Is your hot water system on the blink making your blood boil and not your water? It is an expensive, yet essential, item to replace, not to mention the inconvenience of cold showers while you await replacements! With so many types of hot water systems available with varying price tags and benefits, trying to decipher what is right for you can be very daunting.
Clearing up hot water system confusion
Hot water systems are items that are replaced roughly every decade and there is a plethora of terminology you’ll need to grasp to make the right choice in systems. Here are some explanations to help you consider which is right for you and your family.
Tariffs
It’s important to ensure that all hot water systems with a storage tank are appropriately sized for your family’s needs.
• Economy Tariff: water is heated during off-peak times. Provides plenty of hot water.
• Continuous Tariff: usually connected to instantaneous systems with smaller capacity. More expensive as water is heated continuously.
Storage hot water systems
• Electric
If you’re thinking of replacing one of these hot water systems, think again. Not only are they quite inefficient, they’re also being phased out in Australia. Consider gas or solar powered systems that will save the environment and money. Various rebates apply when replacing these hot water systems.
• Gas
This type of hot water system is most efficient for households with 4+ occupants. If you don’t have gas access on your property however, this may not be an option for you.
Heat pumps
Heat pumps are beneficial when you don’t have gas or solar access. More energy is consumed by the heat pump trying to heat water faster, however it uses less energy than an equivalent type of electric storage system. Heat pumps also increase greenhouse gas emissions more than a gas powered system so are best operated on an economy tariff. They can be quite noisy, and should be installed clear of any neighbouring homes. The experienced staff at Bevan Robinson Electrical can advise the most appropriate area of your to install these pumps in Brisbane.
Instantaneous hot water systems
• Electric
These systems are expensive to operate. Instantaneous electric hot water systems use a high amount of energy and have a smaller capacity than other hot water system options. Some are now fitted with a temperature gauge to monitor energy efficiency.
• Gas
While being more cost effective than electric models, this does depend on whether they’re powered by LPG or Natural Gas. LPG can be more expensive and not as environmentally friendly. Those gas systems rated 5-Stars and higher are considered the next best thing to solar heating for environmental purposes. There may be fees and supply charges applicable to new installations of natural gas.
Solar hot water systems and boosters
The most environmentally friendly hot water system is solar. With these, the sun provides 80% of the energy needed to heat your water in Queensland. Solar is also the most cost effective option. During winter or cloudy periods, solar hot water systems can be boosted by gas or electric power if need be. Collector panels are usually installed on the roof with the storage tank alongside or on the ground.
You can boost your hot water system in 3 ways; gas, electric and heat pumps.
• Gas boosters provide the least greenhouse gas emissions and can be part of a ground storage tank or instantaneous.
• Electric boosters provide the second least greenhouse gas emissions and are the cheapest option to purchase and to run on an economy tariff.
• Heat Pump Boosters provide the most greenhouse gas emissions
Whether you’re leaning towards, gas, solar, electric or heat pumps, you’ll need to have your new hot water system installed by a fully licensed electrician. Installation costs vary according to the kind of hot water system you choose and the location of the system and your home. Choosing a hot water system installer is about choosing quality over price – be sure to choose an electrician you can trust.