Making your electric hot water service the best it can be

Electric hot water systems have served many home owners well over the years, but they are starting to fall out of favour. While they once dominated the market, environmental concerns are making many people think twice.

"There aren't too many benefits to electric hot water systems – gas is far more energy efficient," says David Rotstein of Australian Hot Water. "An electric hot water service leaves a bigger carbon footprint and there's no advantage over gas. The only time electric is better is if gas is unavailable."

If you're in a situation where there is no choice but an electric hot water service, you might be wise to choose a continuous-flow electric hot water system. With this type of system, the water is heated only as needed, reducing overall energy usage. Off-peak systems, where the water is heated overnight, can also save on running costs.

Price comparisons

An electric hot water system is typically more expensive to install and to run than a gas system. "In saying that, you can get a little 50-litre electric hot water system, which they have in a lot of apartments," says David. Electric hot water systems have a life span of 10 to 15 years.

Greening your electric hot water service 

It is possible to get a heat pump for an electric hot water service, making it much more energy efficient, but that is moving more toward solar hot water, says David. "Heat pumps work like a reverse-cycle air-conditioner and are far more energy efficient than a standard electric hot water service," he says.

In some parts of the country it's now compulsory for new homes to have energy-efficient hot water systems, such as gas, solar or an electric heat pump, and there are rebates available for home owners who decide to switch from electric to gas.