TL;DR
Input rate is the fuel energy a gas appliance consumes per hour, stated in BTU per hour on the rating plate, as distinct from output, which subtracts combustion losses through efficiency. Techs verify it by clocking the gas meter with all other appliances off, then compare against the plate before adjusting manifold pressure or changing orifices, especially after propane conversions or at altitudes that require derating.
What it means
Input rate is the fuel energy a gas appliance consumes per hour, stated in BTU per hour on the rating plate, as distinct from output, which subtracts combustion losses through efficiency. Techs verify it by clocking the gas meter with all other appliances off, then compare against the plate before adjusting manifold pressure or changing orifices, especially after propane conversions or at altitudes that require derating. Overfiring cracks heat exchangers and underfiring causes condensation and sooting, so the figure anchors any combustion diagnostic.
Where it sits in the glossary
Input rate is part of the Trade jargon group inside the ProFix Directory glossary. Browse every term in this category from the glossary index.
Why Ohio homeowners should know it
This is a term Ohio homeowners encounter when reading contractor quotes, hiring paperwork, or inspection reports. Understanding it well enough to ask one good follow-up question is usually all the protection a homeowner needs.
ProFix Directory keeps definitions short on the index page and saves the longer context — Ohio-specific rules, where the term comes from, and which ProFix tools touch it — for these per-term pages so the term is easy to cite and easy to share.
ProFix tools that touch this term
See also
License: CC-BY-4.0 — quote freely with attribution to ProFix Editorial Team / ProFix Directory.