Choosing the Right Hot Water System for Your Home
The hot water system in your home is something we tend to take for granted, but it has a big impact on your daily life. Choosing the best system for your needs not only saves energy but can also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and your utility bills. It is important to spend time understanding your options before making a decision so you get the best value for money.
The type of hot water system you choose depends on a number of factors, such as space available, existing water heater, local energy sources, your lifestyle and your heating requirements. Fossil fuels (natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas or LPG) and electricity can be used to heat your water. Alternatives to fossil fuels include solar hot water, heat pumps and geothermal heating systems.
Electric storage systems use electricity to heat your water via a hot water cylinder or a tankless system. These can be gas, electric or solar powered and are the most common hot water system in Australia. Solar hot water systems are very popular and can be installed in new and existing homes to provide low cost, renewable energy hot water.
Solar systems require adequate roof space, good solar access and a suitable local climate to operate at their best. The electricity needed to run solar hot water systems may be supplied by your own rooftop photovoltaic solar panel system or through green power from your electricity retailer. Heat pumps can be run on natural gas or electricity and are very efficient, reducing energy usage and greenhouse gases.
If you choose a gas hot water system, this can be operated on either mains pressure or low pressure gravity. Low pressure gravity systems have a lower pressure than mains pressure and can affect the flow of hot water at outlets such as showers and taps.
You can also select an integrated system where the heat pump is fixed to your existing tank or you can choose a split system where the evaporator unit is located away from the tank. A split system can be more flexible for space constraints and can also offer a higher efficiency than an integrated system.
Continuous flow or instantaneous systems heat the water as you use it, so they don’t suffer from storage heat losses. These types of systems can be gas, electric or LPG and can be heated with either a digital electronic ignition or by a pilot flame. You can also combine these systems with rainwater harvesting and a grey water recycling system for even greater environmental benefits. Regardless of the type of hot water system you install, it is important to accurately estimate your daily water usage and match this with a model that can adequately meet your requirements. This will reduce energy costs, ensure you have enough hot water for your household and help reduce storage loss losses. Using energy efficient showerheads and taps will also contribute to reducing your hot water consumption.