Hot water systems, repaired or replaced

A cold shower on a winter morning is how most people find out their hot water system has died. The good news is that most of the time Brad can have hot water back on the same day.

What it usually is

• No hot water at all. Often an element, thermostat or valve on an electric tank, a pilot light or thermocouple on a gas unit, or a tripped circuit at the switchboard.
• Not enough hot water, or it runs out fast. A failed element on a twin-element tank, or a tank that is simply too small for the household it has ended up serving.
• Water pooling around the base of the tank. That is usually the tank itself rusting through, and it is the end of the road. A leaking tank cannot be patched.
• The pressure relief valve dripping constantly. A small drip now and then is normal. A steady stream is not.
• The gas unit going out in wind or rain.

Storage tanks generally last somewhere around ten to fifteen years. If yours is older than that and has started playing up, replacement is usually the better spend than another repair.

What Brad does

If it can be repaired sensibly, Brad repairs it. Elements, thermostats, valves, thermocouples and igniters are all straightforward and he carries the common parts on the ute.

If it needs replacing, he talks you through what suits the house before he orders anything:

• Electric storage is the cheapest to buy and the dearest to run. Fine if you are on a good off-peak tariff.
• Gas storage or continuous flow heats fast and costs less to run than electric storage if you already have gas at the house. Brad is a licensed gas fitter, so the gas side of the job is done in-house and certified.
• Heat pump uses a fraction of the electricity of a standard electric tank and goes well with solar panels. Rebates come and go, and Brad can tell you what is current.
• Solar hot water with an electric or gas booster. The Illawarra gets plenty of sun for it.

He installs all brands and is not tied to any of them. That means he picks the unit for your house, your family and your budget, not the one somebody is paying him to push. Old unit taken away, new one installed to the standard, tempering valve fitted so the taps are safe for kids.

Water efficiency

Hot water is the biggest chunk of most household energy bills. If you are replacing a unit anyway, it is the best moment to get the size and type right. Brad will also check tap flow rates and shower heads while he is there. Small changes, big difference over a year.

After hours

No hot water is unpleasant but usually not an emergency. If the unit is leaking badly or you smell gas, that is different. Ring 0426 963 260. After-hours call-outs are available, the extra charge depends on the job, and Brad will tell you the cost on the phone before he leaves.