Your Hot Water System Died. What Now?
Hot water systems have a habit of failing at the worst possible time.
One minute everything is normal. The next, you’re standing in a cold shower wondering whether you need a repair, a replacement, or an entirely different type of hot water system.
The decision you make now could determine your household’s hot water and energy costs for the next decade, so it’s worth getting it right.
At Harvey Trades, our first question isn’t “What new system can we sell you?” It’s: “Does your existing hot water system actually need replacing?”
Sometimes a relatively straightforward repair can get a good system running again. Other times, spending hundreds of dollars repairing an ageing tank simply doesn’t make financial sense.
And if replacement is the better option, that’s the perfect time to consider whether replacing like-for-like is actually your best move.
First: is your hot water system actually dead?
Not every cold shower means you need a new hot water system.
Depending on the type of system and the fault, plenty of components can potentially be repaired or replaced.
- Failed thermostats or heating elements on electric storage systems
- Faulty thermocouples, ignition components or pilot assemblies on gas systems
- Failed hot water valves and controls
- Tripped or faulty safety devices
- Temperature and pressure relief valve issues
- Faulty tempering valves
- Restricted or seized isolation valves
- Ignition and burner faults on continuous-flow gas systems
The important part is properly diagnosing the fault before replacing the entire system.
If you’ve got a relatively young hot water service that needs a sensible repair, we’ll tell you. If you’ve got an ageing system that’s beginning to fail and the repair doesn’t make financial sense, we’ll tell you that too.
When is replacement usually the better option?
The storage tank itself is leaking
If a storage cylinder has corroded through and is leaking from the tank itself, replacing components around it isn’t going to solve the underlying problem. Once the cylinder has failed, you’re generally looking at replacement.
The system is approaching the end of its useful life
Age alone doesn’t automatically condemn a hot water system, but it should be considered alongside the cost of the repair. Spending significant money repairing an older system becomes difficult to justify if the tank or another major component is likely to fail shortly afterwards.
Parts are obsolete or difficult to source
Some older and discontinued systems become increasingly difficult to repair because replacement components are no longer readily available. Even if the fault is technically repairable, the price and availability of parts can make replacement the more sensible option.
The existing system no longer suits the household
Sometimes the hot water system technically still works, it just doesn’t work well enough anymore. Maybe the family has grown, you’ve added another bathroom, or you’re constantly running out of hot water. Replacing an undersized system with another undersized system just recreates the same problem for another decade.
If it needs replacing, don’t automatically install the same thing again
This is probably the biggest opportunity homeowners miss when their hot water system fails.
If you’ve had a 250L electric storage system for the last ten years, you don’t necessarily need another 250L electric storage system. Likewise, if you’ve always had gas hot water, your next system doesn’t automatically have to run on gas.
Before recommending a replacement, we look at things such as:
- How many people live in the home
- How much hot water the household actually uses
- Whether natural gas is available
- The property’s electrical supply
- Whether you have rooftop solar
- Available installation space
- Upfront installation cost
- Expected running costs
- Available STC and REPS incentives
- How long you expect to remain in the property
Once you consider all of those factors, the best replacement can look quite different from the system that just failed.
Option 1: Heat-pump hot water
For many Adelaide homeowners replacing a hot water system today, a heat pump should at least be part of the conversation.
Heat-pump technology works differently from conventional electric storage. Instead of relying primarily on an electric resistance element to generate heat, a heat pump transfers heat from the surrounding air into the water.
That allows it to heat a large storage tank using considerably less electricity than conventional electric resistance water heating.
Why are heat pumps becoming so popular?
Lower energy consumption. The biggest attraction is efficiency. A quality heat-pump hot water system can use substantially less electricity than conventional electric resistance storage to produce the same amount of hot water.
Heat pumps work particularly well with rooftop solar. If you already have rooftop solar, heat-pump hot water becomes even more interesting. Many modern systems can be configured or scheduled to do much of their heating during daylight hours, giving households an opportunity to use more of their own solar generation to heat water.
They can help households move away from gas. Australia’s energy market is increasingly moving towards electrification and more energy-efficient electric appliances. For homeowners already considering reducing household gas consumption, replacing an ageing gas hot water service with a heat pump can be a logical opportunity to make the switch.
That doesn’t mean gas is suddenly a bad choice. Continuous-flow gas still makes plenty of sense for certain homes, particularly where a suitable gas connection already exists.
STCs and REPS can significantly reduce the upfront cost
You’ll often see heat-pump systems advertised with a large “rebate” applied to the price. What isn’t always explained clearly is that the total incentive available on an eligible South Australian heat-pump installation can be made up of two separate components: STCs and REPS.
What are STCs?
Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) form part of the Australian Government’s Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme.
Eligible heat-pump water heaters can create a certain number of STCs based on factors including the particular system and its calculated renewable energy performance. Those certificates have a financial value.
Rather than expecting the homeowner to deal with certificates themselves, the value of eligible STCs can generally be assigned as part of the installation process and used to reduce the upfront cost of the heat-pump installation.
Different heat pumps can attract different numbers of STCs, which means two systems can have different incentive values.
What is REPS?
The second component is South Australia’s Retailer Energy Productivity Scheme (REPS).
REPS encourages eligible energy-efficiency upgrades across South Australia, including qualifying hot-water replacements. For the homeowner, an eligible REPS incentive can generally be reflected as a discount or reduced installation price through participating providers.
The amount available can depend on factors such as:
- The existing hot water system being removed
- The replacement system being installed
- The property’s circumstances
- Whether the property is connected to reticulated gas
- Customer eligibility
- Whether priority-group criteria apply
- The REPS offer available at the time of installation
STCs + REPS = your total heat-pump incentive
For an eligible installation, the value available through STCs and REPS can combine to reduce the customer’s upfront cost.
That’s why you may see a heat pump with a relatively high normal retail and installation price but a substantially lower advertised price after applicable incentives.
At Harvey Trades, we can look at the proposed installation and determine what incentives may apply, then explain the price after applicable STC and REPS incentives have been taken into account.
The total incentive isn’t necessarily the same for everybody. The system being removed, the new system being installed, the property and customer eligibility can all affect the final amount.
Rather than advertising one enormous rebate figure and hiding the eligibility requirements in the fine print, we’d rather work out what your actual installation qualifies for.
Which heat pumps do Harvey Trades install?
Harvey Trades can install virtually any suitable heat-pump hot water system.
Emerald is our preferred heat-pump range for many residential installations and generally the first option we’ll consider when it suits the property and household. They provide a good balance of efficiency, capacity, features and value, particularly when applicable incentives are taken into account.
iStore is another popular heat-pump option that gives us flexibility when matching a system to the household, installation location and budget.
Reclaim Energy provides a premium heat-pump option for customers looking for a higher-end system and willing to invest more upfront.
We’re not locked into these three brands. If there’s another heat pump you specifically want, Harvey Trades can assess and install other suitable systems as well.
Option 2: Continuous-flow gas hot water
Gas isn’t suddenly obsolete. For properties with an existing suitable gas supply, continuous-flow gas hot water can still be an excellent replacement option.
Rather than storing a large cylinder of hot water, a continuous-flow system heats the water as you use it.
- Continuous hot water when correctly sized
- No large storage cylinder
- Compact external installation
- No standing heat loss from keeping a large tank of water hot all day
Your existing gas supply needs to be checked
A continuous-flow hot water system can have a substantial gas demand. The gas supply needs to be capable of delivering enough gas to the new appliance while allowing other gas appliances in the home to operate correctly.
Harvey Trades can assess the existing gas installation, available supply and pipe sizing before recommending the correct unit.
Which continuous-flow systems do we install?
The brands we primarily work with are Rinnai, Rheem and Thermann.
However, we’re not locked into those brands and can supply or install other suitable continuous-flow systems where required.
Are there incentives for continuous-flow gas hot water?
Depending on the existing system being replaced, the new system selected and the programs available at the time, some eligible high-efficiency gas hot-water upgrades may attract smaller incentives.
These incentives are generally considerably smaller than those available on eligible heat-pump upgrades, but they’re still worth checking when comparing replacement options.
Option 3: Smart electric storage hot water
Modern smart electric storage hot water systems provide another option for households wanting an electric system without moving to a heat pump.
Depending on the particular system and electrical setup, smart controls may allow the water heater to operate more strategically around programmed heating periods, electricity tariffs or available solar generation.
It doesn’t provide the same fundamental efficiency advantage as a heat pump, but smart electric storage can still be a practical option where simplicity, installation location or upfront cost makes it more suitable.
Option 4: Standard electric storage
Standard electric storage systems are simple, proven and widely understood.
They may still make sense for rental properties, straightforward like-for-like replacements, homes without gas, customers prioritising initial installation cost, locations where a heat pump isn’t practical, or properties with predictable hot-water demand.
Correct tank sizing matters. Saving a little money by installing an undersized tank quickly stops feeling like a bargain when the fourth person in the house gets a cold shower every morning.
Option 5: Gas storage hot water
Traditional gas storage hot water systems are still available and can be appropriate in some situations.
If an existing gas storage system fails, replacing it like-for-like can sometimes provide the simplest solution with minimal changes to the existing installation.
However, we’d generally encourage the customer to at least compare it against continuous-flow gas, heat-pump hot water and smart electric options before deciding.
What about solar hot water?
Solar hot water uses roof-mounted solar collectors to heat water, generally with an electric or gas booster for periods when there isn’t enough solar energy available.
It can work well in the right application. However, with improvements in heat-pump technology, rooftop solar PV and the incentives currently available for eligible heat-pump installations, heat pumps are generally the option we focus on first for most residential energy-efficient upgrades.
Don’t compare installation price alone
This is probably the part people get wrong most often.
Your hot water system could operate every day for the next ten years or longer.
A better comparison is:
Purchase and installation cost, minus applicable incentives, plus expected running costs over the time you’ll own the system.
That’s one reason heat pumps have become so compelling. A quality heat pump may have a higher normal purchase price, but once applicable STC and REPS incentives are taken into account, the upfront difference can become considerably smaller.
If you’re selling the property shortly, however, the system with the best ten-year payback may not make financial sense. Sometimes a simple, compliant and cost-effective replacement is exactly the right answer.
What if you already have solar?
Tell us. It can materially change our recommendation.
If you’ve got a decent rooftop solar system and regularly export excess electricity during the middle of the day, a heat pump or appropriately controlled electric hot water system may give you an opportunity to use more of that energy yourself.
For many Adelaide homes, heat-pump hot water combined with rooftop solar can be a very attractive setup.
What if you need hot water urgently?
We understand that a failed hot water system isn’t usually something you want to deal with next month.
Where possible, Harvey Trades can provide urgent hot water repairs and replacements across Adelaide.
If the existing system can be economically repaired, we’ll discuss that option. If replacement clearly makes more sense, we can give you suitable replacement choices rather than automatically installing the first unit available.
Before you call us
If possible, have the following ready:
- Brand and model, usually found on the data plate or sticker
- Approximate age of the system
- Whether it is gas or electric
- Whether it’s storage, continuous flow, heat pump or solar
- Where the unit is located
- What it’s actually doing: completely cold, lukewarm, leaking or running out too quickly
- Whether the property has rooftop solar
- Clear photos of the unit, its connections and the data plate
A photo of the complete installation and another clear photo of the model or data plate can tell us a lot before we even arrive.
No hot water at all and hot water that gradually runs out too quickly can point towards completely different faults.
So, what should you install if your hot water system dies?
There isn’t one correct answer for every Adelaide home.
If your existing system only needs a sensible repair, repairing it may be the smartest thing you can do.
If replacement is required and you’re looking at long-term energy efficiency, a heat-pump hot water system should absolutely be part of the conversation.
With the combination of improved heat-pump technology, rooftop solar and applicable STC and REPS incentives, upgrading to a heat pump can make considerably more financial sense than many homeowners initially expect.
If you already have a suitable gas supply and value continuous hot water with a compact installation, continuous-flow gas may still make excellent sense.
Smart electric, conventional electric storage and gas storage all have applications where they remain practical choices.
Hot water services from Harvey Trades
- Heat-pump hot water installation
- Emerald heat-pump installation
- iStore heat-pump installation
- Reclaim Energy heat-pump installation
- Heat-pump replacements and upgrades
- Advice on eligible STC and REPS incentives
- Continuous-flow gas hot water
- Rinnai, Rheem and Thermann installations
- Smart electric storage hot water
- Standard electric storage hot water
- Gas storage hot water
- Hot water repairs and fault finding
- Heating elements and thermostats
- Gas ignition and burner repairs
- Hot water valves and controls
- Tempering valve replacement
- Hot water servicing
- Urgent hot water replacements
We can install virtually any hot water system, but for heat pumps our preferred option for many residential installations is Emerald, with iStore and Reclaim Energy also forming an important part of our range.
For continuous-flow gas, we primarily work with Rinnai, Rheem and Thermann, while still being able to install other brands when required.
The aim isn’t to push every customer towards the most expensive hot water system.
It’s to work out what suits your home, your family, your energy setup and your budget, and make sure you know about any STC and REPS incentives that could change the equation before you make the decision.
If your hot water system has failed or you’re considering replacing an ageing unit before it does, Harvey Trades can assess your existing setup and give you repair and replacement options so you can make an informed decision.
