The DMV workhorse
Natural gas tank
A standard atmospheric-vent gas tank is still the most common water heater in this region, and for a lot of homes it remains the right answer: fast recovery, straightforward parts, and a replacement that can usually happen the same visit.
Best fit when
- • Homes already piped for gas with an existing chimney or B-vent
- • Households that want the simplest like-for-like replacement
- • Budgets focused on lower upfront cost rather than long-run efficiency
Tradeoffs
- • Standing losses are higher than tankless or heat pump equipment
- • Requires adequate combustion air and a sound vent path
- • Capacity is fixed — running out means waiting for recovery
Installation considerations
- • Vent condition and draft are verified before a new unit goes in.
- • Older homes often need the gas flex, shutoff and expansion tank brought current.
- • Drain pan and discharge routing matter most in finished basements.
Manufacturer reference: A. O. Smith gas water heater info center · Bradford White gas water heaters
%20--%3e%3csvg%20version='1.1'%20id='Layer_1'%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns:xlink='http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20x='0px'%20y='0px'%20viewBox='0%200%20310%2075'%20xml:space='preserve'%3e%3cstyle%20type='text/css'%3e%20.st0{fill:%23CF000F;}%20%3c/style%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M44,45.1c3.2-1.1,12-4,12-18.9S46.2,5.9,28.9,5.9H4.5c-0.9,0-1.6,0.7-1.6,1.5c0,0,0,0,0,0v63.5%20c0,0.9,0.7,1.6,1.6,1.5c0,0,0,0,0,0h12c0.9,0,1.6-0.7,1.6-1.5c0,0,0,0,0,0V46.5h9.4l16.7,24.1c0.8,1.2,2.1,1.9,3.6,1.9h12.9%20c0.7,0,1.2-0.6,1.2-1.3c0-0.2-0.1-0.4-0.2-0.6L44,45.1z%20M27.2,35.9h-9.1V16.4h9.1c7.4,0,13.5,1.3,13.5,9.7S34.6,35.9,27.2,35.9z'/%3e%3ccircle%20class='st0'%20cx='74.3'%20cy='10.4'%20r='7.9'/%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M68.3,21.8h12c0.9,0,1.6,0.7,1.6,1.6v47.5c0,0.9-0.7,1.6-1.6,1.6h-12c-0.9,0-1.6-0.7-1.6-1.6V23.4%20C66.7,22.5,67.4,21.8,68.3,21.8z'/%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M121.8,20.5c-11.3,0-14.6,4.7-16.5,6.6v-3.8c0-0.9-0.7-1.6-1.6-1.6c0,0,0,0,0,0H91.9c-0.9,0-1.6,0.7-1.6,1.6%20v47.5c0,0.9,0.7,1.6,1.6,1.6c0,0,0,0,0,0h12c0.9,0,1.6-0.7,1.6-1.6c0,0,0,0,0,0V44c0-6.9,4.2-12,11.1-12c7.5,0,11.1,5.3,11.1,12%20v26.9c0,0.9,0.7,1.6,1.6,1.6h12c0.9,0,1.6-0.7,1.6-1.6V40.3C142.9,25.5,132.6,20.5,121.8,20.5z'/%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M182.7,20.5c-11.3,0-14.6,4.7-16.5,6.6v-3.8c0-0.9-0.7-1.6-1.6-1.6c0,0,0,0,0,0h-11.8c-0.9,0-1.6,0.7-1.6,1.6%20v47.5c0,0.9,0.7,1.6,1.6,1.6c0,0,0,0,0,0h12c0.9,0,1.6-0.7,1.6-1.6c0,0,0,0,0,0V44c0-6.9,4.2-12,11.1-12c7.5,0,11.1,5.3,11.1,12%20v26.9c0,0.9,0.7,1.6,1.6,1.6h12c0.9,0,1.6-0.7,1.6-1.6V40.3C203.8,25.5,193.5,20.5,182.7,20.5z'/%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M227.3,21.9c-10.9,3-14.6,10.5-15.4,13.1c-0.2,0.6,0,1.2,0.6,1.5c0.2,0.1,0.4,0.1,0.6,0.1l13.5-0.1%20c0.5,0,1-0.2,1.3-0.5c2.9-3.6,7.1-4.4,11.1-4.2c9.8,0.6,9,8.5,9,9.1c-32.8-3-41,11.6-36.9,22.4c4.8,12.4,28.8,13.8,36.6,5.2%20c1,2.7,1.2,4,3.3,4h10.2c0.9,0,1.6-0.7,1.6-1.6v-30C262.8,19.3,238.5,18.8,227.3,21.9z%20M247.8,52.4c0,7.3-4.7,11.7-12.8,11.9%20c-6,0.2-11-2.4-11.1-6.3c-0.3-8.9,18.2-8.5,22.3-8.2c1.5,0.1,1.5,0.1,1.5,0.8L247.8,52.4z'/%3e%3ccircle%20class='st0'%20cx='278.4'%20cy='10.4'%20r='7.9'/%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M272.5,21.8h12c0.9,0,1.6,0.7,1.6,1.6v47.5c0,0.9-0.7,1.6-1.6,1.6h-12c-0.9,0-1.6-0.7-1.6-1.6V23.4%20C270.9,22.5,271.6,21.8,272.5,21.8z'/%3e%3cg%3e%3cpath%20class='st0'%20d='M301.2,58.5c1.2,0,2.3,0.3,3.4,0.9c1.1,0.6,2,1.5,2.6,2.6c0.6,1.1,0.9,2.3,0.9,3.5c0,1.2-0.3,2.4-0.9,3.5%20s-1.5,2-2.6,2.6c-1.1,0.6-2.3,0.9-3.5,0.9c-1.2,0-2.4-0.3-3.5-0.9s-2-1.5-2.6-2.6c-0.6-1.1-0.9-2.3-0.9-3.5c0-1.2,0.3-2.4,0.9-3.5%20c0.6-1.1,1.5-2,2.6-2.6C298.9,58.8,300,58.5,301.2,58.5z%20M301.2,59.7c-1,0-1.9,0.3-2.9,0.8c-0.9,0.5-1.7,1.2-2.2,2.2%20c-0.5,0.9-0.8,1.9-0.8,2.9c0,1,0.3,2,0.8,2.9c0.5,0.9,1.2,1.6,2.2,2.2c0.9,0.5,1.9,0.8,2.9,0.8c1,0,2-0.3,2.9-0.8s1.7-1.2,2.2-2.2%20c0.5-0.9,0.8-1.9,0.8-2.9c0-1-0.3-2-0.8-2.9c-0.5-0.9-1.3-1.7-2.2-2.2C303.2,60,302.2,59.7,301.2,59.7z%20M298.1,69.4v-7.5h2.6%20c0.9,0,1.5,0.1,1.9,0.2c0.4,0.1,0.7,0.4,0.9,0.7c0.2,0.3,0.4,0.7,0.4,1.1c0,0.6-0.2,1-0.6,1.4s-0.9,0.6-1.6,0.7%20c0.3,0.1,0.5,0.2,0.6,0.4c0.3,0.3,0.7,0.8,1.1,1.5l0.9,1.5H303l-0.7-1.2c-0.5-0.9-1-1.5-1.3-1.8c-0.2-0.2-0.5-0.3-1-0.3h-0.7v3.2%20H298.1z%20M299.4,65.2h1.5c0.7,0,1.2-0.1,1.4-0.3c0.3-0.2,0.4-0.5,0.4-0.8c0-0.2-0.1-0.4-0.2-0.6c-0.1-0.2-0.3-0.3-0.5-0.4%20c-0.2-0.1-0.6-0.1-1.2-0.1h-1.4V65.2z'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)