Recommendations for Gas hot water system for an apartment

M

miss green eyes

Just doing a quick recce as PM has advised that my hot water system is 10+ years old ie expect a bill for the plumber any day now...
I currently have a gas water tank installed (indoors).
Must I reinstall the same?
Or can I go for instantaneous gas hot water?
Will there be additional costs and drilling for this?
If I can do this, I will save some space where the hot water tank is currently taking up a space. This, and the thought of being able to offer unlimited, instantaneous hot water, appeals to me.
I think dwellings which have facilities for gas are compelled by law to use it, not electricity.
Advice?
TIA
 
Some things to consider include the inlet and outlet positions on the existing hws as well as the fluing of the gas. Changing from a storage unit to instantaneous may have other issues that arise that aren't obvious. What happens if you have a blackout ie no power for the peizo or temperature controller?
 
I replaced an old gas water heater that broke down with a Rinnai instantaneous, cost me $1650 installed in Radelaide. Tenant was happy, I was happy, life is good.
 
Scott No Mates said:
Some things to consider include the inlet and outlet positions on the existing hws as well as the fluing of the gas. Changing from a storage unit to instantaneous may have other issues that arise that aren't obvious. What happens if you have a blackout ie no power for the peizo or temperature controller?
Click to expand...

No electricity is an issue - storage HWS definitely win on that one. But are blackouts that frequent these days? Just go old school, boil water on the stove and use a bucket :D
 
I replaced electric storage with gas instant
plumber:
removed 6 roof tiles and brought old unit out the roof, $155 scrap copper
tapped in the hot water line at the kitchen sink and came out through the brickwork
hardest part for the plumber; finding a location, far enough from windows to ensure no exhaust went inside
function: fantastic
hugely less gas bill than electric
~1500 - 155 scrap, cheap as
bloke who bought the house, said instant hot was a huge selling point for him,
 
Thanks everyone!
I see. A few issues to consider then. It was just a quick recce as my hws is still alive atm.
My handyman reckons it's only lasted so long because it's indoors.
My pm just let me know so i could make a note to budget for a new hws when needed.
 
sacrificial anode: metal (zinc magnesium or aluminium) rod screwed through the top of the water tank to provide protection against corrosion, it dissolves first, when its gone the tank goes phooey FAST

If not yet leaking, it is usually salvageable, repairable, and good for another ten years, have the plumber check the status of the sacrificial anode inside the tank, replacements are purchaseable and cost much less than new tanks, if there is only a stub left of the rod, the tank is sure to die soon as the last stub dissolves

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they look something like this, guess which is the good one

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DONT use teflon tape when changing them, they need to make good metal to metal contact with the tank, they have a rubber o-ring to make it water tight

They are in gas as well, I just have an electric heater in my pictures
 

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Thanks AlmostBob - I will look into that.
But
Just had a thought - to get a plumber out just to check is going to cost me at least $100-200, including the callout fee. And if they actually replace the rod, won't that cost me at least another couple hundred?
Is that worth it, on a 15 yr old HWS?
My PM said such an old HWS willl not be repairable (she's not a plumber though).
I don't know what my tank is made of. My unit has tenants in at the moment so can't get in to photograph it for you. It may be made entirely of stainless steel (or is that wishful thinking on my part).
My PM said to budget $1500 for the replacement, including installation. Someone else said they could do it (qualified plumber and all) for less than 1k.

If I can, I will replace it with instantaneous gas. The idea of saving some space where the HWS is now is appealing to me.
But I think I won't get strata approval for that.
 
I paid $38 for the rod, last time. from Wahroonga Sydney
I do it myself, its just a big bolt
The anode rod running out, is usually the cause of failure, the tank then corrodes and leaks, ~a month
Remember back, in childhood, nobody ever replaced a hws
HWS had zinc linings and very big anode rods.

Ten years is NOT the expected lifetime
Ten years is the warranty period

dont replace the car because the warranty runs out

edit, found a price page http://anodesuppliers.com.au/products-page/
 
Last edited:
Thanks bob. I might look into getting a plumber in to look at it. I can't change it myself.
I do have a tenant in right now so now is not a good time - I'd have to access the property at least twice - once for the plumber to measure up the boiler and pipes, and another to install.
All i can say is - i hope the hws lasts until my current tenant moves out. If it doesn't, too bad...
Unless i book the tradies in when we do the first 6-month inspection. This will minimize disturbance to the tenants.
 
Miss Green Eyes, if you're just replacing the sacrificial anode and have the model number, you should be able to source a local handyman to do it. They are very easy to remove and replace. If the anode costs $40 (say), then all up it'll cost under $100 I would have thought, especially if there's other minor repairs required.
 
there is only a few bolt sizes for sacrificial anodes
for under counter, or full height tanks

tell your plumber what you want done
its a walk in, 5 minutes, walk out, job
  • we take 8 months off each year to go exploring,
  • we have a few more units than most
  • we have wells, water that is loaded with corrosion causes
When our plumber does it,
its just a callout and the rod, we use the same plumbers all the time, they installed the units, they have the rods.

compatibility chart pretty much all the same size tanks, use the same rod

Price list

Those are our adelaide suppliers, for the roadhouse in NT, cant remember the Sydney place's name
The roadhouse in NT has 16 HWS, is on bore water, or dam water.
even with water softeners
lifespan of a hws without regular replacement of anodes is less than 2 years
anodes are way cheaper than hws
knowlege is power, the power to spend $100 every 10 years instead of $1500

Your PM, is typically ignorant, and has misled you completely,
ignorance does not mean stupidity, not meant as attacking the pm.
yes I am attacking the pm, most of em aren't worth much,
not even conversant with the single piece of legislation their income depends upon
 
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Thanks bob.
Actually i will see if i can get my tenant to email my pm a pic of the hws and label on the side of the tank
I'll get myself sorted, touch base back here, then book a plumber in, either on an appointed day Or build it in with the 6-mth inspection (in 6 months time)
To be fair to my pm, at least she brought it to my attention. She may not know too much about plumbing either.
 
But ya never see a "my good PM" thread
too often the job is given to some poor bugger with no experience and no training, and no support
just thrown in
 
Mine's actually pretty good, as far as PMS go. I will discount the technical knowledge - "can't expect too much". - i can't expect them to be jacks of all trades.
Will touch base when I've got myself sorted.
Thanks everyone!
 
Almost Bob - I contacted my PM to let her know I would like to measure up the HWS when we do the next inspection and change the sacrificial rod and all that.
She said she recommends that I don't bother because something else will just break so just to replace the entire HWS.
I'll get a quote from a plumber - if it's, say, less than $150-200 parts + labour I'm willing to give it a go and see how long the HWS lasts.
If it costs more than that, may as well go the whole hog and just replace the HWS. My PM said to budget $1500. My handyman reckons he can source me another plumbeer for $750 max.
I'd also be intrigued as to what the existing rod looks like when I take it out....
 
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