Water heating systems account for one of the majority of energy uses in an average Australian home. Selecting the right hot water system may be a daunting task owing to the number of brands available in the marketplace today.
As water heating systems account for 15% to 27% of energy use depending on the location, you must select not only the right hot water system but the same day hot water service for zero inconvenience and minimal downtime.
5 Factors to Look For When Comparing Top Brands for the Same Day Hot Water System Installation
Fuel Sources
The four main types of available fuel sources for hot water systems are:
- Off-Peak Electricity
- Continuous Power Electricity
- Natural Gas
- LPG
If you are looking for the cheapest and simplest form of a hot water system, then off-peak electricity would be the way to go. It runs through the night to early morning hours and may receive a second boost in the afternoon. Electric storage systems are installed in around 50% of Australian homes.
A continuous power electricity option is also cheap to install, but the cost of running this fuel source is high. If you want to opt for natural gas sources, note they will have to be installed outdoors due to their venting issues. Installation and maintenance are comparatively higher for natural gas sources, and you should consider factors like gas availability on the street.
Size
What size of water heater does your home need? What size of water heater can your home accommodate? For a family of 2 to 3, a small hot water tank with a capacity of 100-200 litres should be sufficient. Larger tanks can hold up to 250-400 litres of water.
The water tank capacity, cost and water delivered per minute will differ depending on the fuel source. For example, gas storage water heaters like Rheem 360 Stellar delivers 6 litres of water per minute in the first hour. However, an instantaneous electric system like Stiebel Eltron DHF 15 delivers 4.5 litres of water per minute may be expensive to run compared to gas heaters.
Hot Water System Type
Water heating systems are categorised into:
- Storage based: Hot water is kept ready in the storage tank.
- Instantaneous: Water is heated when required. No storage offered.
These categories are further classified depending on the fuel source used. The different types of hot water system offered by top brands are:
- Electric Storage Tanks
- Continuous Power Electricity
- Gas Storage
- Instantaneous Electricity
- Gas Continuous Flow or Instantaneous
- Heat Pump
- Solar
You can have water tanks installed or replaced within a day with same day hot water service.
Cost
Consider the cost of the unit and the running and maintenance costs. For example, if you opt for a solar gas/ electric water system, the running costs are low, but the unit’s price runs upwards of $3000.
The cheapest water system in terms of tank cost and running costs is electric storage. The next cheaper option being different star rated natural gas systems.
Warranty
Water systems have a healthy shelf life of 8 to 12 years. Usually, the different parts of the water system like cylinders, pumps, collectors have separate warranties. Investing in a water heating system is an expensive solution.
Compare the warranties offered by different brands, or you might end up with high service and repair costs in the long term.
A hot water system should enhance the quality of your lifestyle and not become a cause for concern. Consider costs, size and fuel source when choosing a water heating system. With same day hot water service, you may seek professional advice on what hot water system would best suit your requirement.
