8 Musts, When Picking a Hot Water System for Your Home

Trying to select the best Northern Beaches hot water heater for your home? Be sure to weigh your options carefully. When we go out to client’s homes, we often find that they don’t have the best hot water heater that suits their family because they didn’t do enough research or planning. This is a major investment, one that has a big impact on your bank account, comfort, and even health. We aren’t trying to scare you, we’re just trying to help our neighbours save a bit of money and discomfort!

Your choice of hot water heater for your northern beaches home doesn’t have to be so hard. Just avoid the mistakes that cost you extra money for no reason.

We put together this quick guide of 8 things you MUST KNOW when choosing a water heater.

1) First, there are 3 main types of hot water heating systems, each with pros and cons

Electric: Cheap to buy and easy to install. The drawback is they aren’t as efficient as other heaters and you can only use one tank at a time. There is a tank for every need, from large family homes to townhouses and small 1 bed units.

Instantaneous Gas: Most hot water heaters in the Sydney Area use natural gas. They are extremely efficient and can be installed everywhere except the kitchen sink (though we could try for ya). They can be more expensive to install if you haven’t had one before, but pay back dividends over time. Ideal for houses, townhouses and big families.

Solar: Imagine using the sun to take a shower. Sounds cool, right? If you’re in the Northern Beaches, the sun is pummeling you mercilessly all day anyway. Might as well use it to get some energy. They’re a lot more expensive to install but way more efficient. But only if you’ve got direct sun access and have huge heating needs (we’ll explain how to calculate those next).

2) A 4-Person Australian Household Needs About 315-400 L Capacity

We could write a novel on this topic, but we’ll just give you some back of the napkin calculations here. We find that most Aussies use around 80 to 100 L of hot water per day. We also find that a lot of older houses located on the Northern beaches have heaters that are not adequate for the size of the family that are living in the house. Read the rest of the article to find out how to avoid this situation.

The average family should only need 400L per day.

Of course, your needs change if:

People shower at the same time in separate bathrooms
You have large laundry requirements
You cook all day every day
You have a dishwasher that you run simultaneously
You have a large bath that you use regularly

These are just a few of the factors that go into choosing. But if you don’t have any major extenuating circumstances, 80 L per person should be all you need for an average Sydney Area family.

3) Hot Water Heating is the Second Largest Household Energy Expense

It’s true. Next to heating and cooling your home, hot water for showers, cooking, and cleaning is the largest household expense. A full 25% of household energy in Australia is from our heaters. Keep that in mind as you shop. Your choice affects everyone. Efficiency is key for you and for the environment.

4) The Average Water Heater Lasts 10-15 Years (so factor in maintenance)

15 years is a long time. While longevity is a good thing, that also means you have to maintain it for longer. As your unit ages, it becomes harder and more expensive to maintain. So while the upfront costs of purchasing and installing a heater are probably first on your mind, make sure to factor maintenance into the price

Pro Tip: Preventative maintenance is the only proven way to keep repair costs down. One of our Sydney Northern Beaches water heater specialists costs next to nothing when compared to repairing or replacing your whole system.

5) Low-Flow Water Restrictors = Ultimate Hot Water Life Hack

Did you know that installing low-flow water restrictor can save you up to 60% on your water bills? Most low-flow faucets cut the flow of water by about 25-40% over the standard shower head, which will amount to thousands of litres saved every month.

Most people say they don’t even notice the difference. They only cost a few dollars, so why not save money and wear and tear on your system?

6) Solar Energy Systems Might Earn you CASH

Yes, you read that right…kind of. Aside from savings on bills and helping Mother Earth stay a bit healthier, a solar system (not THAT solar system) might qualify you for a small-scale technology certificate (STC). It’s a measure of renewable energy that can be traded for cash or discounts on installing a hot water system. Check your eligibility via the government’s energy website calculator.

7) Off-Peak is the Way to go With Storage Heaters

If you’re going to replace your storage hot water service, you should consider going with the largest heater possible (factoring in users also). If you can set up your Rheem storage heater on off peak 1 you will almost wipe out energy cost for hot water. It proves very cost effective if you can only heat the water once a day during off peak time. If you can’t quite get enough hot water for the family on one heat cycle, you can switch to off peak 2. This means the heater will heat twice a day in off peak times. Far more cost effective than being on continuous tariff.

8) Showers Matter More than Anything

The average shower consumes somewhere around 200 L of water and runs about 8 minutes. There’s very little point trying to save money elsewhere on water bills if you take 30 minute showers (here’s looking at you, sis!). If you do take long showers, then gas or solar is the way to go.

Choosing the right hot water heater for your Northern Beaches home is much more important than you might think. Choose the right one and you’ll lower your bills, increase the lifespan of your appliance, and decrease repairs (and more hot water for showers!). Choose the wrong one, and you might wish you had read this guide first!

Speaking of repairs, if you do ever need one, our Northern Beaches plumbers are always here to help. You might end up in one of our cool YouTube videos!