The Edison Awards, named after American inventor Thomas Alva Edison, has recognized world-changing innovations and the minds behind them since 1987.

"A. O. Smith has been at the forefront of American manufacturing innovation for more than 150 years, from developing the world's first mass-production process for assembling auto frames for Henry Ford in 1906 to introducing the first 95% energy-efficient water heater in 1986," said Betsy Curran, director of marketing and customer engagement at A. O. Smith. "We're honored to receive this prestigious award and be recognized on a global scale for our ongoing commitment to innovating new sustainable solutions that deliver significant energy savings, ultimate peace of mind, and plenty of hot water."

Scale buildup is the number-one cause of failure in tankless water heaters. The new Adapt line features first-of-its kind, patented, built-in X3 Scale Prevention Technology that provides protection for the heat exchanger, so the unit lasts three times longer than a standard tankless water heater, the press release said.

An Adapt water heater has no need for de-scaling maintenance for the lifetime of the product, and comes with the industry's first-ever "Peace of Mind" limited warranty, the press release said.

Available in 160,000 Btu, 180,000 Btu, and 199,000 Btu inputs, all models are field-convertible from natural gas to liquid propane (kit included) and can be installed indoors or outdoors. Adapt water heaters are also low NOx and Energy Star-certified, qualifying homeowners for rebates of up to $1,300 in some states.