On this page:

• Electric hot water systems (including heat pumps)
• Gas hot water systems
• Solar hot water systems
• How much is a hot water system?
• How much do they cost to run?
• Switching from gas to electric hot water

When you’re deciding on a new hot water system, one of the key decisions is whether it should be powered by electricity, gas or the sun. Even in the case of solar hot water, there’s still usually a decision between a gas or electric booster element.

Electricity and gas each have their pros and cons for hot water systems, in terms of running costs, efficiency, installation and environmental impact. We’ll take you through the key points to help you make the right choice for your home.

For many Australian homes, the answer comes down strongly in favour of an electric or solar system, but instantaneous gas systems still have some advantages in certain situations.

Electric hot water systems (including heat pumps)

There are three types of electric hot water system.

Conventional resistive electric hot water systems use electricity to heat an element in the water tank, like an electric kettle.

Heat pump hot water systemsÌýare a more efficient form of electric storage tank system that work on the same principle as a fridge or air conditioner, by extracting heat from the air and using it to heat the water tank.

Instantaneous (or continuous flow) electric hot water systems heat water only when the hot tap is turned on. They can require a high current draw and the electricity usage will be charged at whatever tariff applies at that time of day.

Pros

• Can be powered by electricity from renewable sources (solar panels or green power).
• For most homes it’s best suited to storage tank systems, but instantaneous electric systems are available.
• Heat pump hot water systems are very energy-efficient and suitable for many homes.
• Government rebates and incentives usually only apply to solar hot water and electric heat pump systems, though gas-boosted solar hot water systems are eligible as well.
• While electricity prices are currently high, they are expected to fall in future as cheaper renewable energy enters the grid.
• Installing your own solar panel system makes electricity very cheap (especially after the solar panel system has paid for itself).

Cons

• Conventional resistive electric hot water systems are not very energy-efficient, and can be expensive to run if they aren’t using cheap electricity (daytime solar or night-time off-peak) or if you don’t time your hot water usage wisely.
• Instantaneous electric hot water systems require a lot of power and may need to be installed at each hot water outlet rather than a centralised system. Also the larger systems may need three-phase power, which most homes don’t have.
• If electricity is from non-renewable sources, the environmental advantage is reduced.
• Maintenance every few years is needed for tank systems to check valves and potentially replace the sacrificial anode rod (a metal rod inside the tank which attracts minerals and other impurities that would otherwise corrode the tank – the anode corrodes instead, ‘sacrificing’ itself).

Electric hot water systems can work well if paired with a solar PV system and a timer or ‘diverter’ to make maximum use of cheap solar electricity. But be aware that you may need a significant amount of solar power to run one of these hot water systems as well as the rest of your home.

Gas hot water systems

There are two types of gas hot water system.

Storage tank gas hot water systems store the hot water in a tank, and reheat the tank as needed.

Instantaneous (or continuous flow) gas systems heat water only when the hot tap is turned on. They tend to use more gas while actually heating, but less overall than a tank because they only use gas when needed.

Pros

• Instantaneous (continuous flow) gas systems are effective and reasonably efficient for small households or as a standalone system powering a remote part of the house.
• Gas isn’t usually charged by time of use, so your hot water usage can be more flexibly timed, and gas hot water system storage tanks can be a bit smaller (as refilling and heating costs the same regardless of the time of day).

Cons

• Gas is a fossil fuel, i.e. a non-renewable resource.
• You can’t create your own cheap supply unlike with electricity, and gas prices are expected to remain high.
• Gas appliances create health risks in the home, with indoor air pollution from carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and particulates. This is less of a risk for most gas hot water systems as the systems are almost always outdoors. But if the system is installed indoors, it must be vented to the outside to remove toxic fumes.
• Gas storage tank systems run a pilot flame continuously, meaning they are always using some gas.
• Gas systems must be maintained regularly for similar reasons as for electric tank systems (including replacing the sacrificial anode periodically), but also to make sure the system is operating correctly and not releasing toxic fumes (especially if installed indoors).

Solar hot water systems

A solar hot water system has rooftop panels that collect heat from the sun and use it to heat water. The water is stored in a tank, either at rooftop next to the panels, or elsewhere in the home.Ìý

Solar hot water systems usually also have a booster element for days that are sunless, colder or when all the hot water has been used up. The booster may be an electric element or a gas burner.

While solar hot water systems are usually very cheap to run, they can get expensive if the collector panels fail or the household hot water usage is too much for the system to handle. In these cases the booster will kick in more often than expected.

You may find out the hard way (via an energy bill) that your hot water has mainly been heated by electricity or gas, rather than the sun. It pays to keep an eye on the system and to keep it well maintained.

Our solar hot water buying guide explains these systems in more detail.

How much is a hot water system?

These are indicative costs only and don’t include installation.

• Electric storage tank system: $650–2500Ìý
• Electric instantaneous system: $600–2000
• Electric heat pump: $2200–6800
• Gas storage tank system:Ìý $1000–7000
• Gas instantaneous system: $700–3000
• Solar (regardless of booster type): $4000–8000

How much do they cost to run?

The cost of running a hot water system depends on three key things:

1. ÌýWhether you’re using electricity or gas.
2. The type of heating technology, such as electric resistance, heat pump or solar.
3. Whether you’re using a storage tank or instantaneous system.

has calculated the typical running costs and greenhouse gas emissions for the various types of hot water systems. The running costs are based on gas prices as of mid-2024.

The tables below summarises the running costs and greenhouse gas emissions calculated by Sustainability Victoria for a typical Melbourne home of one to four using 90–150L of hot water per day, using a standard version of each type of hot water system. Gas costs are based on natural (reticulated) gas – using LPG cylinders is generally more expensive. Check the Sustainability Victoria site for the full details of .

Note that the actual running costs and greenhouse gas emissions could be quite different for your home. For example, households in other states can have different energy prices, and the electricity may come from a different mix of sources, which could change the amount of greenhouse gas emissions.

Switching from gas to electric hot water

There is a growing movement to switch away from gas appliances to electric equivalents, such as replacing a gas cooktop with an induction cooktop. There are a few reasons why this is happening.

Health concerns

As mentioned earlier, there are significant environmental and health concerns around using gas in the home.

Running costs

Electricity can be generated very cheaply if you have solar panels. In the long term, grid electricity is expected to become cheaper and cleaner.

But gas can only be bought from gas suppliers, and there are many market factors that are creating uncertainty about its long-term price. There’s that gas hot water systems will become the most expensive option by 2030.

Disconnecting gas altogether from your property also removes the need to pay the daily gas supply charge. If you’ve switched from a gas cooktop to induction, it may be worth looking into replacing the gas hot water system with a heat pump (for example) at some point.

Don’t forget that one of the best ways to save on the cost of hot water (in both the financial and environmental sense) is to just use less of it. Take shorter showers, install water-efficient showerheadsÌý(²¹²Ô»å toilets), and use your dishwasher rather than hand washÌýin the sink.

Points to consider if switching away from gas to electricity

• Government rebates and other financial incentives areÌýavailable in some states for replacing a gas hot water system with a more efficient model, typically a heat pump or solar hot water system. To find incentives and rebates for hot water systems, check the . Select the state you live in and under “I am interested in these areas”, select “hot water”. Or just contact your state government.
• Replacing a gas storage tank with an electric or heat pump equivalent is generally doable, though it may require some extra electrical and plumbing work.
• If you have a gas-boosted solar hot water system, don’t forget this booster element – it may not be easy or possible to convert it to an electric booster.
• It can be difficult to replace an instantaneous gas system with an electric option, especially when there’s no easy location to install a storage tank, or if there’s not enough household power or space for an electric instantaneous system. Apartments in particular can face a lot of challenges in this area, due to having less space to work with.

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On this page:

• What is heat-pump technology?
• Main types of heat pumps
• How do heat pumps work?
• Why is heat-pump technology being used more and more?
• Reasons to install a heat pump
• Reasons not to install a heat pump

Heat-pump technology has existed for a long time, but over the past 30 years, you would’ve seen this term get used more and more. In a nutshell, heat pumps are a highly efficient way of moving heat from one place to another.

But how does this technology actually work? And given it’s not cheap, is it worth investing in? We explain the ins and outs of heat pumps so you can determine whether it’s right for your household.

What is heat-pump technology?

Heat-pump technology is currently used in a lot of different products, but the primary one you already have is in your kitchen: your fridge. Heat pumps are a very efficient way to move heat from inside the fridge to the outside, so it cools your food and keeps it safe for longer.

The other common heat-pump product you might have is an air conditioner, which will often have an outdoor unit (a compressor) which cools your indoor space by pumping chilled refrigerant to the indoor wall unit where it soaks up heat from the indoor air, and the cooled air is then blown back into the room.Ìý

The warm refrigerant is then pumped back to the outdoor unit where the heat is blown into the outdoor air. The outdoor unit chills the refrigerant again and the cycle keeps on going.

Other less common products in Australia are heat-pump dryers and heat-pump hot water systems, both of which are quite expensive at the moment. But many states are offering rebates for heat-pump hot water systems, which will no doubt lead to an increased uptake over the next 20 years.

Main types of heat pumps

There are a variety of different types of heat-pump technology, but these are primarily related to where they source heat from: air, earth or water.Ìý

Air-source heat pumps

Air-source heat pumps move heat from the air around them and put it into a source, and a common example would be heat-pump hot water systems. This type of technology is the most common type in residential Australia and is used in split-system reverse-cycle air conditioners as well, where the heat is moved from inside a building to the outside, or vice versa – moving heat from outside the house to inside.

Ground source heat pumps

Less common in residential Australia, this heat pump (also known as a geothermal heat pump) moves heat from the ground into a source by laying cables or other collector type arrays to gather heat from the surrounding soil, either in shallow trenches (which takes up a lot of room) or a deep hole in the ground (which is expensive).

Water source heat pumps

Given the consistency of water temperatures, this can be the most efficient heat-pump technology. It takes the same process as ground source heat pumps, making use of cables laid into water to extract heat, but it’s rare that a property is located next to a constant flowing water source.

How do heat pumps work?

Unlike electrical resistance and gas-burning options, a heat pump does not generate heat. Instead it uses compressed and expanded refrigerant gas to capture heat and move it to another space.

It’s a fairly simple concept, which is why the technology has been around for so long, though there are several components to heat-pump technology and it’s become a lot more efficient over time, using better refrigerants.

And of course, one of the benefits of good insulation in your living space means you’ll need to use even less energy to run the heat pump, as it requires less energy to heat an already well insulated home.

Most heat pumps only act in one direction – they only heat, or they only cool. Reverse-cycle air conditioners have a reversing switch which means they can heat or cool.

This isn’t necessary for something like a fridge, where you only expect it to cool the compartment contents, so the heat pump moves heat from inside the fridge to outside the fridge (the coils at the rear).

Why is heat-pump technology being used more and more?

Since heat pumps are much more efficient than gas-powered or electrical-resistance technologies, the amount of heating or cooling you get is at least twice (and often three or four times) the amount of electrical energy you put into the unit.Ìý

For example, an air conditioner powered by heat-pump technology will usually deliver three or more units (usually measured in kilowatts, or kW) of energy for heating or cooling compared to the one unit of energy required to run the air conditioner.Ìý

That’s because it’s not simply using the electricity for heating. Thanks to the refrigerant gases in the heat pump, it’s actually utilising the free heat energy in the air itself. The heat that your heat-pump hot water system puts into the water tank mostly comes from the outdoor air.

Even on a fairly cold day, there’s plenty of available heat energy in the air (heat pumps can struggle in temperatures near zero or below, but there are models specially designed for cold areas). This is also why the compressor unit needs to be outdoors, or at least in a well-ventilated space.

Electrical resistance, like that of a portable heater or vented clothes dryer, will only get you a ratio of one unit of energy to one unit of heating or cooling energy, at best.

Gas is even worse than electrical resistance, as you get fewer units of energy compared to the amount of gas you’re putting into the product.

Because heat-pump technology is much more efficient, it can save you a lot of money, and combined with other energy-saving technologies like solar and battery technology, it can essentially wipe out a large portion of your energy bill.

Heating and cooling can make up 30–40% of your energy bill, so any change to a more efficient technology should save you money in the long run.

Reasons to install a heat pump

Cheaper energy bills

Do you like to save money on your energy bill? It’s generally a good reason to install a heat-pump system, whether that’s an air conditioner, dryer or hot water system. But that’s no reason to chuck out your existing system if it all works well, just that it’s worth considering when it’s time to replace it.

Combined with a solar and/or battery system, you can achieve cost-free heating and cooling, which is more difficult to do with electric resistance given the comparatively poor efficiency.Ìý

One product to heat and cool

If you install reverse-cycle air conditioning you can both heat and cool, instead of relying on separate appliances for your seasonal needs. Another potential benefit of this type of air conditioner is that it acts as a dehumidifier as well (cooling the indoor air condenses some of the moisture out of it in the process).

No gas needed

If you have gas and are relying on it for heating (space and/or water), changing to heat pumps can get rid of most of your gas bill with the remainder only spent on cooking (if you have a gas cooktop).ÌýYou could even decide to switch all your appliances to electricity at that time and eliminate your gas bill completely.

Rebates

At the moment, some Australian states and territories, including Victoria and the ACT, are offering rebates for these types of systems (particularly heat-pump hot water systems) to those who are eligible, cutting the sometimes extravagant costs of this tech in half or to hardly any outlay depending on which rebates you can get.

Reasons not to install a heat pump

Lack of space

If you’re in an apartment, semi or townhouse, you may not have space to install a heat-pump air conditioner or hot water system, so these may simply be out of reach for the moment. Over time we expect there will be technologies to replace existing instant gas systems for hot water, and smaller designs for smaller living spaces.

No insulation

If you have a draughty house, you may not reap the full benefits of a heat pump, as it tries to replace all the heat (or cool) that is leaking out of the house on a regular basis. The best way forward in this case is to seal the gaps and insulate your home first.

Electricity becomes even more expensive

Installing a heat pump might only keep you on par with electricity prices if they continue to exponentially increase, so lower bills are not a guarantee. However, gas prices could rise at the same time, so staying with gas heating won’t necessarily be a better option.

Expense of installation

If you’re unable to source rebates from your state, territory or the federal government, it might not make sense to buy and install a heat-pump system if the price is too high. You’ll need to make some calculations to see whether the investment makes sense, but even then, not everyone has a spare several thousand dollars to make an energy-efficient household.

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On this page:

• The typical toilet suite
• Understanding the S trap, P trap and skew trap
• Water inlets
• Toilet designs
• Rimless toilets: Should you get one?
• Water efficiency in toilets
• Toilet seats
• Bidets and smart toilets

Your selection of toilet, whether based on its water usage, design or simply its colour, can affect the cost and installation, so it’s good to have an idea of what you’re in for.

Our guide explains the different types of toilets on the market and their various features so you can choose the right throne for your castle.

The typical toilet suite

There are two fundamental elements to a toilet suite:

1. The cistern, which holds the water for the gravity-driven flush.
2. The toilet pan (or bowl), which is the bit you sit on.

When the flush is triggered, the water flows from the cistern into the pan and moves the waste to the sewer line.

Understanding the S trap, P trap and skew trap

The primary difference between types of toilets is where the waste exits the toilet pan – known as the set-outÌý– which is split into different options, depending on the design of your bathroom.Ìý

The options are named for their shape, or the bend of the pipe, and all are designed to create a water seal so the sewer smell doesn’t come back up through the toilet.

• An S trap is where the pipe connects to the sewer through the floor. This is the most common set-out in Australia.
• A P trap exits from the back of the toilet and connects to the sewer through the wall. If your toilet is wall hung, it will have a P trap.
• A skew trap exits to either side of the toilet pan – this is the least common set-out, but can be good for tight bathroom designs.

You may not have a choice in the set-out if you’re replacing a toilet, as the previous design will generally guide your selection, unless you’re willing to invest substantially in some bathroom redesign.

Toilet installation measurement requirements

When shopping for a toilet you’ll need the below measurements.

• Set-out:ÌýFor an S trap it’s the distance from the centre of the waste outlet to the wall. For a P trap it’s the distance from the outlet to the floor. Make sure to also take note of the inlet location that you currently have.
• Projection:ÌýThis is how far your toilet projects into your space. If you’re replacing a toilet and it projects too far, it might end up blocking a door, cupboard or shower. This is hard to fix after you’ve installed it.
• ±á±ð¾±²µ³ó³Ù:ÌýThis is important for people who might have problems getting onto or up from the toilet, or for those who are much taller than average. Most toilets are installed at 39.5cm height, whereas ambulant toilets can be installed from 46–48cm, making it easier for people to use them.

Water inlets

The other main consideration is where the water inlet is – this is how the water gets to the cistern to flush. This will matter if you’re installing a new toilet. Often toilets can cater for either, but if not you might need a plumber to make some changes.

This flexible or copper piping comes from one of two places:

• ²¹Ìýbottom inletÌýis under the cistern, and will have exposed plumbing – you’ll know you have this if you see a tap of some description
• ²¹Ìýback inletÌýcomes from the rear of the cistern and will be concealed, which is neater design-wise and requires less cleaning, but it’s recommended you hire a plumber for a back inlet install.

Solenoids and macerators

Some toilets, particularly compact models designed for small spaces or where regular plumbing might be too difficult, use a solenoid inlet. This requires an electrical connection but removes the need for a cistern, thereby saving space. Pressing the flush button activates the water inlet; water is pumped into the bowl to flush it rather than relying on a gravity-fed supply from a cistern.

These models may also have a macerating outlet. The macerator is an electrically powered blade or grinder that reduces solid waste to a fine pulp allowing it to be pumped out through narrower discharge pipes than usual. Again, this can be useful for installations in areas where standard toilet plumbing is too difficult.Ìý

Toilet designs

The toilet suite design found in most homes is one where you can see the S trap or P trap. This pipeware can often be a pain to clean. To solve that issue some more recent designs have joined the cistern and toilet pan into one unit, and others have eliminated the cistern from view completely (though not its existence, of course).

Link or connector toilets

One of the most commonly found toilet suites comes in two parts – the cistern and the toilet pan – which are connected with a pipe. These are easy to install, and are also the cheapest. Some have connector options that cover the pipeware.

Close coupled toilets

The close coupled toilet design has no gap between the cistern and toilet pan – the cistern sits directly on the toilet pan. It looks neater than the plastic connector in link toilet suites, but you’ll still have to clean the trap pipeware at the back.

Back to wall toilets

Back to wall toilets are considered the next step up, budget-wise. As well as eliminating any gap between the cistern and toilet pan, this toilet type also sits flush with the wall so there’s no need to clean behind the toilet for dust.

Concealed cistern toilets

This covers a variety of designs, but the common factor is that the cistern is concealed, generally behind a wall or cabinet.Ìý

The flush buttons are usually located vertically above the toilet pan, within an access panel on the wall or cabinetry. If a problem develops with the cistern, the plumber can gain access through this panel.Ìý

The flush buttons are available in different configurations and can even be placed some distance from the toilet, allowing for a more innovative bathroom design.

The toilet pan can be floor-mounted or wall-hung so you have clearance under the pan. Wall-hung pans can be useful for installing at a non-standard height (for example, they can be set higher to accommodate taller people) but they’re only suitable for P trap set-outs.Ìý

Also, since the pan and cistern generally don’t come as a matched set, you need to make sure that the cistern you choose will work correctly with the pan.

Rimless toilets: Should you get one?

Most toilets have a rim around the top edge of the pan (that the seat is positioned on). Cleaning under the rim is essential for removing any nasties that you can’t see, but new rimless toilets have made this irrelevant – for a price.

Rimless toilets are exactly what you would think: there’s no rim, so the interior of the toilet bowl is all one visible surface, and a simple sponge can clean everything. The design of rimless toilets means no splashing. They’re a fairly recent phenomenon in Australia and the theory is that since you can see the entire inside surface of the bowl, it means you only need to use a limited amount of toilet cleaner without spurting a whole bottle of it under the rim ‘just in case’.

While aesthetically some people might appreciate a rimless design, we prefer its claim of being easier to clean. Fewer chemicals down your toilet and into the wastewater system is a good thing. If you can afford the extra cost – and it really depends on the brand you’re buying – then it may well be worth it.

Water efficiency in toilets

Every toilet should have a (water efficiency labelling standard) star rating, introduced by the Australian government in 2005. In a largely dry country like Australia, water efficiency is important.

The star rating lets you easily compare water usage between toilets. The higher the star rating, the more water-efficient the toilet.

Ratings are based on the number of litres used for four half flushes combined with the number of litres for one full flush. All toilets sold in Australia must have both half and full flush options, and all toilets must be registered for WELS.

If building or renovating, there are minimum star rating requirements you must adhere to. The current requirements are typically:

• toilets installed in new homes must have at least a four-star rating
• toilets installed as a replacement, or as part of a home renovation, must have at least a three-star rating.

Different rules may apply depending on your local jurisdiction.

The higher the rating, the more water you’ll save, and the more money you’ll save on your water bill.

Toilet seats

The main design change for toilet seats in recent times has been the soft-closing lid. The slamming of a standard toilet lid at 3am is not something most people particularly appreciate, especially if you plan on getting back to sleep, so soft-close lids are a welcome development.

Since they close more gently and have less impact on the toilet pan, they’re also less likely to cause damage over time.

Other new options include quick-release toilet seats. These have a simple mechanism to remove the seat for cleaning, rather than having to use a tool to remove it from the toilet pan.

Bidets and smart toilets

Although European and American bidets often sit as separate units to the toilet, bidets can be added as an optional extra onto an existing toilet. While many models don’t require much plumbing expertise, it’s always best to get an expert to install anything that interacts with your water supply.

The basic add-on attachments to existing toilet seats usually just require a split from your inlet hose in order to supply water for the bidet, and they come with an adaptor and some simple instructions. Other types replace the seat entirely and require power.Ìý

Designs can range from a simple manual switch to activate a gush of water straight from the inlet valve, through to smart toilets which incorporate varied temperature and pressure of water and toilet seat warming (great for winter nights). Some even incorporate LED lights.

Bidet prices tend to start from $90 and can cost thousands.

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On this page:

• Electric, gas, solar or heat pump hot water system?
• Storage tank or continuous flow (instantaneous)?
• Household size and water usage
• Energy star ratings
• Rebates and incentives

Water heating accounts for a quarter of a typical household’s energy use – some times, even more – so reviewing your hot water use or buying a better unit before your current one carks it could save you considerable cash in the long run.

This guide explains the different types of hot water systems, their pros and cons, and how to pick the right one for your household.

Electric, gas, solar or heat pump hot water system?

The first decision you’ll need to make when choosing a hot water system is the energy source and heating method: electricity, gas, solar or heat pump?

Heat pump

This type of electric storage tank system uses heat pump technology to extract heat from the outdoor air and uses it to warm the water tank. This makes it more energy-efficient and cheaper to run than conventional electric systems, though the initial purchase price is higher. The payback (break-even) period is typically about five years, although this will be shorter if you’re eligible to get a government rebate in your state.

Heat pumps make great sense when you have solar panels on your home – you’re powering the hot water system with your own ‘free’ electricity.

While heat pumps tend to work best in warm and temperate climates, there are models designed to work well in cold climates too, and most systems include a booster element for days of cold weather or high water usage.

They need to be installed in a well-ventilated area, typically outdoors, and the process usually takes no more than two to three hours if replacing a similar heat pump or electric storage hot water system.

Units are usually integrated (tank and compressor together) but can also be split (separate tank and compressor). The compressor on the unit can be noisy, like the outdoor unit of an air conditioner, so you can’t install it too close to a neighbouring home.Ìý

Heat pumps at a glance:

• Price range: $200–6000
• Running cost: Cheaper than conventional electric
• Tank size for a 4-person household:Ìý270–315L
• Installation location: Usually outdoors (needs ventilation)

Electric

An electrically heated storage tank system is usually relatively cheap to buy and install, but tends to be the most expensive to run, especially when heating during peak time rates.

Since an electric hot water system can account for a significant chunk of your electricity bill, it’s worth checking that you’re on the best plan for your needs. Note too that off-peak electricity isn’t available to all homes.

These systems can be installed indoors or outdoors, and installation typically takes no more than two or three hours if it’s a straight replacement for a similar system.

Electric at a glance:

• Price range: $500–3500
• Running cost: Usually most expensive, unless you have solar PV panels or can run off-peak
• Tank size for a 4-person household:Ìý125–160L (250–315L if choosing to use off-peak electricity)
• Installation location: Indoors or outdoors

Gas

Natural gas is an efficient option if you have the connection for it. It can be cheaper than grid electricity, and because gas rates don’t vary across the day, there’s no off-peak pricing to complicate your decision – gas systems simply heat water as needed. Liquid petroleum gas (LPG) bottles are an alternative to natural gas, but expect to pay significantly more in running costs.

Some gas hot water systems have a pilot light, which continually uses a small amount of gas. Electric ignition is more economical, but in a blackout you can lose your hot water supply.

Of course, gas is a fossil fuel and moves to reduce carbon emissions will probably make gas a less attractive option in the future. While it’s cheaper than grid electricity, it’s nowhere near as cheap as your own solar-generated electricity if you have panels. The long-term future for gas prices is uncertain, but they are expected to rise over time.

Gas hot water systems are usually installed outdoors due to venting requirements but can be indoors with a flue. Installation typically takes no more than two or three hours, if it’s a straight replacement for a similar system.

You also have the option of an instantaneous system, also known as a continuous flow system – see below for more on these, and how they compare to a storage tank system.

Gas at a glance:

• Price range: $700-3000
• Running cost: Natural gas is cheaper than electric; LPG can cost more
• Tank size for a 4-person household:Ìý135-170L
• Installation location: Usually outdoors but can be indoors with flue

Solar

Not to be confused with photovoltaic (PV) solar panels that generate electricity, solar hot water systems consist of a storage tank and roof-mounted thermal panels, which collect heat from the sun and usually look like a set of elevated black tubes. The storage tank usually has an electric or gas booster element to keep the water hot on days with less sunshine.

Key advantages include free heating from the sun and low running costs, but there are some downsides to be wary of. Systems are comparatively expensive, time-consuming to install and require their own roof space, which might be limited if you already have PV solar panels installed or are planning to.

Indeed, if you have the choice, it’s advised that you’ll get better long-term value by filling your roof with PV solar panels and using an electric heat pump than using solar thermal panels. Government rebates and other incentives can help offset the purchase cost.

Solar systems at a glance:

• Price range: $4000–6000
• Running cost: Low
• Tank size for a 4-person household: 300–360L (plus about 4sqm of solar collector area on roof)
• Tank installation location: Indoors or outdoors

See our solar hot water system guide for more info.

Storage tank or continuous flow (instantaneous)?

The next decision, after heating method, is whether you go for a system with a tank, or one that heats water as needed.

Storage tank

Most electric, gas, solar and heat pump systems use a tank to store heated water, which is usually the most cost-effective option for households that use a lot of hot water.

Tanks come in a variety of sizes depending on system type or brand and are made from either mild (regular) steel or stainless steel. The former is cheaper and usually comes with 5- to 10-year warranties, but they can corrode over time. Maintenance every few years can help prevent this.

Most mild-steel tanks have one or two ‘sacrificial anodes’. This is a metal rod inside the tank that attracts minerals and other impurities that would otherwise corrode the tank – the anode corrodes instead, ‘sacrificing’ itself. Get a plumber to check the system and replace the anode every five years, or as per manufacturer instructions. Doing this can add years to the life of the tank.

Stainless steel tanks are more expensive, but generally last longer and don’t require as much maintenance as mild steel tanks. They usually carry a 10-year warranty, but still require occasional maintenance, such as replacement of valves and seals (which often have a warranty of only one year).

Local water quality may dictate which type is best for you – check with the installer.

Continuous / instantaneous flow

A continuous flow hot water system (also referred to as ‘instantaneous’) heats only as much water as you need, when you need it. They aren’t truly instantaneous – it can take a few seconds before hot water starts flowing from the tap, especially when there’s a fair distance of pipe between the hot water system and the tap.

The pros of a continuous flow system are effectively unlimited hot water; they need less space (given there’s no large tank); and they’re often cheaper to buy than a tank storage system.

The con – and it’s a big one – is that often the most efficient and effective continuous units are the gas models, which might not be an option due to your household set-up or environmental concerns. Electric models are available, but these are usually intended to heat water for a single tap or shower (whole-house electric continuous flow systems usually require three-phase power, which not many households have).

The other issue is that because continuous flow systems heat water at the time it’s needed, you can be paying peak electricity prices during the busy end-of-day period when you might be running a washing machine and showers and baths. A tank system, on the other hand, can heat water at cheaper tariff times (usually overnight) and store it for when it’s needed (keeping water hot takes less energy than heating it from cold).Ìý

Household size and water usage

Typically, one person uses about 50L of hot water a day – more if you take very long hot showers or often wash clothes in warm or hot water.

Get a hot water system supplier to analyse your home and usage and recommend some options. To determine the right size of system, a supplier should ask a few key questions to figure out how much hot water your home uses, and when.

• How many people live in your home?
• What’s the usual time for showers or baths? Morning, evening or both? How many showers and for how long?
• Do you wash clothes in hot or cold water? Many front loader washing machines take cold water only (and heat it themselves), so they don’t use hot water. But if your washer is connected to a hot water tap, and you use hot wash cycles, that’ll be drawing on the water in your hot water system.
• Do you use a dishwasher, or do you mainly wash your dishes by hand? Dishwashers usually take cold water only and heat it themselves.
• Is there a long pipe run from the hot water system to the main outlets (e.g. the kitchen sink or the shower)? That can be inefficient and it means long waits for hot water to arrive, and wasted energy and water. Shorter runs are better or at least,Ìý, the hot water pipe should be insulated.Ìý

Get quotes from at least two hot water suppliers.

For most households, a solar hot water system can be the most efficient and cheapest to run. If that’s not an option, here are other suggestions.

• Small household (1–2 people): Continuous flow hot water system (gas or electric) or small gas storage hot water system.
• Medium household (3–4 people): Gas systems (continuous flow or storage), or a heat pump.
• Large household (5+ people): Multiple continuous flow hot water system may be an option but gas storage units may be more economical. Large heat pumps are also an option.

Energy star ratings

(MEPS) currently apply for electric hot water storage systems, gas hot water storage and gas instantaneous systems. However, they aren’t required to have energy star rating labels.Ìý

You’ll see star rating labels on gas hot water systems, but that’s an industry-managed scheme and isn’t regulated by government. It’s unrelated to the energy efficiency star rating labels that applies to products such as fridges and air conditioners.

MEPS are currently under consideration for other water heater types. This will help to remove inefficient models from the market and may see star rating labels appear on all hot water systems.

Rebates and incentives

There are a few federal and state schemes to encourage households to switch to more energy-efficient types of hot water systems, in particular, to solar and heat pump models.

The Ìýlets you enter details of your state and area of interest to find out the rebates and incentives available to you. For example, enter that you’re a household, located in NSW (for example), interested in hot water, and it will list the rebates and incentives available to NSW households who are buying a new hot water system.Ìý

In most states, the only assistance is the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, which is the same scheme that provides a form of rebate for installing solar panels on your home. It offers similar incentives for installing a solar or heat pump hot water system.

Some state-based schemes also exist.

• Australian Capital Territory: Ìýto replace a conventional electric or gas hot water system with a heat pump hot water system.
• South Australia: The provides assistance to mainly low-income households to help them improve their home’s energy and water efficiency, which can include installing a more efficient hot water system.
• Victoria:ÌýIncentives to help consumers buy .
• New South Wales: Rebates available for upgrades to your Ìýas part of the (ESS).

The above list is not exhaustive and new schemes appear from time to time, so it’s worth doing your own check on the federal government site above, or with your state and local governments. A good local hot water system installer will also often be able to advise of any rebates that apply in your area.

The post How to buy the best hot water system appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• Types of showerheads
• Finding sustainable showerheads
• Saving money on a showerhead
• What are smart showers?
• Showerhead requirements for rental properties
• Save water by singing in the shower

But there are plenty of showerheads that offer smaller flow rates than this, with some pumping out as little as 5L per minute. So why aren’t more of us installing water-efficient showerheads to help conserve what is arguably Australia’s most precious resource?

The answer, according to some of the retailers ÌÇÐÄVlog spoke with, is that we’re wary of such low flow rates and prefer stronger showers with a higher flow.Ìý

But if you know what to look for, you’ll find that a well-designed low-flow showerhead can provide an experience comparable to, or even better than, a regular 9L per minute showerhead. And going from a 9L to a 7.5L flow rate can mean saving more than 5000L of water per year.

Types of showerheads

Showerheads are either handheld or non-handheld, but there are a few different mounts with their own adjustment options, including cradles that allow handheld models to function similarly to non-handheld ones.

Adjustable and fixed arm mounts:ÌýThe showerhead is connected via a pipe (arm) to the wall, in a fixed or adjustable configuration. Adjustable models have mechanisms to adjust the angle and height while fixed ones sit in place. If your shower is located within the bath, you’ll want a longer showerhead so it can reach over the lip of the bath.

Manufacturers and retailers often use the terms ‘arm mount’ and ‘wall mount’ interchangeably, which can be confusing.

Ceiling mount:ÌýThis style of showerhead mounts to the ceiling and is typically fixed in place rather than adjustable.

Head only: Designed to replace a showerhead in an existing system, these do not come with any fittings aside from the showerhead. Some might also have matching hoses that are sold separately.

Combination (aka dual or twin):ÌýThis is two showerheads in the one unit, typically one fixed and one handheld. It might also come with a rail mount for the handheld unit.Ìý

Handheld (aka wall or rail mount):ÌýA holder with a detachable shower hose is mounted on the wall, while the showerhead itself sits in a cradle and is attached to a hose for water flow. The cradle may be height adjustable, or fixed in place. The showerhead can be removed from the cradle and used handheld, or left in the cradle.

Showerhead features

Below are a few other things you might want to consider when shopping for a showerhead.

Adjustable spray: While this might not be a huge consideration if you tend to stick to just one type of jet, some people may appreciate a showerhead with adjustable spray settings.

Flow control location: Where you can find the flow control unit in the showerhead. This is worth noting if you want to disassemble and clean it.

Instantaneous gas hot water systems and low-flow showerheads: Some instantaneous gas hot water systems may not cope well with low-flow showerheads as they require a larger flow rate to actually switch on. If your home has several floors, a low-flow model may be better for upstairs where the water pressure can be lower.

Finding sustainable showerheads

In Australia, water fixtures and some appliances must be registered and assessed for their water efficiency. Under the water efficiency labelling and standards (WELS) scheme, showerheads are given a star rating of 1 to 4 stars. The higher the rating, the more water-efficient it is.

The star rating is required by law to be displayed on the product, along with the flow rate per minute. For our showerheads review we gathered information from the WELS database so you can easily compare how water-efficient different showerheads are. You can also find more detailed information about the showerheads in our comparison by searching the .

Saving money on a showerhead

We found some significant price differences for some showerheads depending on the retailer, so it really pays to shop around. Also, you’ll probably pay a bit extra for a fancy finish like gold or brushed brass. If you find a showerhead that you like but don’t care about the colour, ask if a standard colour version such as chrome is available. You could wind up saving quite a bit of cash.

What are smart showers?

The idea of a Wi-Fi-enabled shower may sound absurd, but smart showerheads actually have a lot of interesting potential. For example, some have accompanying apps with temperature adjustments and water saving settings, as well as timers so you don’t waste water.

Smart showers also present some exciting opportunities for seniors and people with disability who live independently. Many apps support voice commands, which give users with limited mobility and reach an entirely different way to control their showers. Instead of using physical fittings, you can set the temperature and turn it on and off without touching a thing.

A few even have built-in speakers and support for digital assistants such as Google Home and Alexa. Not only does this give people the freedom to issue commands from the shower recess, it can also be used for emergency alerts if they happen to slip and fall. That’s not to say that a smart showerhead is the only safety solution you need, but it can be a useful addition to the home.

This is relatively new technology that hasn’t really taken off in Australia yet, so we haven’t tested any smart showerheads, but we’ll be watching this space in future.

Financial rebates for showerheads

Some state and local governments, and even some water companies, provide rebates and financial assistance if you want to make water-saving improvements to your home. You can find these programs by going to the , but we’ve included are a few examples here.

(Note: We couldn’t find any rebate programs in Queensland, Tasmania and the ACT at the time of writing).

New South Wales

The subsidises the cost of sending a licensed plumber to assess your home and repair minor leaks. They can also install some WELS 4 star-rated fittings, including showerheads.

Some showerheads can be replaced for free, but you may need to pay extra if you’d like a specific model. You’ll also need to pay a $33 call-out fee, though this includes Saturdays with no surcharge.

Northern Territory

Residents in Katherine can get $200 leak-fix rebates through .

South Australia

The provides financial support for households that want to install energy- and water-efficient devices. This includes low-flow showerheads.

Victoria

A number of energy- and water-efficient products are covered by the Victorian Energy Upgrades program. This includes an approximate discount of $70 for new low-flow showerheads, though specific rebates are assessed on a case by case basis. VisitÌý for a list of accredited providers.

Western Australia

Western Australia’s programs are a bit of a mixed bag, depending on where you live. For example, offers various schemes to assist residents with rainwater tank rebates, free plumbing checks to find and fix minor leaks, irrigation system assessments and more.

Council and business programs

It’s also worth contacting your local council to find out if they provide any services for your local government area. They can also point you towards programs offered by businesses that service your suburb.

Showerhead requirements for rental properties

The Plumbing Code of Australia requires that showerheads in all new developments have a maximum flow rate of 9L per minute. Rental properties in New South Wales fall under the same flow regulations as owner-occupied properties and landlords must make sure that showerheads meet the criteria.

This isn’t an issue if you’re renting out property in a recent development. But it can be a problem if you’ve bought or inherited an already existing property that was built prior to these regulations coming into effect. New owners of old properties should check all the showerheads (as well as other water outlets such as taps) and replace any to comply with state legislation before renting them out. You’ll risk a fine if you don’t.

We’ve used New South Wales as an example, but there may be similar compliance requirements in other states and territories.

Save water by singing in the shower

Limiting your showers to four minutes is an easy way to save water while still giving you plenty of time to have a thorough wash. But rather than use a regular timer, you can play a song that lasts about four minutes. When the final guitar riff wails through your bathroom, it’s time to turn off the tap.

Hunter Water has also put together some playlists of bangin’ four-minute tunes so you can enjoy a different shower song every day. Head to the to find playlists for adults and kids.

The post What to know when buying a showerhead appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• What is greywater?
• Greywater treatment systems
• Which greywater option suits you?
• Safety of greywater
• Best laundry detergents for greywater systems
• The legal stuff around greywater
• Greywater gardening
• Tips for greywater use

What is greywater?

• Greywater is the waste water from showers, baths, spas, handbasins, laundry tubs and washing machines.Ìý
• Water from dishwashers and kitchen sinks is often referred to as dark greywater, because it has a higher load of chemicals, fats and other organic matter.Ìý
• Water from toilets is called blackwater.Ìý

It’s estimated that just over half of household water used could be recycled as greywater, saving potentially hundreds of litres of water per day.

There are two types of systems to recycle greywater:

Diversion devices

Diversion devices simply carry greywater from your bathroom or washing machine directly to your garden or toilet, without treating it. Components may include:

Hose

Greywater is diverted from its source to the garden using a simple flexible hose.

Diverter valves

For around $30 you can install a switch that allows you to choose when the water flows to your garden and when it flows to the sewer.

Closed-loop system

This diverts greywater to your toilet rather than your garden, but isn’t approved in some states.

Surge tank

This stores the brunt of the outflow so your greywater won’t flood the garden, or worse, the house. You need to remove sludge from the tank every six months or so, and it should also have an overflow device to divert excess water into the sewer.

Filters

These remove hair and other large particles from the water so they don’t clog up your irrigation pipes. Filters need regular cleaning and need replacing every 6 to 12 months.

Pump

This may be necessary to get water to all parts of your garden, especially if gravity’s not on your side. You’ll need a power source, which may mean getting an outdoor power point installed.

Cost

The more complex greywater diverters range from several hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on what you need in the way of pumps and surge tanks, irrigation equipment and the suitability of your existing plumbing. You’ll also need the services of a licensed plumber, and will most likely need to alert authorities that you have a greywater system in place.

Greywater treatment systems

These systems collect and treat (and some disinfect) the water to various levels of purity and hygiene. Several stages are involved in the treatment of water:

• Filtration of solids (lint and hair).
• Removal of pathogens and unwanted chemicals (such as salts and nutrients) using either micro-organisms or chemical treatment.
• Disinfection by chlorination or UV light, though not all systems do this.

Treated water can be used in washing machines and toilets, as well as on the garden. If you don’t have much garden to water, or if you don’t need to water it in all seasons, this sort of system may be a more useful option as you can use the water elsewhere.

Cost

Basic treatment systems cost around $4000. Systems that treat greywater to ‘Class A’ level (which is considered safe for watering plants intended for eating, but not for drinking or preparing food) cost from around $10,000 up to well over $20,000, including installation.Ìý

Bear in mind you’ll also need to pay ongoing maintenance costs, to cover regular service call-outs and filter replacements.

Installation costs tend to escalate if a lot of extra plumbing is required (if your bathroom andÌýlaundryÌýpipes are spread all around the house, say) or if pipes are in a concrete slab.

The amount and location of water storage can also affect costs. Installing a system when building a new house (or doing major renovations) tends to be cheaper than retrofitting one.

The cost of mains water in Australian cities is so low that you’re unlikely to ever recoup the cost of a greywater treatment system.Ìý

On the other hand, if you consider that a garden makes up about 10% of the value of your home, you might think the cost of a treatment system to keep your garden (and home value) growing during water restrictions is worthwhile.

Which greywater option suits you?

If you have access to mains water, it’s unlikely you’ll want to bother with greywater recycling unless you really want to do your bit for the environment, or if you don’t have ²¹Ìýrainwater tank.Ìý

But if you don’t have access to mains water, or you produce a lot of greywater thanks to a large household, it could be worth investing in some sort of greywater recycling system.

The system that best suits will depend on your situation.

Big garden (fruit or ornamentals)

The cheapest and simplest solution is to get a diverter and send water to the lawn or garden through sub-surface irrigation pipes. However, a higher level of treatment will be safer and give you more options.

Vegetable gardening

If you want to water herbs and vegetables you’ll need to get a higher level of water treatment. Untreated greywater should definitely not be used on food that will be eaten raw.

Small or no garden

If you produce a lot of greywater but don’t have much garden, you could get a treatment system that allows the water to be used in your toilet and/or washing machine.

Drought-affected supply

If you live in a drought-affected part of the country and/or have to rely on rainwater for your household water supply, a greywater treatment system could help a lot.Ìý

If plumbed into your toilet and washing machine, you’ll save precious drinking water. It will also reduce the load on septic tanks or drought-stressed waterways. (You might also consider a waste water treatment system that handles blackwater as well as greywater.)

You want the whole green shebang

Installing a greywater treatment system will reduce how much water you use and reduce the amount of waste going into the sewerage system.Ìý

While it won’t necessarily save you much money, you’ll get that warm fuzzy feeling knowing you’re helping the environment.

Safety of greywater

There are limits to what you can do with untreated greywater because of the chemicals and bacteria in it, but treated greywater is somewhat safer to use.

• Untreated greywater should only be used for sub-surface garden irrigation – that is, through a network of pipes buried at least 1m below the ground – to reduce the risk of human or animal contact.
• Pipes carrying untreated greywater must display relevant warning labels.
• You can’t store untreated greywater, because the bacteria and other pathogens could multiply to dangerous levels.
• Use it immediately (or within 24 hours), and if it’s raining, divert it to the sewer.
• If someone in your family is sick with gastro or flu or another contagious disease, stop using the greywater.
• Don’t use greywater if you’ve been washingÌýnappiesÌýor using bleaches or dyes.
• Don’t water herbs, vegetables or pot plants with untreated greywater.
• Your greywater shouldn’t escape from your property into a neighbouring one, into stormwater systems or aquifers used for drinking water — in fact it’s illegal.

Greywater is a complex substance and there are many things to consider if you’re to use it safely and to maximum benefit. WaterNSW has information aboutÌýÌý(including greywater), and ²¹ÌýÌýto installing these.

Best laundry detergents for greywater systems

ÌÇÐÄVlog tested washing machine run-off for chemicals that could harm garden plants and contaminate soil. See ourÌýlaundry detergent reviewsÌýto find out which detergents we recommend for greywater reuse.

• Some laundry detergent products whose names imply they’re environmentally friendly could in fact cause problems if used on your garden. See our report for more.
• The components most likely to cause problems are phosphorus, salinity, sodium, and pH.
• Small amounts of phosphorus can be useful for plants, and it’s a major component of fertiliser. When it gets into waterways, however, it can cause excessive algal growth, leading to toxic algal blooms. The effect on your soil is varied depending on your soil type. Clay soils can deal with more phosphorus because the phosphorus binds to clay minerals and doesn’t leach away. On sandy soils, excess phosphorus can leach into groundwater. Australian soils are typically low in phosphorus, and some native species can’t tolerate high levels.
• All laundry detergents contain salts, typically sodium salts such as sodium nitrate, sodium sulphate, sodium phosphate and sodium silicate. All laundry detergents are highly saline, and frequent long-term use would likely harm your garden, unless it was spread over a large area.
• Sodium is particularly detrimental not only to plants, but soil. It affects the soil’s permeability and causes a loss of structural stability.
• Laundry detergents are highly alkaline (that is, have a high pH). A pH higher than 10 helps dissolve organic dirt, such as grease, oils and food scraps. Most biological systems prefer a pH between 6 and 9, so greywater with a high pH is likely to harm many plants and soil organisms.
• Potential impacts are very much dose-dependent — try reducing the amount of detergent you use, providing it still gets your clothes acceptably clean.
• Water fromÌýfront-loading washing machinesÌýtends to have a high concentration of detergent, so unless you’re willing to use less than the recommended amount and compromise on the ‘cleanliness’ of your clothes, we wouldn’t recommend using the wash water on your garden. The amount of rinse water may not be enough to make it worthwhile (about 30 to 50L per cycle — enough to water about two square metres of garden).

The legal stuff around greywater

Different laws apply to greywater use, depending on which area you live in. Anyone can set up their own basic diversion system (check the safety warnings above), but if you’re considering installing a greywater treatment system, you’ll need to:

• consult a licensed plumber for advice on the best system for your needs
• ask your local council if you’re eligible for any green rebates
• consult your sewerage removal authority if you intend to redirect all or a major part of your used water
• check with your water supply authority and inform them of any changes to your plumbing.

Before you order any greywater diverter or treatment system, you need to check that it’s accredited by your state health or environment department. It’s unfortunate, and perhaps ironic, that although anyone can pipe their contaminant-loaded washing machine and bath water onto the garden, systems that provide a better level of treatment mean more bureaucratic dealings.

Greywater gardening

By far the easiest way to use your greywater is on the garden. When you’re calculating how much greywater you can put on your garden, reckon on about 20L per square metre per watering.Ìý

The frequency of watering depends on the local climate, rainfall and the season, while the amount of water per square metre depends on soil type (20L is for loam soils).

Using these average figures though, the average person produces enough greywater to water 35 square metres of lawn or garden once a week.

So, to work out how many square metres of garden you can supply with greywater:

• EITHER calculate the amount of greywater produced by your household each week, and divide it by 20
• OR take the number of people in your household, and multiply by 35.

Tips for greywater use

• Keep an eye on the health of your plants. Greywater tends to be high in chemicals that alter the structure of the soil, and it also tends to be overused.
• Bear in mind: sick looking plants could be suffering from overwatering, rather than the chemicals in the greywater.
• Give your plants a break by using rainwater (if you have a rainwater tank) or tap water every six weeks.
• Use compost to increase the organic content of your soil, improve its structure and help it survive the chemical onslaught.
• If your greywater is untreated, don’t use it to water edible plants or indoor plants.

The post A guide to greywater systems appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• First steps in deciding on your rainwater tank pump
• Types of pump
• Installation
• Features to look for
• Costs

First steps in deciding on your rainwater tank pump

The first step is to decide what you want your pump to do, as this will determine how powerful the pump will need to be as well as any extra features the pump will need to direct the water where you want it to go.

A good flow rate (in litres of water per minute) will not only help you water your garden quickly – it’s also an important factor in getting your flow to work at a reasonable level throughout the home. A good domestic pump should deliver at least 20L a minute which is around the same rate as a typical domestic town water tap; but most can manage more than this. The more water outlets the pump needs to service, the greater its maximum flow rate needs to be.

Water pressure from the pump is also an important factor – even more so if you’re using the pump to power your domestic water supply rather than simply watering the garden. (Nobody likes a dribbly shower!)

Most rainwater tank pumps are perfectly capable of providing good water pressure for a hose or garden watering system. If you want one to pump water to your household supply, for the laundry or toilet for example, you may need a heavier duty model. Consult an expert tank/pump supplier or plumber in that case.

Types of pump

External These sit outside the water tank, often mounted on the ground adjacent. This makes them more accessible for maintenance, but can also mean their noise is more noticeable. Pumps can be quite noisy when running, so it’s worth putting a housing over the pump to muffle the noise and protect it from the weather.Ìý

Submersible These are installed inside the tank, and can therefore be quieter as the water in the tank muffles their noise. They take up a few litres of volume, and can be more difficult to access for maintenance, but generally pumps shouldn’t need frequent maintenance so that’s not likely to be a problem.

There isn’t necessarily much difference in price or performance between these types, so go with whatever suits your installation best.

Installation

Pumps are often sold as is, without the necessary fittings to connect them to your rainwater tank. You may need to buy those separately. The pump supplier should be able to recommend the right fittings.

The pump will need a power connection, so a waterproof external power point will be needed nearby. If you don’t have one, you’ll need an electrician to install one. Don’t use an extension cord to connect to a distant power point (indoors, for example) as it might not be weatherproof and therefore could be unsafe.

Connecting a pump is usually straightforward. Here is a basic guide to getting it done; but as always, read the instructions first for your pump to make sure you get it right.

Connecting an external pump

• Connect the pump inlet to the rainwater tank outlet using a short length of kink-resistant hose, secured at each end with hose clamps. The distance between tank and pump should be as short as possible.
• Prime the pump with water.
• Plug in the pump to the power point and switch it on.
• Connect a hose to the pump’s outlet and you’re ready to start watering.

Connecting a submersible pump

• Connect a hose to the pump’s outlet.
• Lower the pump into the tank. You might want to attach a length of water-resistant rope for this purpose, to make the task easier and for later retrieval of the pump for maintenance. Don’t use the power cord to lower or raise the pump.
• Plug in the pump to the power point and switch it on. You’re ready to start watering.

Features to look for

• Automatic power on/off This is essential for pumps that supply indoor plumbing or an automatic watering system, but if you’re just using the rainwater for manually watering the garden, then a simple manual power switch is probably OK.
• Multiple outlets on the pump let you connect more than one hose, or a hose plus plumbed-in connection.
• Run-dry protection prevents motor damage if the tank is empty.
• Carry handles can be handy if you need to move the pump between sites, but otherwise aren’t necessary.

Costs

Rainwater tank pumps start at about $200-$300 and can go to $1000 or more, depending on their capacity and features.

The post How to buy the best pump for your rainwater tank appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• Water for outdoor or indoor use?
• What size tank do I need?
• What else do I need to know before buying a rainwater tank?
• Regulations covering rain water tanks
• Cost of rain water tanks

Rainwater tanks are no longer just huge, round and ugly; they come in all shapes and sizes that can make efficient use of small or tricky urban spaces.

Water for outdoor or indoor use?

The most important issue to consider before you buy and install a rainwater tank is how you want to use the water.

Using the water outdoors – for watering the garden and washing the car, for example – is the easiest way to start, as you probably just need the supplier to install the tank, rather than a licensed plumber. And it will immediately cut your consumption of mains water.

Save even more by sending the water to your toilet, washing machine or hot water system, but you’ll need a licensed plumber to connect the tank to your mains supply.

What size tank do I need?

The capacity you choose will depend on the size and shape of your household and garden. Round, squat tanks fit well under a deck, while slimline tanks are good for narrow spaces. An underfloor tank or bladder storage system is a good out-of-sight space saver, but is more expensive.

Your roof area and the annual rainfall in your region will also have to be considered. To help determine the size and shape that’s right for you, sellers often provide calculators on their websites, or your may be able to help.

What else do I need to know before buying a rainwater tank?

Materials

Water tanks generally come in the following materials:

• Metal tanks are made from corrugated or flat rolled metal, which may be galvanised or coated. They often come with a plastic inner lining (Aquaplate) that will increase the life of the tank and protect the water quality.
• Polyethylene (plastic)Ìýtanks are popular as they are relatively cheap and durable. Because rust isn’t an issue, they are a good option for people living near the ocean. Other synthetic materials, such as PVC and geotextile, are used for bladder storage. Bladders are useful for water storage below a deck or floor; while their material is tough, it’s not intended for outdoor installation.
• ¹ó¾±²ú°ù±ð²µ±ô²¹²õ²õÌýtanks are rust and chemical-resistant and designed to withstand extreme temperatures. They’re not the cheapest option, and more suitable for above-ground installation, while all other types can also be installed below ground.
• °ä´Ç²Ô³¦°ù±ð³Ù±ðÌýtanks, more often used for agricultural and industrial purposes, won’t rust, burn, melt or blow away. They can be bought ready-made, or custom made onsite.

Regulations covering rain water tanks

Ask your local council and water supplier which rules and regulations apply in your area. You may need to submit a development or building application, and there may be rules around drinking rainwater or mosquito breeding prevention, as well as restrictions on the tank’s location, colour, height and labelling or noise regulations for a pump.Ìý

Are you renovating, building new or retrofitting?

If you are renovating or building, rather than retrofitting, you may have to incorporate energy and water-efficient features in your plans to comply with new legislative requirements.

Extra costs

When getting quotes, ask if there are any further costs for delivery and installation; extra materials (such as pipes, fittings and taps); optional extras (such as a first-flush or backflow-prevention device); a pumpÌý(unless you can use gravity for water pressure); and a stand (unless you want to put it on the ground or below it, in which case you’ll need to factor in the cost of special ground prep or excavation).

If you want to connect the tank to your mains water supply, factor in the cost of a licensed plumber, and costs for any additional work that needs to be done to your roof and/or guttering.

Can you get a water tank rebate?

Check with your local water or government authority to see if you’re entitled to a cash rebate or bill reduction – the answer may depend on the size of the tank and whether it’s connected to a toilet and/or washing machine.Ìý

Cost of rain water tanks

Rainwater tanks can range from around $700 to $2000, starting from a small, freestanding model without pump or extras, to large, custom-built models. Costs vary depending on the size, material, finish and strength of the tank.

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On this page:

• How to save water in the bathroom
• How to save water in the kitchen
• How to save water in the laundry
• How to save water outside the house

Some water experts say that by reducing water use by 50 litres per person per day, we could delay or completely avoid the need for new water provision infrastructure (for example, new dams or desalination plants), and even lift restrictions.

If you’re keen to help, there are plenty of steps you can take at home. Here, we explain how to limit your household’s water use in the bathroom, kitchen, laundry and outdoors.ÌýWe also explain how to use household greywater without ruining your garden.

How to save water in the bathroom

The shower

It’s easy to save water in the shower by making a few simple changes:

• Cut your shower time to four minutes or less.
• Get a water-saving showerhead.
• Install an easy on/off switch.

Water-saving shower heads

See our buying guide for advice about finding the right water-saving shower head for your home. Note that some continuous flow (aka “instantaneous”) hot water systems, and some gravity-fed systems such as solar hot water systems with rooftop tanks, may not have a sufficient flow-rate for these shower heads to work properly. Check with the retailer to see if your system is suitable.

Flow restrictors

If you don’t want to change your showerhead for décor reasons, you can install a flow restrictor instead. Even getting a shower timer can help reduce the amount of time spent showering by making you more aware of how long you’re taking: the average shower is about seven minutes, but it doesn’t have to take that long to soap up and rinse off.

Switch off to save

Simply turning off the shower momentarily while you’re soaping up, shampooing or shaving – when you don’t actually need the water flow – then turning the water back on to rinse off can save a lot of water; potentially up to half the amount you’d usually use.

Mixer tap levers make this pretty easy, but if that’s not an option for you, you could consider an on/off switch such as the . It’s a lever that you can install at the base of your shower stem, allowing you to stop and start the flow of water quickly and easily. It doesn’t suit all showers though, so check yours is compatible before you buy.

Quench shower

If you’re renovating your bathroom, you might consider installing a Quench recycling shower. After you’ve soaped up and rinsed off, four litres of clean water is recirculated through the system for as long as you care to stand there – a guilt-free way to enjoy a long hot shower without the waste.

Top tips for showers

• While waiting for the shower water to warm up, save the cold water in a bucket and use it for the garden, pot plants, laundry soaking, washing your hands or even flushing the toilet. A plastic or fabric folding bucket (such as you can find in camping supply shops) is handy because it folds up for you to store out of the way. You can also use it to scoop water out of the bath and onto the garden.Ìý
• Shaving your legs in the shower adds about four minutes to your shower — that’s 36L with a water-efficient shower head. Consider waterless hair removal, such as waxing or an epilator, or lather up and shave your legs with the shower water off before rinsing.Ìý
• Take the No Shampoo Challenge. In 2007, ABC radio personality and newspaper columnist Richard Glover set out to discover whether he could live without shampoo, thereby allowing the natural oils in his hair to regain their balance and give him lovely fluffy hair. Hundreds of listeners joined him in the challenge, using only warm water to vigorously rinse their hair as necessary. At the end of the six-week trial, 86% decided their hair was great. (Other proponents of the method use “natural” ingredients such as baking soda and apple cider vinegar, but less often than shampoo.) How long do you spend shampooing your hair, rinsing it out, then putting conditioner in and rinsing that out? Two minutes? Three minutes? Five minutes? By taking the Challenge you could save time, water, and the money you’d spend on shampoo.

Top tips for taps

• Install water-efficient taps, known as aerators, which give the feel of a high flow-rate with only half the water. They’re simply screwed onto the end of a tap and reduce the flowrate while aerating the water.
• Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth. It seems so obvious, but many people still leave the water running, wasting at least 5L per minute. That’s around 11,000L per person per year.

The toilet

Replacing your whole toilet may not be worthwhile unless you’re renovating the bathroom. But if you’re going to install a new toilet anyway, make sure you get a modern dual-flush 6/3L (or 4.5/3L) cistern and pan.

The least efficient dual-flush cistern is the 9L/4.5L, but if you want to update an old-style single-flush toilet (typically a 12L flush) with a dual-flush cistern, it’s your only option as these older toilets can’t be fitted with the more-efficient cisterns.

If replacing your cistern isn’t an option, you could install a device to stop the toilet flushing when you take your finger off the button. This means you hold it down only for as long as it takes to flush the contents of the bowl away, saving any unnecessary flush water. They cost as little as $10 and can be installed by the home handyperson. If you’re not very handy or you’re renting, you could just use this old trick: put a brick (or a plastic bottle full of water) in the cistern and you’ll use less water for each flush.

How to save water in the kitchen

Washing the dishes

Dishwashers these days generally use a lot less water than they used to – often less than washing dishes by hand in the sink. The average water consumption of a dishwasher in our tests is about 13L. Conservative estimates of handwashing show at least 20L is used. Less conservative scenarios go as high as 90L (presumably involving lots of running water being wasted).

If you’re in the market for a new model, check out the water efficiency of models in our most recent dishwasher reviews.

Top tips for dishwashers

You can save water by not rinsing plates before putting them in the dishwasher. ÌÇÐÄVlog tests each dishwasher’s washing performance by getting it to wash a load of dishes and cutlery coated with food that’s been left to dry overnight – spinach, crusty cereal, egg yolk, all the usual suspects.ÌýAs most machines now effectively get these clean on a ‘normal’ program, there’s no need to waste water by rinsing plates before you stack – just scrape the food scraps off first.

If you do pre-rinse (say, because you don’t run the machine every day), try using the dishwasher on its ‘fast’ program, which uses less water. You’re likely to find it washes just as well.

Top tips for handwashing dishes

Rinsing dishes under a running tap isn’t necessary and wastes a lot of water. To rinse drinking glasses, wash them first while the sink is still filling and rinse them under the hot running water.Ìý

When you’ve finished washing up, tip a pot of rinse water over the plates and cutlery as they stand in the dish drainer. If you have a double sink, half fill one (the smaller one, if applicable) with hot clean water and dip anything you think needs a rinse.

Hot water recirculation

If you have taps a long way from the hot water system, chances are you waste a lot of water letting the cold water run through before it warms up.

A hot water recirculation systemÌýintercepts the cold waterÌýbefore it goes out of the tap and pumps it through the cold water inlet into the hot water tank. So when you want hot water, you activate the system (by pushing a button), and once the thermostat detects that the water is warm enough, the pump switches off, you turn the tap on and hot water comes out. The pump uses very little energy, as it’s only on for those few seconds when you need it.

We came across models ranging from around $450 to $900 (plus installation). They’re more elegant (though a lot more expensive!) than using a bucket to catch the cool water.

How to save water in the laundry

Washing machines

Front loaders typically use a lot less water than top loaders. They can be more expensive initially, but you may be entitled to water retailer rebates. See our washing machine reviews for information on water efficiency of all models.Ìý

Some washing machines rate well for water efficiency at the expense of rinsing well. If you choose a washing machine for its water efficiency according to the WELS label, you might be disappointed when you use it. Luckily, we come to your rescue by testing the machines for rinse performance too. We recommended models that score well for both water efficiency and rinse performance.Ìý

Reusing washing machine water

We commissioned a chemical analysis of laundry detergents to determine their suitability for the lawn or garden in greywater from your washing machine. The detergents that got clothes cleanest were generally too high in sodium, salinity and pH (alkalinity) to be much good for your garden, especially over the long term. And unfortunately, most of those safest for the garden didn’t wash clothes very well.

So don’t use the wash water on your garden, just the rinse water. And spread the water over a wide area, keeping it off your herbs and vegies, and your garden should be fine. See our grey water guideÌýfor more information.

Washer/dryers

CombinedÌýwasher/dryersÌýmay seem like a great idea, especially if you’re pushed for space, but they use a lot of water for drying. Instead of turning the water in the clothes into hot, damp air (like conventional dryers do), they condense the steam back to water and send the lot down the drain – using a lot of water in the meantime.

A front loader with a normalÌýdryerÌýon top is just as space-saving (in terms of the footprint if not the height!), almost certainly more water-efficient, and probably cheaper, but you need to be able to vent the hot, damp air from the dryer out of your laundry.

How to save water outside the house

Washing the car

When cleaning your car at home, remember to clean on the lawn if you have one; or, if you don’t want to damage your lawn with the weight of the car, wash on the driveway and direct the waste to the lawn with barriers.

The average bucket and sponge wash uses 100L of water, or the equivalent of 10 buckets per wash, according to Sydney Water. We managed an effective bucket and sponge wash on a small/medium-sized car with just two buckets, though, using a watering can to rinse the car.

If you’re washing your car with a hose, a trigger nozzle is a legal requirement in some states as it helps to reduce water use – you can turn the water flow off when you’re sponging the car, rather than letting it drain as you’d have to with a traditional hose.

Washing your car with a hose and trigger nozzle will use approximately 120L of water, while an ordinary hose can use anywhere from 150L to 500L per wash.

Alternatively, using a low-flow high-pressure car cleaner only uses approximately 23L of water. These devices are relatively easy to use, and also help to remove dirt alongside sponging, so they make the job even faster. While we found that the manufacturers’ claims about the amount of water used were underestimated, they were still efficient when compared with other methods.

Rainwater tanks

There are plenty of benefits to installing a rainwater tank, and you don’t need to live in a wet or tropical area to reap the rewards. South Australia, the country’s driest state, has the highest rate of rainwater tank use. More than half the households there have one, and for more than a third it’s their main source of drinking water.

With a rainwater tank, you’ll:

• collect most of the rain (around 80%) that falls onto the areas of your roof that are connected to gutters and downpipes into your tank. For example, if 10mm of rain falls on to 100m2 of roof, you’ll harvest about 800L of rainwater. That’s about as much as an average Sydney household of three would use in a day if they made no efforts to save water. (If they did, they’d get their consumption down to around 500–600L a day)
• reduce your consumption of mains water and, in the long term, cut your water bill. Your water supplier may be able to give you an indication of the savings you can expect
• lower your impact on the environment by reducing your demand on mains water as well as the amount of stormwater runoff into rivers and oceans
• harvest water that tastes better and is generally less salty, which is better for appliances and plants.

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The internet is full of life hacks that can save you time, money, energy, sanity… you name it, it’s out there. But not all of them stack up. And when it comes to saving water, it’s important to know what works and what doesn’t, especially if you live in an area with water restrictions, or simply want to cut down on your water bill.

You might already know that practical things such as installing low-flow showerheads, using water-efficient washing machines and watering your garden first thing in the morning (while it’s still cool, to minimise evaporation), are good ways to save water.Ìý

But what about those weird and wacky water-saving ideas you might have heard about in passing or read about online? Could spray-painting your lawn or showering with your partner really save you water? We take a closer look.

1. Shower with your partner

The idea here is to save water (up to 9L/water per minute) by cutting down on the number of showers your household takes. But surely getting soapy and steamy with your significant other is, well, unlikely to lead to shorter showers…?

And even if you do keep your hands to yourselves, there’s still the issue of having to share the one showerhead, meaning you have to take turns to get the shampoo out of your hair (and eyes) and rinse everything else off, carefully shuffling around each other in a confined space.Ìý(Not to mention the fact you’ll almost always be resentful when it’s your partner’s turn under the hot water as you turn into a cold, shivering mess.) Again, this taking of turns is unlikely to lead to shorter showers.Ìý

Verdict: A fun option, but not so great for saving water. Stick to limiting your solo showers to four minutes instead.

2. Put a brick in your toilet cistern

You might have heard that you can make your toilet more eco-friendly by putting a brick in the cistern, which reduces the amount of water it uses to fill and flush it.Ìý

The first thing to know is you should never use an ordinary house brick, as these can disintegrate over time and damage your toilet.

Instead, you could try Drop-A-Brick, which was designed especially for toilets by an environmentally conscious movement in California in 2014.

The cheeky ad campaign shows ordinary people sitting on their toilets, talking earnestly about how they’d each “dropped a brick” to save water. Eventually, they hold up the branded brick with ‘Drop-A’ embossed on the front.Ìý

Verdict: It works, but Drop-A-Brick advises against using it with high-efficiency toilets because you won’t get a proper flush. Another alternative is to use an old water bottle full of water or pebbles, which can do the same job.Ìý

3. Lick your plates before putting them in the dishwasher

The idea here is that licking your plates clean will save you from having to rinse them before loading them in the dishwasher.

Too dignified for that? Get your dog to lick them instead! (Though remember that certain foods are unsafe for dogs.) Your pooch will love you for it, you could save money on how much dog food you have to buy, and the dishwasher will kill any bugs hanging around in Fido’s mouth.Ìý

Verdict: This isn’t a bad idea from a food-waste perspective, but when it comes to saving water, it’s completely unnecessary. Most dishwashers are now designed so that you don’t need to rinse your crockery before you wash. Just scrape off any food scraps first and make sure you load the dishwasher properly.

4. Freeze your jeans

According to one of the most popular water-saving hacks on the internet, you can get away with washing your jeans less regularly without ending up smelling like the bottom of a gym bag by putting them in the freezer when you’re not wearing them.Ìý

Apparently, this kills the germs that cause bad smells, and leaves your jeans fresh and clean the next time you wear them. Once you’ve thawed them out, that is.

Verdict: The Smithsonian magazine debunked the jeans-in-the-fridge theory back in 2011, stating that many bacteria can survive low temperatures and that “it takes only one survivor to repopulate your jeans when they warm up”.

But the good news is that you shouldn’t wash your jeans too often anyway if you want to preserve the fabric and dye. Even the CEO of Levi Strauss says you shouldn’t put jeans in the washing machine, and encourages people to spot clean or hand wash them instead.

5. Install… shower spikes?

Having trouble limiting your shower time to just a few minutes? London-based French designer Elisabeth Buecher created the perfect solution: ‘Spiky’ is an inflatable-spike-lined shower curtain that lets you shower in peace for up to four minutes.Ìý

Once your time’s up, it fills the shower with large spikes made from coloured plastic to force you out of the cubicle or tub.ÌýThey don’t hurt you, but they do take up all the available space and make it practically impossible to carry on showering.Ìý

Verdict: Sadly, this isn’t a product but an art installation, so if you wanted to use it, you’d realistically have to make one yourself. An easier option might be to time your shower to a song – Spotify even has a handy to guide you.

6. Paint your lawn green (no, really)ÌýÌý

Depending on where you live, you may have to stick to certain restrictions when it comes to when and how often you can water your lawn. And unless you get it just right, this can often lead to bare spots, brown patches and generally grungy-looking grass.Ìý

Enter lawn paints such as Lawn Solutions Australia’s ColourGuard – a natural plant-based pigment you can apply to drought- and frost-damaged grass to have it looking lush in no time, and all with very little water.

According to the manufacturer, the paint is safe for children and pets, won’t rub or wash off once it’s dried after the first application, and will last until the grass grows out again.Ìý

Verdict: Yes, it sounds ridiculous – and we haven’t tested it – but if a green lawn is important to you, this could be a good option for achieving one and helping you save water at the same time.Ìý

7. Swap your dog for a cat

When it comes to saving water, the cat versus dog debate appears to fall firmly on the side of felines.Ìý

After all, dogs tend to get muddier and messier than cats, so you use more water cleaning up after them, while cats generally use less water since they never need a bath – that’s what their tongues are for, after all. They also tend to be smaller than most dogs, and have extremely efficient kidneys, so tend to drink less water too.

Verdict: If you’re wavering between getting a cat or a dog, water use might be worth weighing up. But if you’re a bonafide dog person, this is one water-saving tip you can safely ignore.Ìý

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