A. O. Smith - Experts & Thought Leaders

A. O. Smith, a global pioneer in water heating and water treatment, was recognized for excellence in the Chicago Athenaeum GOOD DESIGN Awards, which honors the yearly achievements of the best world manufacturers and industrial and graphic designers for their pursuit of extraordinary design excellence. Building and Architectural awards The Adapt™ Premium Condensing Gas Tankless Water Heater with X3® Scale Prevention Technology and the Voltex® 120V Plug-In Heat Pump Water Heater (HPWH) both won in the Building and Architectural awards category. The Chicago Athenaeum Museum received a record number of submissions for this year’s contest, with submissions from the world’s renowned manufacturers and industrial and graphic design firms from over 55 countries, representing the best in consumer design and engineering.  Two 2024 GOOD DESIGN® Awards "As we continue to innovate and push the boundaries of excellence, receiving two 2024 GOOD DESIGN® Awards is a true honor. These recognitions reflect our team's dedication to designing products that not only meet the highest standards of performance, but also elevate the user experience with forward-thinking design," said Betsy Curran, Director of Marketing and Customer Engagement. Betsy Curran adds, "At A. O. Smith, we remain committed to sustainability, quality, and innovation, and these awards for the Voltex 120V heat pump and Adapt water heater reaffirm our mission to lead in creating smarter, more efficient solutions for our customers."  Adapt tankless water heater To enhance installation flexibility, the Adapt line offers two- and three-inch dual pipe venting A. O. Smith is proud to receive an honor for the Adapt tankless water heater, as the product is the first tankless water heater designed and manufactured entirely by A. O. Smith. To enhance installation flexibility, the Adapt line offers two- and three-inch dual pipe venting, 1/2- and 3/4-inch gas line options, and universal indoor/outdoor installation. A.O. Smith designed the units, so they can be converted from natural gas to liquid propane in the field with an included kit.  installation flexibility These features work together to provide plumbing professionals unparalleled installation flexibility when working in the field. Plumbers have a unit that conforms on the spot to fit their needs, regardless of install location, fuel type, or existing venting. With additional premium features, including an integrated recirculation pump, a patented heat exchanger, and highly efficient performance, the Adapt tankless water heater meets the needs of busy contractors and homeowners.   hassle-free transition Ongoing electrification and decarbonization requirements led A. O. Smith to create a heat pump water heater that provides a hassle-free transition from gas to electric water heaters. The Voltex 120V model can be plugged directly into a shared circuit wall outlet, ensuring a simplified installation process. Top water connections and a zero-clearance design support an easy installation for contractors and allow for the unit to be installed in a variety of applications. The Voltex 120V unit is also ENERGY STAR® certified and qualifies for many federal, state, and local incentives. 

A. O. Smith, a pioneer in water heating and water treatment, announces the addition of the Point-Of-Use (POU) Electric Tankless Water Heater to its family of tankless products. The new unit features a reduced, compact footprint, making it easy to install at or near fixtures in light commercial and residential applications.   POU tankless water heater The POU tankless water heater does not require venting, making it an ideal fit for various applications that need immediate hot water on site, including lavatories, isolated sinks, emergency fixtures, boosters, and more. The unit is also equipped with continuous dry fire protection, which prevents it from firing without water in the system. This protects the unit and eliminates having to replace it before it has ever been used due to dry firing.   easy-to-install unit The unit is also equipped with continuous dry fire protection, which prevents it from firing "A. O. Smith’s Point-Of-Use Electric Tankless Water Heater is designed to be an easy-to-install unit that delivers more than just hot water," said Isaac Wilson, A. O. Smith's Segment Development Manager for Tankless Products. He adds, "The unit also provides flexibility, extended service life, and peace of mind thanks to several integrated features." scale detection technology Isaac Wilson continues, "Our unique scale detection technology notifies technicians of potential scale build-up, with automatic shut off and serviceability." He further said, "Instead of having to replace the unit when the scale is detected, technicians can now clean and return the unit to service multiple times, preventing unnecessary waste."  leak detection To further the life of the unit, the POU tankless features leak detection with an audible alarm to alert users to any leakage concerns. The unit also comes with integrated scale detection technology that has the potential to extend the lifetime of the unit. The software detects scale buildup in the unit and forces it to shut down, allowing for proper maintenance to be performed and protecting the unit from total failure.   lowest flow activation rate A. O. Smith’s POU electric tankless unit features the lowest flow activation rate currently available on the market at 0.17 gallons per minute (GPM). At a uniform energy factor (UEF) of 0.91, the unit is well-equipped to provide hot water instantaneously as needed. Two different modes of operation come standard on all 14 of the POU electric tankless models - Lavatory and Emergency Eye Wash. The Lavatory mode allows for an adjustable temperature range of 80 °F to 150°F, while the Emergency Eye Wash mode defaults to 85°F.

A. O. Smith, a pioneer in water heating and water treatment, announces the addition of the Voltex® MAX hybrid electric heat pump water heater (HPWH) to its growing family of sustainable products. The Voltex MAX HPWH uses a new smart valve to deliver maximum hot water while the heat pump technology provides maximum savings at all times. The Voltex MAX HPWH can deliver homeowners around 40% higher First Hour Ratings than similarly sized electric water heaters and heat pump water heaters. Using newly available advanced operating modes, the Voltex MAX provides more hot water than previous iterations of heat pump water heaters. Voltex MAX heat pump water heater “The introduction of the Voltex MAX heat pump water heater is the culmination of many years of innovation designed to support the industry-wide shift toward decarbonization. Through dedicated research, A. O. Smith was able to develop a unit that not only supports electrification goals, but also supports homeowners and contractors,” said Arthur Smith, A. O. Smith product manager. “The Voltex MAX unit incorporates features that our customers know and love, such as integrated leak detection, while also introducing new enhancements like our unique smart valve technology.” Voltex MAX unit’s smart valve technology Voltex MAX unit’s smart valve technology allows a contractor to install a smaller tank in an area The Voltex MAX unit’s smart valve technology allows a contractor to install a smaller tank in an area where space is tight and still get comparable performance to a larger tank by using the unit’s Hot Water + modes. It also allows homeowners to customize the unit’s performance to exactly the way they live and use hot water. All Voltex MAX models come with three levels of Hot Water + modes that each provide about 10-12% extra hot water.  Hot Water + is a permanent operating mode and the unit will continue to function at the selected level until instructed otherwise. For temporary periods of increased demand, the Voltex MAX HPWH also offers a Guest Mode. This mode allows the unit to provide maximum hot water output for up to seven-day increments. A. O. Smith’s iCOMM™ connectivity platform An automatic shutoff valve also comes standard on all Voltex MAX models to further protect homes Customers can also benefit from using A. O. Smith’s iCOMM™ connectivity platform, which is fully integrated on all Voltex MAX units. This technology supports features like anti-leak technology through the use of integrated leak detection and a smart anode.  For added peace of mind, the smart sensor provides notifications through A. O. Smith’s notification-enabled mobile app in the event of a detected leak. An automatic shutoff valve also comes standard on all Voltex MAX models to further protect homes.  Heat pump water heater  The smart anode adapts to local water conditions, protecting and extending the life of the water heater, and it displays an error code on the control panel when it needs to be replaced. Demand response and time-of-use capabilities make it even easier to save money by integrating a heat pump water heater into the growing number of utility smart grid programs. Using the A. O. Smith mobile app, professionals and homeowners can remotely monitor and adjust the water heater to improve performance and increase savings.