What Gas Water Heater Do I Need?

As the scorching Australian summer approaches, many of us are eagerly preparing for outdoor gatherings, barbecues, and pool parties. However, one aspect of preparation that often gets overlooked is gas appliance servicing for homeowners.

There are three categories of gas water heater: 

• Storage – Water is heated and stored in an insulated tank, ready to use when needed.
• Instantaneous or continuous flow ­– Water is heated only when required.
• Solar-boosted – Energy from the sun is used to heat water for your home. If the sun is not shining the instantaneous gas heater ignites and brings the water temperature up to your set level.
  
  

Deciding which type is right for your home in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs is easy once you read about how each works.

Gas Storage 

Gas storage water systems have an insulated cylinder of water that is continually heated by a gas burner underneath. One benefit of gas storage water heaters is that there is always hot water ready to go. Plus gas storage water heaters have a range of sizes to suit every household size. The downside is heat is lost through the storage unit walls. Therefore, the gas heater uses energy to keep the water warm whether you use hot water or not. 

The energy star rating for gas storage hot water heaters is between 4 and 5.3 stars.

Instantaneous or Continuous Flow 

Water is only heated when needed in an instantaneous flow water heater. Therefore, the total amount of gas needed to heat water is typically lower than a hot water storage gas heater system. However, a downside of continuous flow water heaters is they have a high gas consumption rate. Therefore they may require a new gas line installation. 

But, with an Energy Star rating of 5 to 6 (and sometimes 7!), instantaneous flow gas hot water systems are very efficient. 

Solar-boosted Gas Hot Water Systems

The third option for gas hot water systems is a solar boosted hot water system. While it can be expensive to purchase and install, the running costs of a solar-boosted gas hot water system are significantly lower. Electricity generated for free from the sun? Can’t go wrong. However, it’s important to remember the sun doesn’t shine every day. So we recommend a gas booster unit be installed for days when there’s little to no sun. 

Gas Hot Water Heater Installations

Water heating can account for 16% of your energy bill! So make sure you get the right gas hot water heater for your Bayside home to cut costs and keep your water warm. If you have questions about gas hot water heaters or need to install a gas water heater in Bayside give Almac Plumbing a call on 1300 125 622. As experienced gas fitters for gas hot water installations and repairs, we have seen it all!