Find the most suitable hot water system for your home
2022 is the year to be more environmentally conscious and think of every possible way to decrease a household’s carbon footprint. On top of that, with the right hot water system, families can save on water and electricity bills in the long run and lower their environmental impact.
4 Tips for choosing the best hot water system
The team here at Hogan Hot Water & Air Conditioning have listed the following tips for choosing a hot water system can make a household more energy and cost-efficient:
- Research the available hot water systems.
- Look at the energy efficiency rating.
- Decide which size of hot water heater you need.
- Let the Expert Handle Your Newcastle Hot Water Heater Needs.
1. Research the available hot water systems
There are four types of hot water systems that are available on the market. Here are their descriptions to help you choose which one is best for your home:
- Electric hot water systems
- Gas hot water systems
- Solar hot water systems
- Heat pump water heaters.
Electric hot water systems
About 50% of Australian households use electric storage hot water systems; that’s because they are the least expensive in terms of unit cost and installation. However, they are the most expensive to run, unless they are powered by a solar photovoltaic system.
Electric storage hot water systems use a heating element inside the tank. They store hot water in an insulated tank so that it is always ready for use. In New South Wales, hot water systems contribute the biggest share of greenhouse gas emissions. That is why the Building Sustainability Index (BASIX) encourages owners of new houses to utilise environmentally friendly hot water systems, such as solar and gas.
Gas hot water systems
A gas hot water system is one of the most cost-effective types of water heater, especially when run on natural gas. These water heaters are usually found outdoors because they require proper ventilation. Continuous flow or instantaneous water heater is the most common type of gas hot water system.
Note, however, that gas storage hot water systems are not efficient in cold climates. That’s because they have pretty high heat loss due to the lack of insulation where the gas flame is heating the tank.
When the need to replace an electric or a conventional gas hot water system arises, consider a more economical and efficient natural gas or solar water heater.
Solar hot water systems
Solar hot water systems are made up of solar panels or evacuated tube collectors and a water storage tank unit installed either on the roof or ground. Areas with long cold nights and less mid-year sun may need to use a gas or electric booster to supply enough hot water.
The upfront cost of buying and installing a solar hot water system is more expensive than the other types. Its running cost, however, is significantly lower. This would mean a lot more savings in the long run. Besides, system owners can create small-scale technology certificates (STCs) which can be exchanged for an upfront discount on their system or cash payment.
One STC is equivalent to 1 megawatt-hour of electricity displaced by the installation of a solar water heater. These certificates must be created within 12 months of installing a solar water heater system. Use the Clean Energy Regulator’s STC calculator to find out the approximate number of certificates that a system you want may be eligible for.
A solar hot water system with a high number of STCs will have the best BASIX score. Gas-boosted solar heaters usually perform better than electric-boosted systems.
Heat pump water heaters
Heat pump water heaters come in two types: Integrated with the tank and compressor and split with the tank and compressor. A heat pump water heater extracts heat from the surrounding air to heat the water in a storage tank. It uses only 30% of the energy of an electric storage water heater and can provide additional savings while decreasing carbon footprint, if the home has a solar photovoltaic system that generates more electricity than the household’s demand.
The purchase and installation costs are a bit expensive but running a heat pump water heater is relatively cheap. Note that there are heat pump water heater models that are not designed for cold locations where the temperature regularly drops below 5 degrees Celsius.
2. Look at the energy efficiency rating
The Equipment Energy Efficiency (E3) program rates water heaters and other appliances according to their efficiency. A highly efficient water heater has 5 or 6 stars, while those that perform poorly usually get 2 to 3 stars.
3. Decide which size of hot water heater you need
Get a storage heater that is too small, and the household will continually run out of hot water. Get one that is too large, and the running costs will be more expensive because it will maintain the water temperature even when not in use. These guidelines can help you choose the right size of water heater for your home.
- The more people there are in a household, the larger the storage tank should be.
- The number of hot water outlets in the home will determine the size of a continuous flow or instantaneous system, not the number of people in a household.
- The size of a solar water heater also depends on the number of people in the household. More people mean a larger storage tank and more solar evacuated tube collectors.
4. Let the experts handle your Newcastle hot water heater needs
Whether you want to install a new hot water system or replace an old one, you can count on Hogan Hot Water & Air Conditioning to do the job right. Our hot water heater head technician is a licenced electrician, gas fitter, plumber and refrigeration mechanic with more than 20 years of experience. He can fix all types of water heater, and he has done over 16,000 installations.
Hogan Hot Water will be glad to provide you with expert advice and free quotes. Call us today on 0488 029 618 or send us an online enquiry by using this contact form and a member of the team will get right back to you.