What’s The Difference Between Gas, Electric and Solar Hot Water Heaters

12 / 09 / 2020

If you have recently moved house and are looking for a hot water supply solution, some research is required to know about the options available to you on the market. If you’ve already done some research, you probably know that you have three primary options available to you: electric hot water heaters, gas hot water heaters and solar hot water heaters. The pros and cons of these devices vary, so we have put together this comprehensive guide about the differences between your standard hot water pump units.

Electric Vs Gas: Efficiency

Gas heaters tend to cost less than electrical variants of hot water systems. Indeed, an electric hot water pump can cost you up to 25% of your quarterly power bill. Conversely, electrics are a lot cheaper to purchase the first time round. Essentially, if you do choose to buy a more expensive gas unit, you’ll be looking at savings within a year or two, making this the more economical option.

Maintenance of gas heaters is generally much more affordable than maintenance of electric hot water heat pumps. This is because they simply rely on a burner and gas supply to keep water above 60 degrees celcius. In contrast, electric hot water units rely on multiple working parts to keep moving which can be more expensive to repair.

Electric Vs Gas: Operation

Hot water heat pumps save energy by drawing in heat from the air outside and heating the water with it. Gas heaters, alternatively, use a gas burner to heat water stored in a steel tank. Gas heaters tend to operate a lot more quietly than traditional hot water pumps which are rather loud due to the noise produced by the compressor fan.

Electric hot water heaters work all day to keep water heated at an optimum temperature. This is part of the reason why they’re more electrically inefficient than gas heater that work off-peak. Electric heaters also contain more moving parts, which can make maintenance more expensive.

Solar Hot Water Systems: Cost

Solar hot water systems, as a one off purchase, are historically more expensive than a standard gas or electric hot water system. It can take ten years to recover the point of purchase price difference, but in the extreme long term, these are incredibly efficient devices that don’t rely on the grid for power. Sustainability is a key factor of solar hot water systems, despite that, they usually rely on a booster (electric, gas or LPG) to maintain hot water during times without sunlight.

Regardless of if you’re choosing between a gas, electric or solar hot water heater, NSW Hot Water has an option to suit you. We stock a full range of hot water storage tanks too, ranging in size from 50L to 450L. Contact us today for all specials and sales – we’ll happily take your call 24 hours per day to discuss your hot water needs.