The hot water system in your home is a necessity you can’t live without. Yet, it becomes challenging to make the right decision when it comes to replacing an existing system or buying a new one. A variety of options are available for each type of household and location.
Each model provides continuous hot water for your homestead. But, you must look at several other features that can help you save on your monthly power consumption. Here is everything you need to know about continuous flow hot water systems and their installation. You may have to visit website of a trusted service company for pricing and other details.
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Understand How A Continuous Flow Hot Water System Works
The instantaneous, tankless, or on-demand hot water systems are wall-mounted units heated with a gas, LPG, or electricity connection. It pushes cold water through the copper pipes and uses heat on these pipes. When you turn on the tap, the flow sensors will trigger the heating action and heat the water to the necessary temperature.
The water directly flows to your tap without any storage needs. Hence, there is no need to keep water at a consistent temperature or worry about heat loss from the tank. You can choose the right flow rate that ranges from half a gallon per minute to 3/4 of a gallon per minute (1.5 litres per minute to 2.7 litres per minute.)
Do You Really Need A Continuous Flow Hot Water System?
Apart from the obvious benefit of consistent and direct hot water supply to your taps, the instantaneous hot water system offers many other advantages. It is an energy-efficient system with no standing losses and no need to maintain a consistent temperature for stored water.
Even if you have limited space in your house, you can install it on an outside wall. It doesn’t require a cylinder, and you can fit the gas units on the exterior walls. You can set the temperature to the desired level instead of heating the system to 140 degrees F (60 degrees Celsius). Most importantly, the system allows flexibility to choose gas, LPG, or electric connection depending on your needs.
Can You Change The Continuous Flow Water System From One Fuel Type To Another?
If you want to change your existing electric storage hot water system to a gas-based continuous flow unit, it can be done without additional costs. You can visit the website for details and ask for the installation costs that maybe incurred in the process.
The change requires some additional equipment like a continuous flow valve kit, a power point, gas pipe, etc. Deal with a company that offers upfront prices without any hidden charges for the process. It should provide you with several options, and you can compare them in terms of energy efficiency, warranty, and prices.
What Are The Installation Costs?
If you install a gas-powered continuous flow hot water system, you need access to the gas piping and large diameter pipes. Hence the installation costs vary according to the type of system. A new gas-based hot water system can cost anywhere between $1050 and $2365 (AUD 1200 and AUD 3250), including the professional fitting and plumbing.
Even if the installation costs seem to be higher, you may take respite in the fact that these systems have a lower running cost over their lifespan. It will cost you approximately $545 to $690 (AUD 750-950) per year to run the system on reticulated LPG or gas for a small household.
How to Choose the Right Size?
The size of an instantaneous hot water system depends on your household and water consumption levels. Count the number of bathrooms and other outlets where you need a consistent supply of hot water to choose the right unit.
For example, if you need a system for one bathroom and the kitchen sink, you can choose a small model with a capacity of up to 7 gallons (26 liters) to meet your demands.
Also, consider your family’s size to choose the right hot water system, so everyone can enjoy their showers whenever they want.
