Star plumbing will be there to help you navigate your hot water problems when it just stops, pops, or needs help keeping up with everyday demands. Hot water systems come in electric, gas, instant hot water, solar and heat pumps. So you have plenty of choices and we’re here to give you the right advice depending on your needs and budget.  

Electric

Electric storage tank sizes range from 25lt to 400lt; they’re cheap reliable, easy install/changeover. However, they can be a significant expense to run unless you have PV (photovoltaic) panels these days, which can offset the cost. They’re easy to install/changeover and don’t take any longer than 2 hrs usually.

A family would typically need a 250lt to 315lt to allow for either off-peak connection or continuously using electricity.

There are also electric continuous flow hot water options for under bench and bathroom fixture. However, these usually require 3 phase power for rapid heating rather than the standard mains power, meaning it can be costly as a retrofit, so these systems are used more as a new build option. 

Solar

These days, this system is usually a solar tube collector on the roof, with a ground storage tank. The storage tank and is usually 250 – 300lt in size with either gas boosted or electric boosted for those unpleasant days of no sun.

These systems can be costly to supply and install, but with tradeable STC (solar trading credits), you may get a rebate from the government. With the correct collector design, size, and proper installation, free hot water will offset the upfront price.

Gas

Natural gas is a great option, and you can have storage options with a high star rating and quick recovery. 

As the name suggests, instant hot water gas systems only heat the water as you need it whenever you turn on the tap. These can be very cost-effective as they only use gas when there is a demand for hot water, making them a very energy-efficient replacement for any hot water system. With instantaneous hot water, you’ll save money and never run out of hot water. 

An instant gas hot water system is tankless, wall-mounted and compact. You can also have optional temperature control of your hot water in different rooms.

The only downside of an instant hot water system is the gas pipe size may need to be increased due to the MJ rating of these units (MJ -megajoules is the amount of gas burnt in an hr, MJ/hr). If natural gas isn’t available, instant heat hot water systems can use with LPG bottles, where delivery is available.

Hi-Efficiency Electric Heat pumps

Electric heat pumps are an increasingly more popular option as a hot water system. Whilst the upfront cost is higher, they save energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and, on average, are around 1/4 of the cost to run than a standard electric hot water system. 

Heat pumps are incredibly efficient, around 300%. Yep, over 100%, unlike electric-resistive heaters and gas, heat pumps create over three times as much energy as they take in. 

Heat pumps work like your air-conditioner or fridge but in reverse. They transfer heat using a refrigerant and a heat exchange system from outside the unit to the heater’s water. They are very efficient, quiet, and have the option of STC (solar trading credits) upon installation. 

If you have PV (photovoltaic) panels, hot water could not get much cheaper, practically free to run.