Many people take their hot water systems for granted, but it’s a huge necessity, especially when living in cold areas. So, a replacement is necessary when your hot water system starts showing signs of wear and tear. Sure, you can get the model you usually invest in, but what if you can get a better one at a similar price range?
While selecting the best hot water system does take some time and research, it’s worth the effort to ensure adequate hot water for the entire household for a long time. The question is: What’s the best?
Read on as I show you my informative purchasing guide on hot water systems.
How to Get the Best Hot Water System
Companies like Brisbane Hot Water offer a wide selection of water systems, making it a bit confusing to get. Before you make that final purchasing decision, make sure to consider these critical factors:
1. What Kind of Power?
The first thing to consider is how your chosen system is powered.
- With electric pumps, they are cheaper to purchase and install, though expensive to run, especially when running at a continuous rate.
- Natural gas pumps are an excellent option if you have connections for it. They are cheaper than electricity but take note of the rising gas prices.
- Solar-powered systems have solar collector panels and a storage tank, requiring a large tank if there is less sunlight or you need more hot showers. They are expensive and take time to install, BUT there are government rebates and incentives, so you get your money’s worth.
2. Storage or Continuous Flow Tank?
Should you get a system that has a tank, or would you only heat water as needed?
- Most hot water systems use a tank with one or two sacrificial anodes. This helps attract minerals and impurities, which corrode the tank, with the anode corroding instead, therefore sacrificing it.
- There are two types of tanks: Mild-steel tanks corrode in a few years, while stainless steel tanks, though expensive, last longer and don’t require much maintenance.
- Continuous flow tanks are also known as instantaneous, heating up as much water as required. It takes a few seconds to heat up and flow from your faucet, but it’s cheaper to run than storage tanks.
- What you need depends on you. If you’re considering your budget, you may want to consider instantaneous systems to prevent higher electricity bills. But a storage tank is best if you wish to have hot water instantly.
3. What Brand Should I Get?
I always recommend getting well-known brands with positive reputations and performance. However, being popular doesn’t always mean being better, so make sure that you search for real customer testimonials to see if your branded system works well. You can find such reviews online and ask for referrals from others.
4. The Household Size and Your Water Usage
Take note that one person would use an average of 50L of hot water daily, or even more if you take longer showers, wash clothes, or use the dishwasher with hot water.
Here are some questions to ask yourself when determining the size of your hot water system:
- How many people live in the house?
- When and how many times do you take showers and baths a day? How long?
- Do you wash your clothes in cold or hot water?
- Do you use dishwashers or wash your dishes with hot or cold water?
You can get quotes from different suppliers to get a gist of how much you need. Here are the typical recommendations depending on your household size:
- Small households with 1-2 people will do well with continuous flow or small gas storage systems
- Medium households with 3-4 people will do well with gas systems or a heat pump
- Large households with more than five people will do well with multiple continuous flow systems or large gas storage units and heat pumps
Wrapping It Up
Water heating systems can take account for up to a quarter of your household energy use, or even more! That’s why it’s best to upgrade from your current hot water system and see if there are more cost-effective options. Don’t worry, it will still provide the water your household needs!
I hope my hot water system purchasing guide gave you an idea of what you should get. So begin investing in suitable systems for your home and family’s comfort.
Do you have any questions or want to share your tips and experiences purchasing a hot water system? Then share it in the comments section below, I would love to hear what you think.
