Gas Vs Electric (Pros/Cons)
September 2022 Article.
This discussion is relevant for people who have the choice of deciding between natural gas and electricity. If you do not have natural gas it may still be an option to have it run in to your house, normally for free on the Mornington Peninsula.
Gas units are generally smaller so therefore less obtrusive in your yard. Tankless units as the name suggests are very small, generally mounted up on the wall at shoulder height and can provide endless hot water. These days they are at a minimum 6 star efficient. Ideal for short periods of high demand, such as a holiday rental property.
Gas storage or tank units are normally between 150 to 170 litre capacity and can re heat relatively quickly. These days they range between 4 to 5 star efficiency. There is the chance they can run out, however there are no peak and off peak time switches to worry about like electric alternatives, so you normally do not have to wait long for hot water.
Which One Should I Choose?
Generally if you already have gas or you have gas central heating and you are keeping your gas connected then generally natural gas is a good sound choice.
On the other hand if you do not have the convenience and availability of natural gas or you want to get rid of you gas for other reasons then electric hot water will be your choice. You then have to decide if you want resistive element hot water (conventional element style) or a heat pump style. They are both tank based. We have an article on heat pump hot water.
If you have PV panels on your roof and are exporting a lot of power back to the grid at the newer lower rate, then electric hot water might be a viable option. Your tank electric hot water can work like a battery to store heated water. Just remember they have tanks and are much bigger than gas units, so take this into consideration if space is at a premium.
Purchase Costs?
Gas continuous units are surprisingly affordable to purchase however installation costs can vary, thats why we aways like to visit site to complete a free quote. Quite often a supplied and installed price can be under $2000.00 if gas supply is adequate and a power point is close by. By far good quality gas continuous flow units are the most reliable form of heating your hot water. It is not uncommon to hear stories of units not being touched in over 25 years.
Gas tank or storage system changeovers changeover range between $1450 to $2000 depending on unit.
Electric tank system changeover if outside with good accessibility can range between $1600 to $2500, however it really depends on size of tank, number of elements and location.
Good quality heat pumps are very expensive. It is not uncommon for a unit to cost over $4500 then with installation added, it can be nearing $6000. Heat pumps can be subject to Government rebates which helps bring this figure down but out of pocket expenses can be still quite high. You really need to research the heat pump you are looking at. We have an articles page on heat pumps.
Contact Us Today
Give The Hot Water Man a call on (0438 383 764) To further Discuss Your Hot Water Queries.