Fixing my leaking shower

Why Gas Hot Water Systems Are a Good Choice

by Andy Butler

Just think about how many times during the day you use hot water in your home. Every member of the family needs to have a hot shower in the morning in order to prepare for the day. You need to ensure that all those soiled clothes are washed properly before work can commence. This means that your choice of hot water unit is crucial in order to meet the needs of your household. What options are available for you as you plan?

Advantages of Natural Gas

When you choose natural gas hot water systems they are generally less costly to run than their electrical counterpart. You may have to choose between natural gas that is delivered as a utility, or LPG which will need to be delivered in bottles. There are three different types to consider.

Continuous Flow

Continuous flow units have the advantage of leaving a much smaller footprint and can be mounted on a wall. These units provide hot water as and when you need it, so there's never a danger of running out. They can be very accurately controlled to always deliver the water at the right temperature. However, you may need to consider an upgrade to the gas line which supplies your home, which can be an additional cost at the front end. These units may take longer to produce hot water at the tap than a conventional heater and they don't have the higher pressure typically delivered by a mains system.

Boosted Solar Gas

If you select solar gas boosted units, these have several advantages. They are able to utilise the energy from the sun as part of the delivery system, which reduces your overall monthly gas cost. Government agencies will give you incentives which can help to offset your investment in the system. You will also have a backup boosting component which means that you never run out when you need that hot water. You should bear in mind that these hybrid systems tend to have a higher cost of installation and the tank itself will take up additional space. You also need to have a roof that faces to the north in order to make best use of those solar arrays.

Gas Storage

A gas storage unit is typically the least costly of the gas options. Your installation costs will also be lower and you will find that the hot water is delivered more quickly due to the storage configurations. On the minus side the tank is quite large and is vulnerable to heat loss and is therefore not considered as energy efficient as the other two options.

It's always best to choose a professional plumber and electrician to install these systems safely.

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