New hot water, done once and done right
Hot water system installation in Adelaide covers more ground than most people expect. Sometimes it is simply taking out an old tank and putting the same size and type back in the same spot. Sometimes it is a fuel change: an electric tank that cannot be replaced like for like under South Australia's rules, a gas storage unit swapped for continuous flow to free up space, or a move to a heat pump to cut the power bill. And sometimes it is new work — an extension, a granny flat, a second bathroom or a knock-down rebuild.
Whatever the case, we pass your details to an independent licensed plumber (and gasfitter, where gas is involved) who works in your part of Adelaide. They look at the job, explain the options that fit the house and the rules, and put a price in writing.
Start with what is there now
Before anyone talks brands, the useful facts are about the existing setup:
- Fuel and type. Gas storage, gas continuous flow, electric storage, heat pump or solar with a booster. The label on the unit says which.
- Age. The data plate usually carries a manufacture date. A unit within its warranty period may be a warranty call rather than a replacement.
- Position. Outside on a wall, in a laundry cupboard, in the roof space, or on the roof for some solar systems. Indoor and roof-space units are harder to reach and usually cost more to change.
- Supply. Whether the street and the house have mains gas, the size of the gas meter, and which electricity tariff the heater sits on.
With those answers, most contractors can tell you over the phone which options are realistic and roughly how involved the job will be.
South Australia's water heater requirements
This is where Adelaide installations differ from many other cities. Since 2008, South Australia has had rules about which water heaters can be installed in new and existing homes. In established houses, a failed electric storage heater often has to be replaced with a low-emission system — a gas, heat pump or solar unit — unless the home fits an exemption. Whether mains gas is available at the property, the kind of dwelling and where the heater sits can all change the answer.
The requirements are published by the Office of the Technical Regulator, and they are updated from time to time, so we do not try to summarise every condition here. What matters is that your plumber checks them for your home before quoting. A quote for a like-for-like electric tank that later turns out not to comply is a problem nobody needs.
Choosing the replacement
The right system is the one that fits the household, the house and the running costs you are prepared to carry. Broadly:
- Gas continuous flow suits households already on mains gas with back-to-back showers, and it frees up the floor or wall space a tank would take.
- Gas storage is a familiar, simple swap where a tank already sits outside on gas.
- Heat pump is the common answer when an electric tank has to go, using a fraction of the electricity a standard element would.
- Solar with a boost makes the most sense with a clear north-facing roof and owners who plan to stay.
Our guide to gas, heat pump and solar in Adelaide works through the trade-offs in more detail.
On the day
A typical replacement starts with isolating the water, gas and power, draining and disconnecting the old unit, and preparing the base or wall mounting. The new heater goes in with the valves the job requires, including a tempering valve so the water reaching bathrooms is kept to a safe temperature. Gas units are leak-tested and commissioned, electric and heat pump units are connected to the right circuit, and the system is filled, run and checked. The old unit should leave with the installer unless you have agreed otherwise.
Before they go, ask the installer to show you where the isolation valves are, how to read the controls, and what routine checks the manufacturer recommends — usually the relief valve lever and, on storage tanks, a periodic look at the anode.
A note on warranties
The manufacturer's warranty usually depends on correct installation and, for some brands, registration. Make sure the paperwork records the installation date, and keep the certificate of compliance with it. If a unit fails early, the manufacturer will ask for both.