CHOOSING A HOT WATER SYSTEM

I think most of us here on the Sunshine Coast have heard of Solar Hot Water systems and in more recent years, Heat Pumps.

You also may have heard how these types of systems are much more energy efficient than the ‘old’ style electric tank that many people have had in their homes for years and how switching to one of these energy efficient systems will save you money on your power bills.

While it’s true they are more energy efficient and can save you money off your power bill on a month to month basis, there are some very important considerations that aren’t taken into account with these statements.

These important points are:

• Initial upfront cost
• Reliability
• Complexity of the system
• Expected lifespan of tank
• Expected lifespan of critical parts
• Energy source
• Energy cost
• Hot water usage
• Geographic location

I’ve created these tables below to give you an idea of the total cost over the lifespan of each system with all of these factors taken into account. You can even download your own copy of the spreadsheet, so that you can enter your own information depending on your energy usage, types of systems and their costs etc. (The download link is at the bottom of the page.)

While I think this information will help you a lot in understanding the considerations that you need to think about. For households in the Coolum area between Twin Waters and Marcus Beach, including Peregain Springs, I offer a completey free and no obligation visit to your home to discuss your hot water options. So please feel free to call or contact me today and I will see you soon!

Initial Upfront Cost

The initial upfront cost of a hot water system is very important as it is the baseline of your total hot water cost over the life of your hot water system.

Every dollar that you pay upfront over the the cost of a standard electric hot water system needs to be earnt back through hot water cost savings before you actually start to 'save' money on your hot water bills.

When considering the upfront costs, it's important to note that energy efficient hot water systems usch as Heat Pumps and Solar are eligible for Small Scale Technology Certificate rebates (STCs).

Each hot water unit will have a slightly different amount of STC certificates that can be claimed depending on it's size, energy efficiency etc. I've taken these rebates into account regarding the upfront costs in the charts, but you can find out how many STCs a hot water unit is eligible for by using this calculator.

Quality and Reliability

I've chosen to use Rheem branded hot water systems in these calculations, which means the prices here may be higher than you've seen advertised/quoted as other brands may be substantially cheaper. But I firmly believe that the number 1 consideration in choosing a hot water unit is the quality of the system and the increased chance of a very long lifespan, which is the reason I only supply and install Rheem manufactured hot water systems.

Energy Source and Energy Cost

As you will see in the chart below, the source and cost of the power supply makes a huge difference in these calculations and will be the deciding factor as to if and when you will be able to recover the extra upfront costs of an energy efficient system.

Geographic Location

Geographic Location and the specific air and water temperatures as well as the general weather patterns in the area can be another important factor to consider when choosing a hot water unit. In the Coolum Beach area of the Sunshine Coast, which is Mount Coolum Plumbing's service area, the temperatures are predominately warm and the majority of days either sunny or partly cloudy, so this isn't a highly important consideration as all of these systems work very well in this specific area. But if you are in a location with a different weather pattern, such as a cold climate with lots of very cloudy or rainy days then you will need to consider whether a system such as Solar Hot Water is suitable.

Other Considerations

There are also more variables to consider when swapping hot water unit types, especially when going from a solar system to a standard electric or heat pump and vice versa. This is because there may be a substantial amount of extra work involved moving pipework and electrical wiring to the new position either on the roof, or the ground.

It's important to note that all of the numbers in these calculations are estimates and won't be completely accurate, this is only a guide to explain how there is a lot more to choosing a hot water system than just energy efficiency.

I hope you find this information usefull! Also, if you live in any of the following suburbs, please feel free to contact me anytime if you have any questions regarding hot water systems or if you would like me come to your home for a completely free discussion and quote for any plumbing issues you may have!

HOT WATER SYSTEM COST COMPARISONS