assume this heater could easily serve your radiant floor heating
  and water heating needs.
  I am not a plumber but did all of the installation myself. I have a hot
  water circulation loop in my home running through this heater. I used the
  main input and output ports but the heater has separate ports for floor
  heating systems.
  Answered on 2/27/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  I don't see why there would be any problem with using it for both the radiant heating and the domestic hot water supply. It's probably a bit oversized for just the addition, however.
  We live in a cold climate as well, and have had to install heat tape on the air intake to keep it from freezing up. Otherwise we needed to clear the ice off the intake every other day or so. That's been the only drawback with this water heater- we've been very happy with it otherwise.
  Answered on 2/27/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  To answer this!
  Yes!
  I use it not only for a 1500 square feet of my basement, but also for my
  26 x 26 garage. I only heat the garage to 50 degrees. I also have a 50
  gallon hot tub in our bathroom, there are days when the in-floor is on
  we have to wait about 10 minutes for the unit to catch-up to fill the
  tub. The unit is fast and efficient. Not to mention when walking on the
  floors, such as a bathroom or tile floors bare footed it is nice warm.
  So would it be over kill, I would say NO! even though you are less
  square footage, you will never run out of hot water and your comfort
  level would be assume.
  There should not be a problem with the air intake. The only thing is
  make sure to keep your exhaust and dyer venting ect. Away from that
  intake, as this will cause an icing problem!
  So yes this one unit is assume! I would recommend it to anyone, rather
  than another boiler, or hot water heater. One unit to maintain! And it
  is always on and ready to go. I simply shut the 2 circulating pumps off
  during the summer and lower the thermostats.
  I use natural gas.
  Hope this was some Help?
  Dave Curran, Post-lake Wis, and yes we get -20 degrees
  Answered on 2/27/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  Fellow shopper,
  I have loved my NG 100,000 BTU Vertex Water Heater!
  I do both floor heat, 2000 square foot basement and hot water for five
  of us and have never run out.
  For floor heat I run it through a heat exchanger on the side ports.
  I am not sure if I can help you with questions on air intake or over
  kill. Other than to say if you are using it for hot water for the whole
  house I wouldn't worry about it,
  My natural gas bill last summer was 15 dollar with long hot showers etc.
  I am saving hundreds a year on my utilities plus I got a tax rebate. I
  am sure in a few years it will have paid for itself plus heated my
  basement perfectly! Please don't hesitate to ask any other questions you
  may have and I will do my best to answer them.
  Answered on 2/27/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  We love our Vertex 120k but we have ~3800 sq ft; me plus a wife and four
  kids, two of whom are teenage girls. We have three full baths and never run
  out of hot water, even if two showers are going at once and our gas bill has
  gone down despite the ever growing shower durations (that's what happens
  when you don't run out of hot water).
  Just hope it never breaks because it was pricey.
  Answered on 2/27/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  This unit will work fine for your sitiuation but is probably a little overkill depending on your heating load. . I would only use it for the floor heat and use something else for the domestic to keep the water separated. An even better option would be to use a Navien Combi tankless heater for the in-floor and the domestic. Very slick unit that will also run on propane. I happend to install one in a system today. The -20 degree temperature is not an isuue.
  Answered on 2/27/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  Hello,
  Ok lots of options with what you are proposing but here is my take
  on it. This unit will easily hefor the entire house and
  the floor system. I have used one to heat my parents home of 1200
  sq ft plus 800 sq ft gand heat the hot water for all of their
  home needs. The infloor radiant system is a closed system and I
  used a heat exchanger. There is a seperate port on the hot water
  heater for this all you will need is a circulating pump for the hot
  water side of the heat exchanger and one for the floor side of the
  heat exchanger. It can easily heat what you want and supply hot
  water to your house. It's VERY efficient, simple to set up and
  opperate andfe electricity goes off and then back on it resets
  itself and remembers all of your settings.
  They sell two versions of this unit, get the larger one... it's not
  much more in cost over its lifetime and it is more efficient to
  boot. The heat recoveery rate is excellent. In fact I don't think
  you can use water fast enough to end in a cold shower. I don't
  thinknr case that it is overkill as just about any other water
  heater out there is not nearly as efficient. You will loose some
  efficiency due to propane instead of natural gas but not much maybe
  4-5 percent, but that is true with any gas appliance.
  My parents home is in Northern MN and it has been working flawlessly
  since I installed it 3 years ago. Just make sure you install the
  intake and exhaust vents according to iinstructions. I highl
  commend useing the duel inlet/outlet concentric vent kit. It's a
  few bucks but it works and is simple to install. Good luck and
  enjoy, it truly is one of the best water heaters for the purpose you
  propose out there hands down.
  Cheers
  Ken
  Sent by me.
  Sent by StarTribune Mail http://www.stribmail.com
  Answered on 2/28/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  Fellow Shopper.
  
  This unit will be more than enough to do both your domestic hot water and radiant floor heating. It is able to do a whole house. Overkill, possibly. But you will likely be very happy with it..
  Cheers.
  .
  Answered on 2/28/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  I think y ou will need to work through the calculations to determine the BTU's required to heat the space. The formulas can be found in on-line calculators and the better ones use the square footage, the wall and ceiling insulation values, size of windows as well as the expected outsid e temperature to calculate the heat lost. Simpler formulas require fewer inputs but also give less accurate results. The heat input to the space must of course be greater than the heat lost, plus the BTU s required for the hot water used in the laundry, baths and kitchen. We used a 105,000 BTU boiler for our 17 00
  square foot house in the Colorado mountains which was calculated to need 75,000 BTU s, with the V ertex only for hot water. Because the e fficiency
  of the units is so high, even when running well below their maximum output ratings, "over kill" is not really an issue.
  
  .
  Answered on 2/27/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  Hi,
  The Vertex 100 will certainly accommodate the challenge...
  Is it overkill? Probably.
  That said, I installed the Vertex 100 and a $1k Taco X-Pump Block...
  http://www.taco-hvac.com/en/products/X-Pump+Block%99+(XPB)/products.html?current_category=345
  in my 1600sf home for domestic hot water (2ba, kitchen, laundry & utility room) and 800sf radiant system in the basement slab
  The installation was so easy and so efficient, that I would recommend the system to anyone.
  Hope that helps,
  Escher
  Answered on 2/27/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
- VERIFIED BUYER
  
  A:
  I think, it will be perfect for what you want to do.
  Answered on 2/27/2012 by Another PexSupply Customer
50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (Nat Gas)
Q:
In reviewing your installation instructions it states cold weather exhaust application. Can the combo intake exhaust Y be used in New york state or is the two seperate intake exhaust system required?
Asked on 2/4/2012 by Greg from Amityville New York
Know the answer? Answer this question
1 answer
- CUSTOMER CARE
  
  A:
  You should always check with local and municipal codes prior to installation, but a concentric vent setup is authorized in New York State to our knowledge.
  Answered on 2/6/2012 by PexSupply Staff from NY
50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (LP Gas)
Q:
Am I mistaken, or did I read somewhere that there are 2 anode rods? How often must they be replaced?
Asked on 12/15/2011 by Butch from Fort Worth, TX
Know the answer? Answer this question
1 answer
- CUSTOMER CARE
  
  A:
  The manufacturer recommends checking the anode rod at least once a year after the warranty period expires. As far as we know, this unit includes just one anode rod.
  Answered on 12/16/2011 by PexSupply Staff from NY
50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (Nat Gas)
Q:
We have a block air intake error. Technicians came out and got it running, then 12 hours later, we have the same error code flashing. Tech found condensation in plastic condensate tubing frozen. It is 0 degree here at night. I don't think he knew the root cause. How do I keep the intake air pipe from freezing? Both pipes are warm. Water Heater is less than 2 months old.
Asked on 11/19/2011 by Ross from Anchorage, Alaska
Know the answer? Answer this question
1 answer
- CUSTOMER CARE
  
  A:
  You may have to apply heat tape to the venting to keep the condensation from freezing.
  Answered on 11/23/2011 by PexSupply Staff from NY
50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (Nat Gas)
Q:
Can this unit supply enough hot water to meet the needs of a shower system (e.g. rainfall showerhead & four body jets)?
Asked on 9/26/2011 by Anonymous
Know the answer? Answer this question
1 answer
- CUSTOMER CARE
  
  A:
  Possibly. It depends on the GPM demands of the system.
  Answered on 9/27/2011 by PexSupply Staff from NY

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50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (Nat Gas)

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50 Gallon - 100,000 BTU Vertex 100 Power Direct Vent Residential Gas Water Heater (Nat Gas)

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