Late Friday night I was arriving back home after a busy day. With the weather now chilling off as we draw closer to winter, I had been out all day in the cold and wet weather assisting my customers with there broken down water heaters that have been struggling to cope with the sudden drop in temperature. Its was 6:30pm and the phone rang, a customer had just arrived home from work and found her hot water service exploded sometime during the day and had been flooding her basement all day long. She was in desperate need of a plumber immediately. I told her that I was at the bottom of the freeway in Myrtle Bank and I could come up and see her in Stirling within the next 20 minutes.

Exploding Hot Water System

I quickly restocked the van with a few valves, copper pipes and fittings then hit the road. As I passed the toll gate the rain picked up and the cloud cover was very low reducing visibility on the freeway and speed limits had been reduced to 80 kilometres per hour on the up track. As I passed the turn off to Crafers and went under the over pass bridge to Crafers West visibility was very low. I slowed my speed as I knew the Stirling exit was only a few kilometres away. After exiting the freeway, I entered the main street of Stirling. The house I was looking for was located behind the police station and Woolworths shopping complex, the street I was looking for was Milan Terrace right near the Stirling Hospital.

Finally, I arrived, and the customer greeted me with an umbrella and torch light. We went around the back of the property where the external entrance to the basement was located. As I got closer to the system it was obvious the hot water service was quite large. It was a Rheem 250L mains pressure storage vessel with single heating element. The ID plaque card was still in tact and this system was approximately 13 years old (so the system had lasted a good amount of time).

Checked Safety

The first task was to make the situation safe. The water leaking out of the system was hot, so it implies the cylinders electrical element was still heating somehow. Or it could just be residual hot water left inside the tank? I asked the customer to show me where the electrical circuit breakers for the house are? I immediately turned the breaker off to the hot water service. The next step was to isolate the water. Fortunately, there was a non-return duo valve near the system controlling the cold water into the 250L hot water unit, and it was still able to be closed off which is rare as these valve don’t get used very often and have tendency to seize up.

Once the situation was made safe both from an electrical and water side of things our customer could finally relax. Although she would not have hot water that night, we would return in the morning with a new Rheem 250L electric mains pressure water heater. The customer opted for the stellar version which has a stainless cylinder with no sacrificial anode so the maintenance from a customer’s side of thing during the life of a hot waters use is minimised. It was finally time to head home and wind down until Saturday morning when we would source a new cylinder from Tradelink plumbing supplies and head back to Stirling and help our customer out for the weekend.

The Adelaide Hills is one of South Australia’s beautiful regions to call home.  With our fantastic wineries, produce manufacturing, farming and lifestyle choices it’s no wonder many people commute each day just call these amazing suburbs home.  The Adelaide Hills today offer hassle free commute thanks to Heysen Tunnels and an easy to manoeuvre freeway.

Unfortunately, the hills are a little limited when it comes to options for hot water.  Due to the remote location of some suburbs such as Balhannah and Little Hampton, the cooler climates and dense vegetation all are contributing factors which limit some of the options when choosing your hot water system.

 

 

Choosing The Correct Hot Water System For The Adelaide Hills

When we look at hot water services in South Australia there are four main types of systems we use, and they are as follows below.  Each has its pros and cons.

Solar

Mainly used on the plains of Adelaide due to the access to good solar contribution from the sun and a lack of disruption from vegetation.  How ever you will still find a few good locations in the Adelaide Hills such as Crafers West, Upper Sturt, Ironbank and Belair who still manage to get relatively good solar contribution due to their geographical positioning and if fortunate enough to have no disruption from trees etc shading the panels.

Heat Pump

One of the more popular sources for hot water in the Adelaide Hills.  The heat pump hot water services are probably the most commonly used form of services for domestic and small-scale commercial requirements.  The biggest bonus of the heat pump technology is its ability to take the heat from its surrounding environment and convert it into hot water at a minimal cost.  Technology today has advanced so far that you will no longer hear the heat pump in operation, it’s almost whisper quiet.  In most cases you will be entitled to a rebate of over $1,000 for each new heat pump installed even if you are replacing your existing heat pump with another newer model.

Electric Storage

A great option for those who do not have gas onsite and who are not familiar with the heat pump technology.  Electric mains pressure storage water heaters are typically wired up to use J tariff power also known as off peak electricity.  These heaters typically heat the water inside the tank between the hours of 11pm and 2am when demand on the power grid is lower and the energy provider offers the power at a lower cost for property owners to use on water heaters.  A typical home would use a model such as a Rinnai or Rheem 250L with a 10-year manufacturers cylinder warranty.

Gas Fired

There are two types of gas fuelled water heaters, mains pressure storage and continuous flow (instantaneous).  Where possible many property owners try and opt for that of the continuous flow models.  Units such as the Rinnai Infinity, Rheem Metro, Thermann and DUX Endurance are some of the more common models installed.  Thomas Gas located in Aldgate are a major supplier to all the Adelaide Hills residents for bottled gas replacements and onsite refilling of larger propane storage vessels (typically used in commercial operations).  The benefits of this type of equipment being used to heat water is its energy efficiency.  Today gas is considered an economical option for residential and commercial usage.  Even though there are no options for piped gas into these properties from the street a standard 45-kilogram bottle will still last on average 6 months of the year (each case is different).

 

 

If you operate a business or are lucky enough to live the Adelaide Hills and would like some help with hot water contact us today.  We endeavour to offer same day repairs and replacements and our service vehicles all carry the more commonly used parts needed to fix your heater on the spot.  With many companies opting not to work outside of Adelaide’s CBD it makes sense to use a company who specialise outside of the norm.  Just in case the unexpectable does happen we also offer emergency plumbers 24 hours and 7 days of the week for 365 days of the year.

After spending a little over 20 years in the plumbing industry it amazes me how many plumbers are
still unknowingly killing their customers hot water services. It’s little pieces of knowledge such as
what I’m about to share with you that sets us aside from the competition in Adelaide and has made
us the preferred choice for hot water repairs and installations across the state.

Electric Storage Water Heaters

Electrical storage water heaters have two main components which allow it to heat the water. The
element and a thermostat. This is the same for all types of electrical storage water heaters. Where
we start to get our point of difference from is the cylinder construction, not the shape or size, the
actual material in which the tank has been constructed of.
The nitty gritty

When a customer contacts us with a “no hot water” enquiry and they have an electric storage water
heater it will typically be an element or thermostat that is causing this fault. The element is our
point of interest in this post. A standard element which most plumbers will either carry or go to
collect would be that of a 3.6KW copper submersible element. As I mentioned the most common is
because they are not properly educated. If a hot water cylinder is manufactured from copper, there
is absolutely no way in which a standard element should be installed yet seems to happen as much
as 9 times out of 10.

The Fall Out

Immediately upon a new copper submersible element being installed particularly 3.6KW it draws too
much power and over heats the cable (which can lead to a house fire in which your insurance
company will not cover you for) as this is only suited to a 2.4KW element and immediately causes
electrolysis inside the tank. The electrification of a copper element inside a copper tank causes
thousands of tiny pin pricks to develop on the wall of the tank which in turn cause the tank to
corrode and next thing you know the tank is leaking and has become useless. How many times do
we get called to a leaking copper hot water cylinder and this is the exact symptom its shocking!

What’s the solution for leaking copper hot water cylinder?

The solution is simple for the right company. Install a compatible element. Another reason this
problem occurs is these incoloy elements are hard to come by and for an unprepared plumbing firm
they need to be specially ordered in, where as we have these on hand and in every service vehicle.
These elements are non-corrosive and do not react with the copper cylinder. Ensure the power
rating of the unit element is 2.4KW not 3.6KW. Typically, a copper cylinder is only powered by a
2.4KW another trick for the uneducated plumber.

With the cost of replacing water heaters something no one ever wants to have to pay money out for
its crucial that all repairs and servicing are always carried out by a licensed and experienced
plumbing firm, if you are reading this post you have found the right company. As I have made clear
in the above article the penalties for not having a repair done correctly will kill your hot water
service faster than need be.

More common in older products the pilot light can go out and simply will not come back on no matter how hard you try to re light it, it’s a common issue we get asked to assist with daily around Adelaide.  If the pilot light will not come on using the manufacturers recommended procedures, there is an under lying issue which will require the services of a licensed hot water specialist and should not be attempted by anyone other than a licensed person.

Types of systems and causes

When we start to explore the issue of a pilot light going out on a hot water service there are two types of systems.  First the storage type mains pressure vessel and secondly the instantaneous/continuous flow units.

Failed Parts

A gas hot water service will come equipped with a piezo ignition button and pilot lighting button which in turn when depressed in sequence with one another will allow the pilot light to ignite, but because we do not use their items daily, they tend to deteriorate and when they are finally needed again, they may have seized up.  As licensed hot water repairers we can either have the failed parts replaced allowing for safe ignition again of the pilot light itself.

The storage mains pressure systems are more susceptible to this problem and that is that of a failed thermo couple.  Typically, a customer will mention that they cannot get the pilot light to stay on even though it will light.  The thermocouple is most likely going to be the offender in this case.  The thermocouple is a piece of copper which detects a flame through the heat generated by the pilot light and in turns activates an electro magnet which tells the gas valve its safe to now allow gas through to the main burner.

Blocked Spud

A blocked spud, no not a potato a blocked spud!!!  Ok this problem can only be attended to by a licensed gas plumber.  The symptoms of this problem will only apply to continuous flow water heaters or instantaneous heaters which still have a pilot light so not the newer 5 and 7 star rated units.  The spud is in simple terms the jet which controls the rate and size of the flame for the pilot light.  It has a very small sized hole in it smaller then a needle head so can be susceptible to blockages over time especially from properties will old gas pipes.  It is a reasonably easy task to under take but only by a licensed gas fitter.

No Gas

No gas.  Every few years a properties gas meter will get changed over to make sure it is calibrated accurately.  During this process the gas pipes must be tested to ensure they are sound no leaks.  If a gas leak is detected, then the gas will be turned off until a licensed gasfitter can attend and find the leak and repair it.  Until the leak is rectified there will be pilot light.  After the gas has been turned off to a hot water service the pilot light can be tricky to get started again and could require the services of a gas plumber.
In our video below, you will see an example of why the pilot light will not stay on and the various components involved in maintaining a pilot light inside a hot water service.

Dressed up in its sleek looking white powder coated cover the Thermann 16 litre continuous flow water heater is a neat piece of plumbing equipment, making it a welcome addition to any property.

The 16-litre range of heaters is very common for properties such as 1 to 2-bedroom houses and apartments, businesses with a small to medium demand for hot water and properties with 1 to 1.5 bathrooms.

Accessories For The Thermann Hot Water Range

With a range of accessories available to partner with your Thermann water heater you have the flexibility of adding the following:

• Temperature control pads either kitchen, ensuite or bathroom controllers all accompanied by 15 metres of cable enabling installation in various locations across your home or office.
• Recessed boxes to allow for your water heater to installed back into the wall cavity allowing for a concealed installation. The recessed box can be ordered in either a painted finish or plain galvanised finish.
• Security bracket for added protection to your installation adding as a further deterrent for would be thieves considering stealing your new water heater.
• 20mm MI cold, hot and gas connection points allow for maximum delivery of hot water into any property.

Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency starting at 5.2 stars the Thermann 16 litre water heater enters the market with two options.  Firstly, there is the cheaper to purchase model with 5.2 stars energy rating and the other option slightly more expensive is the 6-star model.  The ability to achieve such a huge energy efficiency rating allows end users to capitalise on their utility bills while only ever paying for hot water when the tap is turned on.

Due to its size and demand for smaller amounts of gas this 16-litre model can often be used to replace older technology which did not use as much gas and remain compliant with current manufacturers specification.  Although this model is manufactured in Japan it has been water mark approved and AGA approved.

If your thinking of upgrading to Thermann or perhaps already have a model installed perhaps it needs a service or some form or repair to ensure the system is delivering to its maximum capabilities, let’s talk today.

Commonly installed in offices, commercial kitchens and function facilities the Rheem Lazer boiling water units supply boiling hot water on demand for tasks such as making coffee, tea, soup, cooking and cleaning of work areas.  The convenience of having water suitable for making instant soup or ready to clean dirty floors is something many people enjoy day to day throughout multiple locations across the state of South Australia.

Rheem Lazer Review

The flexibility of having these boiling water systems available various sizes allows you to get a system which will cater to the demands of every situation.  There are 3 different models on offer and they are as follows:

Lazer Eco

At the entry level of the range from Rheem offer boiling water through there Eco range.  As the name suggests it is the more basic of the 3 systems on offer.  This unit comes in 3 litre, 5 litre and 7 litre options.  It has a simple one button control and is finished off in a sleek powder coated white cover.

Lazer Office

Fully programmable the Office range offers unique features allowing for the system to be automatically turned on during periods of high demand and off again during periods when not in use ie: weekends for office buildings.  With a choice of either stainless steel or powder coated white the Office range has been awarded an International award for design.  Available in both 3 litre and 5 litre models the Office range makes a fantastic addition to any work place.

Lazer Commercial

Once again as per the Office range the Commercial is fully programmable and available in both stainless steel and powder coated white.  The big advantage of the commercial range is its ability to deliver up to 247 cups initially from the massive 40 litre model.  Ideally suited to establishments such as fast food outlets and restaurants where a large amount of boiling water is needed for tasks such as washing down floors and sanitisation of food preparation areas.

When we look at the maintenance required on these systems throughout their life span there a few common tasks which we deal with:

• Faulty cold-water inlet solenoid: This solenoid controls the delivery of cold water into the hot water tank.  During the life of the system this valve can wear out and needs replacing with a new solenoid valve.
• Calcified outlet tap: Adelaide is known for having hard water and it in turn shortens the life of many plumbing valves and fittings.  The boiling water systems dispenser is no stranger to this problem and during the unit’s life will most likely need replacing due to no delivery of hot water.
• Failed element: When a client notices that the unit is no longer delivering boiling water or only warm water it is a sign that the element is deteriorating and should be upgraded.
• Broken temperature sensor probe: If a boiling water unit is continually discharging water at a quick rate through the vent pipe it can indicate that the temperature sensor probe is not communicating properly and not providing the CPU with the correct temperatures.
• Malfunctioning CPU: In some cases where all the above noted issues are working ok and there is still a problem with the unit not operating to the manufacturers specifications then it will most likely be a faulty CPU or control board

The Rheem Lazer boiling water units today have a good share of the hot water plumbing market and keep our technicians busy with general servicing and replacements as nothing lasts forever anymore.  Through continually working with these systems we have become familiar with how these units operate and what parts are needed to be carried in the service vehicles to enable immediate repairs as no one likes going without there morning coffee.  If your experiencing difficulties with your boiling water unit let us assist you, we cover all locations across Adelaide and in most cases,  we will be out to you in the same day.

The South Australian Government has various options in the form a money back rebates for customers replacing their water heater or putting in a completely new style of heater in.  Depending on your situation the variables are all different and we will go through them in this post.

What do I need to do to qualify?

It’s a question we get asked a lot will I qualify for the cash rebate when I get a new hot water service?  There a few items you need to tick on the list first:

1. If you are replacing an existing heat pump such as Quantum or Chromagen it must be a minimum of 6 years of age, so in short if your heat pump has lasted past its cylinder warranty which is typically between 5 and 10 years (every manufacturer is different) then you will be entitled for the rebate providing the work is performed by licensed trades people. The model and brand which you choose will affect the rebate.  For example, a Stiebel Eltron 302L with smart element currently has a $1,080 plus gst rebate on it, it’s a great saving.
2. The same rebate would apply if you were to remove an existing electric storage water heater such as a Rheem Optima 250L or DUX 250L and replace it with the Stiebel Eltron 302L smart element water heater.
3. Natural gas has a few different options to be eligible for government rebates which apply to this fuel type. If you currently have natural gas connected but are using electricity for heating of the water and you decide to swap over to natural gas hot water system such as a Rinnai Infinity 26, Rheem Metro or Vulcan, there is currently $500 in rebates available.  If you do not have any gas connected to the property and opt to have it installed, you will firstly get the $500 as mentioned above when connecting a gas water heater and am additional $1,000 for connecting a gas meter to property.
4. Solar hot water will also entitle you to a government rebate. As mentioned early in the article like heat pumps if you replace an existing solar hot water service with a newer system providing it has served the life of its warranty (as a guide) you will be entitled to fill out the correct form and apply for your rebate.
5. As with the situation of a new heat pump installation if you decide to upgrade from a dedicated electric storage water heater such as a Thermann or Ever Hot to a solar heated water service such as a Solar Hart, Edwards, Apricus or Rheem Lo-Line then you will also be eligible for government rebates. These all vary due to the many different models available to customers in Adelaide.

Lower utility bills and money in the bank

It is a situation where you can’t lose, not only do you get to claim up wards from $1,000 on rebates but the technology which you have selected will be using far less energy leading to on going running costs on a business or households to be lower.  It’s a bonus the utility bills are going to be lower and your impact to the environment will be decreased.

*please note the information in this article was current at the time of publishing.

Quite often the question is asked, “how can I get hot water to a kitchenette or a hand basin without having to install a huge storage cylinder?”

Many years ago, there was no option but to consume the entire cupboard below the sink with a mains pressure electric storage hot water
cylinder either 25 litres or 50 litres in delivery capacity. You will still see a lot of these systems in operation especially in the older office buildings throughout Adelaide’s CBD. Today there is another option with major benefits:

• Does not store water
• Only takes up a small space in the cupboard
• No need for drainage pipes
• Heats water only as required (instant)
• Permissible operation pressure of 1000kpa
• Three adjustable temperature settings
• No ongoing regular maintenance
• Whisper quiet operation
• Easy installation
• Sleek looking design
• Suited to areas with low water flow rates
• 5-year warranty on domestic installations
• Can be partnered to multiple draw off points
• No risk of flooding from a burst storage cylinder (suited to multi storey office blocks)

Introducing Stiebel Eltron

Stiebel Eltron have been in the water heating market now for nearly 100 years when back in 1924 Dr. Theodore Stiebel founded the company in Berlin. Today the company is better known for its green energy low carbon systems through the delivery of heated water via heat pump technology. Stiebel Eltron also offer compact tankless instant electric water heaters for end users where their demand is low i.e. kitchenettes, laundry sinks, doctors rooms and hand basins.

The compact single phase instant electric water heaters come in four different models:

• DHCE 6/50
• DHCE 8/50
• DHCE 8/60
• DHC 4

These models can be installed below bench or directly above the sink depending on its desired use. They come in a sleek modern looking outer case, quiet dispenser, easily operated and guaranteed reliability under a 5-year manufacturer’s warranty (domestic applications only).

Case Study

Today many new homes are being built with multiple bathrooms that are typically positioned close to each other allowing for one large continuous flow gas water heater to supply hot water to these various outlets such as baths, bidets, showers and basins. What is neglected unfortunately is the kitchen sink, but there is a solution.

Delivery of water from a hot water service to the kitchen sink has a terrible reputation for taking a long time and by the time it arrives the person is likely to have finished using the tap. But with the installation of a Stiebel Eltron under bench unit which is plumbed up directly to the hot feed instead of the cold any water that leaves the properties hot water service for delivery to the kitchen sink is immediately used as intended “hot”.

Because the under-bench unit is connected to the hot supply pipe it utilises any of the water being fed to it from the properties water heater. Initially the under-bench unit will consume a little bit more electricity as it heats to cooler water in the hot pipe, but as the water temperature increases as it makes its way over across to the kitchen the Stiebel Eltron system starts to use less energy.

What does this mean? It means no longer are property owners waiting for hot water to finally arrive at the tap wasting countless litres of water (on average 1.5 litres of water is wasted every time the tap is turned on, that’s 5,475 litres of water per year, working on the average house hold turning on the hot tap at the kitchen 10 times per day). Instantly upon turning on a hot tap there will be water at the selected temperature.

How can it be achieved?

It doesn’t matter whether you have an existing property, building a new property or renovating these types of water heaters can be adapted to suit your demands. There is always going to be water plumbed up to a kitchen and it doesn’t have to be hot water these systems are designed to take cold or hot water feed pipes. The electrical supply cables to one of these systems is single phase (which is what every property who has electricity is connected to) and must be on a dedicated circuit which once again is a very simple process to have performed.

If you are considering your options for hot water to an office kitchenette or a commercial fit out contact us today and let us further discuss the options to suit your requirements. You will be amazed just how efficient these systems are and just how little space they require to be installed.