Finding the best gas hot water system
The best hot water system for you will be the style that meets your specific needs. The modern alternative to electric hot water systems is instantaneous LPG or natural gas hot water systems. With instant gas hot water systems, you won’t need storage space for a large hot water cylinder, and there’s no waiting time for water to heat up. Questions worth asking include:
- What size water heater service do I need?
- What is the best hot water system price?
- Can I combine gas cooking, room heating, and hot water?
ELGAS can help you review new hot water systems that meet Australian standards. We are committed to lowering energy consumption with high-star energy-rating appliances for cost-effective water heating and energy-efficient water supply. We can help you make an informed decision and a comparison between electric hot water systems and gas hot water systems.
Efficient gas hot water
The most energy-efficient gas hot water systems have a 6-star or 7-star energy rating. With rising power costs, it makes sense to invest in efficient appliances that will save you money. Instantaneous gas hot water systems are considered the most energy-efficient, even more so when combined with solar hot water systems. Make more space in your home by removing the cumbersome and inefficient electric water cylinder. Run your instantaneous system with natural gas or LPG from ELGAS with a high flow rate for busy families.
How to look for Value for money options
Every kind of system has its pros and cons, but gas water systems offer a heap of benefits over electric storage systems that will make your life easier. For the best available tariffs, make sure to factor in all the benefits of instantaneous gas hot water, including:
- Environmentally Friendly: Gas systems efficiently use LPG or natural gas to heat water. If you want to reduce waste and harmful emissions, a continuous-flow hot water system could be the right choice for you.
- Cost-Effective: Gas options include continuous flow systems. Instead of storing hot water in a gas water heater tank, water is only heated when needed. Your energy costs are reduced.
- Saves On Space: Traditional water heating gas storage systems use bulky water tanks. Instant gas hot water systems, on the other hand, are tankless, stainless steel, and small enough to be mounted on a wall.
- No Danger of Rust: When using an instantaneous gas hot water system, there is no need for water storage in a large tank that can rust or leak.
- Cleaner Water: Fresh-flowing instantaneous hot water is cleaner and healthier for you and your family.
Gas-Boosted solar hot water
Solar hot water heaters have low running costs and few greenhouse gas emissions, but they have more expensive upfront installation costs. To maximise efficiency, they can be equipped with a booster unit for periods without sufficient sunlight. Solar hot water system boosters can be electric, natural gas or LPG gas. It’s important to purchase gas-boosted solar hot water with enough solar panels and sufficient tank storage so that the booster is not overused. Your roof configuration also needs to be compatible with gas-boosted solar hot water. You may be eligible for solar system installation rebates.
How a tankless water heater works
Tankless gas hot water systems have been around for a while, but it still seems magical as the water is instantly heated without a visible power point or heating element. Here’s how a tankless water heater works.
- Cold water flows into the water heater when a hot water tap is opened.
- The water flow is detected by a sensor that ignites the gas burner to heat water using a heat exchanger.
- The water flows through the heat exchanger absorbing as much heat as required.
- A control regulator unit modulates the gas burner to maintain a set water temperature.
Tankless gas hot water systems can be set at 50ºC so the risk of scalding is greatly reduced without the need for a tempering valve. For an in-depth read on Tankless hot water systems click HERE.
What Size Hot Water System Do I Need?
Firstly, work out the number of people in your household and the type of hot water system used, then ask yourself a few questions.
- Does everyone take hot showers at the same general time of day?
- Do they take showers simultaneously in different bathrooms?
- Do some prefer baths? Is the bath or spa oversized?
- What type of showerheads are installed?
- Do you run the washing machine, using hot or warm water, while people are showering?
- Is your dishwasher connected to cold or hot water? If hot, do you use it while hot water is being used elsewhere?
- Do you use off-peak hot water?
The use of a WELS 3-star rated water-saving shower head is a good idea. It will save water and energy whilst also reducing the size and cost of the hot water system required.