Selecting heating & cooling
Don't get into hot water with your bills!
Did you know water heating is responsible for more than a quarter of the average home's energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions?
The first step is to use less hot water by installing water efficient showerheads and taps. It's a double saving - you'll save energy and water!
Choosing an efficient hot water system is your chance to save money and do your bit for the environment. It may cost you a little more upfront, but usually pays for itself within a few years through energy savings.
Choosing an efficient hot water system adds value to your home and can also help you meet local council or State regulations.
Choosing your hot water service
The best choice of hot water system depends on a few things, like how much water your household uses and whether you have a gas connection.
'We thought solar hot water would be expensive but it paid for itself in less than 5 years.'
Use the chart below to help you decide what type of hot water system to buy. Always look for the highest possible star rating.
- Best choice if you have a gas connection.
- Best choice if you can't connect to gas or you want to use 100% renewable electricity.
- Choose only if you can't get good access to sun.
| Type of hot water system | No. of people in the household | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | 3 | 4 | 5+ | |
| Solar gas |  | | | |
| Solar electric |  | | | |
| Electric heat pump |  | | | |
| Gas instantaneous 5+ star | | | | |
| Gas storage 5+ star | | | ||
Get the most out of your efficient hot water system: Install a 3-star showerhead for big savings. Locate your hot water system close to where you'll use it, near the bathroom, laundry and kitchen. Use a shower timer to remind everyone in the household to save water.
Running costs
Estimated 7-year running cost of hot water systems
Keep warm and stay cool
Many of the tips in this Guide can help make your home naturally more comfortable year round so you won't need to spend much (or perhaps anything!) on heaters or air conditioners. If you do install heating or cooling you can save money while keeping comfortable by:
- using fans instead of air conditioners
- only heating or cooling the rooms you need and making sure the heating and cooling is 'zoned' so you can switch different areas on and off
- making sure the systems are the right size for your needs - oversized systems waste money in upfront costs and running costs, and
- making sure your heater or air conditioner has a high star rating.
| Summer running costs per year | |
|---|---|
| 6 ceiling fans | $18 |
| Typical ducted air conditioner | $265 |
Based on 5 hours a day
usage in summer,
6 fans at 50 W each,
air conditioner at 4,500 W.
Catch some sun
The term 'solar panels' can mean two different things: the collector panels on your solar hot water system, or photovoltaic (PV) panels that convert sunlight into electricity. They're both capturing the sun's energy - one to heat water and the other to make electricity.
Government rebates can help bring down the cost of both solar hot water and photovoltaic systems. If you're on a budget but want to make the most of solar energy, a solar hot water system is probably the best place to start.
If you want green electricity but can't afford the upfront cost of a photovoltaic system, ask your electricity retailer about government accredited GreenPower. For a small additional cost you can purchase electricity from renewable sources like solar and wind.
Checklist
Our heating and cooling
- Do we have a north-facing roof for solar hot water?
- Do we have a gas connection?
- Type of hot water system we're looking for:
- Have we locked in good design features to avoid or reduce our heating and cooling needs?
- Can we use fans or evaporative coolers instead of air conditioning?
- Would a solar air heater work for us?
- Does our gas heater have a high star rating?
- How can we save further on heating and cooling?
- Will we use electricity from renewable sources?