Hot Water Services
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Vision Plumbing can repair or replace any brand of hot water heaters – gas or electric – and even upgrade systems to meet specific needs, making them more efficient and saving you money on energy and water costs You would like a hot water service that makes hot water available when you want it. And maybe you would also like it to be cost conscious and environmentally friendly.
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In thinking about your hot water needs you may find the following information interesting:
- In a typical household heating hot water services accounts for 25% of the entire energy cost and 23 per cent of the total greenhouse gas emissions.
- More than half of hot water use in a normal house is in the bathroom. The laundry typically accounts for a third. The remainder is generally in the kitchen.
- One of the best ways to reduce your energy bills is to reduce hot water use by installing water efficient shower heads and taps. you will save on energy and water.
Vision Plumbing can help with installing water efficient shower heads and taps.
Hot water system options
Hot water services system options; There are five basic types of water heating systems:
1. Mains pressure storage systems.
2. Low pressure or gravity feed.
3. Instantaneous or continuous flow systems.
4. Solar systems.
5. Heat pump electric systems.
Hot water – storage systems
Water is heated and stored in an insulated tank. They operate on either mains pressure or from a gravity feed (constant pressure) tank.
Mains pressure storage
Hot water is delivered at a similar pressure and flow rate to cold water. The main benefit of this to you is that more than one outlet can be turned on without generally affecting water pressure. The storage tank can be inside or outside the house and is typically located at ground level.
Pros
- Fast hot water delivery to taps, saving water.
- Cheapest option for hot water replacement.
- Units such as the Aquamax 390 have an energy efficient 5 star rating as well as an excellent 10 year warranty on its tank.
Cons
- Generally large in size, taking up space on outside wall of house or inside in cupboard.
- Runs out of hot water.
Low pressure or gravity feed
With a gravity feed hot water system the tank is usually located in the roof of the house. The major shortcoming of gravity feed systems is that the pressure of your hot water depends on the height difference between the tank and where you need the hot water. Gravity feed systems are mostly found in older properties and properties not connected to mains water. They are often cheaper to purchase and last longer than mains pressure systems. In most cases these are not the most practical system to install, and are no longer readily available.
For either system warranties for the tanks typically range from 5 to 10 years.
Instantaneous and continuous flow water heaters
Continuous flow systems are relatively new technology compared to the storage systems and have quickly gained popularity. They heat only the water you need when you need it. They can be mounted internally or externally.
Instantaneous and continuous flow hot water systems do not run out of hot water. However, standard instantaneous systems only deliver adequate hot water to one or two points at the same time and at a reduced flow/pressure, (high performance continuous flow units can supply several points at once at full mains water pressure).
Continuous flow hot water heating systems can be fitted with temperature controls that let you set the water temperature for different points in the house (eg in the shower). This means water is not overheated and hot water does not need to be diluted with cold water to achieve a suitable temperature – great for reducing your energy use.
Pros
- Very compact in size.
- Most continuous low units have an efficient 5 star rating.
- Never run out of hot water.
- Optional temperature controllers can be installed in bathrooms, kitchen and laundry for precise temperature control and increasing the energy efficiency of the hot water unit.
Cons
- Expensive installation due to requirements of large gas pipes and electrician to install power point or connection.
- Can take a long amount of time to deliver hot water to taps due to not storing any hot water.
Solar hot water systems
Solar hot water systems are the most efficient water heaters available. They consist of solar panels mounted on the roof to heat the water, all have either gas or electric boosters which are only used to assist on cool or overcast days.
Some solar hot water systems have their hot water storage tanks and boosters installed on the ground, separate from the solar panels. These are known as split systems. The advantages of such a system are that they do not require strengthening of the roof structure to support a water tank, and the storage tank and booster units are more accessible for maintenance. The other type of solar hot water system is the close coupled unit, where the tank and booster are coupled directly to the roof mounted solar panels. In some cases this saves on installation costs if no roof strengthening work is required, and saves space at ground level as the storage tank is on the roof.
Pros
- The most energy efficient for of water heating available, free hot water during warmer months.
- Roof mounted close coupled units take up no living area.
Cons
- Expensive installation costs due to high cost of equipment and long installation times.
- High cost of maintenance due to large number of working parts and difficult access.
Heat pump electric system
A heat pump water heater works in a similar way to a refrigerator or reverse cycle air conditioner. In the case of an air conditioner the heat inside the room is extracted from the room and pumped to the outside atmosphere. In winter it works in reverse, extracting heat from the ambient air outside and pumping it to the inside. That’s what a heat pump hot water unit does, it takes the heat from the outside ambient air and uses it to heat the hot water. As with air conditioners and refrigerators, a heat pump uses refrigerant to boost the effect of the ambient air.
Pros
- Environmentally friendly compared to other standard electric mains pressure hot water units.
- Attracts government rebates to lower installation costs.
Cons
- Not as environmentally friendly as efficient mains pressure gas units.
Finding the right hot water system for you
Vision Plumbing can help you with any hot water system you choose. To help determine which system is best for you we have summarised the key questions we will ask you when we meet.
1. How many bathrooms do you have in your home?
2. How many showers and baths?
3. How many people live in your home and what are their ages?
4. Do you wash your clothes with hot, cold or warm water?
Contact
Vision Plumbing for your Hot Water Services
