Time to replace my Gas Hot H2O Heater. Advice, please?

[DEDon]

MY A.O.Smith FPS40, a NG Power Vented Unit is now leaking profusely out of the bottom of the tank, a trail of trickling HOT water escapes the lower shroud near the front pilot access door and trails down to the concrete floor beneath the metal seat on which the whole unit sits and into the French drain. I can't complain. It has a tag indicating a December 1993 install. I moved here in '04.

I've done minor repairs (PRV and flushes), never changed anything else but, I realize that this leak is not a good sign.

Will someone please advise me regarding what I should know before I start shopping? Do I need to measure the height from the floor to the connection for the exhaust? I'd like to use the original venting from that point through the basement wall near the ceiling if possible. I want to do this myself since I know I can as long as I can find a gorilla to help me get it down in the basement.

I turned the water and Ngas back on, this evening just long enough to take a shower but, I don't know if this thing to rupture and spill water all over my basement or not so I shut it off again after my shower.

How can I not go with another A.O. Smith, at this point? Any recommendations for a replacement unit? I'm sticking with NG, maybe 50 or 55gal., max. and the power vent system was somehow required for my home back then, I assume, so I'll stick with that, as well.

 

[Jadnashua]

FWIW, the average life of a gas WH (if the water was already hot, why have a water heater!, so it's not a HOT water heater!) is around 7-years, so you got a long life out of yours.

Since that one was installed, they have mandated some new safety features, and most tanks of equivalent size are now taller to allow for the new burner design. If you could find one that uses closed combustion (i.e., has an intake from outside for the combustion makeup air), you might find one that is shorter than the replacement.

Power venting allows exhausting to a potentially easier location than a natural vent that would need to go up through the roof, but isn't technically 'required', it might be a lot more work to retrofit a natural vent, though as might adding a fresh air intake. Closed combustion is more efficient since that makeup air doesn't come from exhausting already conditioned air from your home, meaning you now have to heat or cool it, drawing in outside air through leaks in the structure, verses just getting it from outside directly.

 

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[DEDon]

Thanks for the advice. I went ahead and ordered a new SMIGPVT50, this morning. Best regards. This is close to my old model and 10 gal larger for those morning showers with two house guests. A little overkill but, I'm sure I'll be satisfied. Ordered from AF Supply, online. Seemed like an okay deal.
Thanks to all who read and commented.