Hot Water Installation & Replacement Wollongong

Choosing a hot water system that suits your home

The right size depends on how many people live in the house and how you use hot water, especially whether several people shower around the same time. The right type depends on what the property already offers: a natural gas connection, space for LPG bottles, a suitable roof, or an outdoor spot for a unit with a fan.

Electric storage

A tank with an element. It's simpler and usually cheaper to buy than a heat pump, but much less efficient. Larger tanks can be set to heat during off-peak electricity periods, while smaller ones generally aren't suited to off-peak operation.

Gas storage and continuous flow

Gas systems run on either a network connection or LPG bottles. A continuous flow unit heats water only when a tap is turned on, so there's no tank to keep hot and the unit is compact, and it generally uses less energy than a gas storage tank. It does need to be sized for the number of outlets you'll run at once.

Heat pump

A heat pump uses electricity to move heat from the surrounding air into the water, using much less energy than an element heating it directly. It needs no roof collectors, but its fan makes some noise, so where it sits relative to bedrooms and neighbours' windows matters. Our heat pump review for Illawarra homes goes further.

Solar

Collectors on the roof heat the water, and an electric or gas booster takes over when the sun isn't enough. Collectors work most efficiently facing north, so your roof's direction often decides whether solar is practical.

Should you replace like for like or change the system?

Replacing a failed unit with the same type is usually the quickest way back to hot water, because the position and the water, gas or power connections are already in place.

Changing type takes more planning. Moving from electric to gas needs a gas supply where the new unit will sit, solar needs a roof that faces the right way, and a heat pump needs an outdoor position with good airflow. We'll look at what your home already has and tell you plainly if a change isn't worth it. For side-by-side comparisons, read gas vs electric hot water and tankless vs storage hot water.

What a hot water installation involves

Most installations follow this order, with details that vary by system type.

• A site check of the existing connections, the unit's position, access and the relief valve drain line.
• Isolating the water and the power or gas, then draining and disconnecting the old unit.
• Setting the new unit in place and connecting the cold supply, the hot outlet and the valves it needs.
• Fitting a temperature control device so water reaches the bathroom at a safe temperature.
• For gas systems, connecting the gas supply and testing it.
• Filling the system, purging air, commissioning it and checking temperatures at the taps.
• Walking you through the controls and leaving the paperwork with you.

What happens to the old unit

The old system is isolated, drained and disconnected before the new one goes in. Your quote will spell out what happens to the old unit after that, so you know before work starts.

NSW rules for installing hot water

In NSW you need a licence to do any plumbing, drainage or gasfitting work, whatever the size of the job. Installing a hot water system is plumbing work, and connecting gas to it is gasfitting work. Aqua Rise Plumbing is fully licensed, with comprehensive insurance.

When a hot water heater is installed or replaced in NSW, a temperature control device has to be fitted so heated water at the outlets used for personal hygiene, such as showers, baths and basins, is no hotter than 50°C. The limit drops to 45°C in places such as aged care, early childhood centres, schools and facilities for people with a disability, where a thermostatic mixing valve or thermostatically controlled tap is required.