Benefits of replacing your gas hot water heating system with electricity
Gas or electric water heating? Not sure which to use? If you’re renovating your home or you are considering replacing your hot water heating system, switching to electricity can offer significant benefits both financially and environmentally.
Financial savings
Research from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) indicates that households using gas appliances could save thousands of dollars each year by switching to electric options.
According to Mike Casey, Chief Executive of Rewiring Aotearoa, and reported on RNZ, annual energy bills for a fully gas-powered home, including heating, water heating, and cooking, can reach around $2,700. By converting to electric appliances, this cost drops to approximately $2,100, resulting in substantial savings.
“Given the high prices of fossil fuels, electrifying households and businesses is now a smart economic decision, not just a smart environmental one”, he said.
Environmental impact
Switching to electric appliances also significantly reduces your carbon footprint. Although generating electricity in New Zealand can involve burning gas and coal, electricity heats the planet significantly less than burning gas directly.
This is due to the greater efficiency of electric appliances and the fact that New Zealand’s electricity grid is increasingly powered by renewable energy, making it a cleaner option over time.
Changes ahead
According to another report on RNZ, there are around of 300,000 in New Zealand that rely on gas for heating, hot water or cooking. The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, or ECA, tell us that over a third of these appliances are more than a decade old, meaning their owners have decisions coming up.
Mike Casy believes “When your fossil fuel machines need replacing, your next purchasing decision should be electric.”
And gas is only going to go up. Several reports, including one from the gas industry, show gas prices are on the rise. And while electricity is also expected to cost more in the short term, it’s then expected to fall and remain cheaper than gas.
“Faced with increasing gas prices, we’re likely to see an increasing number of residential, commercial and industrial consumers users switch away to alternatives, however, this has the effect of making the price of gas even higher for those consumers who remain gas users, as the largely fixed cost of maintaining and running the pipelines will be spread over an increasingly small number of customers,” says energy analyst Simon Coates of Concept Consulting, for the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment.
Planning for the future
The Climate Change Commission says that it doesn’t make economic sense to keep connecting new homes to the gas network.
The Climate Change Commission and EECA both advise having a plan in place before you have to replace your current hot water appliance when it fails. Otherwise, you may make a rushed decision. By planning ahead, you can ensure a smooth transition to a more efficient and cost-effective electric system.
FlowFix Plumbing: Your partner in hot water
If you’re renovating your home or considering a new water heater, FlowFix Plumbing in Orewa can help you transition from gas to electric. Specialising in hot water systems, we offer a range of services:
Electric hot water cylinder replacements: Both low and mains pressure options.
Upgrades: From low pressure to mains pressure cylinders.
Service and repair: For existing electric hot water systems.
Outdoor hot water cylinders: Durable and efficient
We also can install outdoor hot water cylinders. A smart choice for homes and buildings with limited indoor space or where indoor installation isn’t possible, they are also perfect for when the cylinder needs to be placed near the heat source, such as a solar panel array or heat pump. Made of durable, high-grade, materials and improved insulation, their high efficiency makes them more than suitable for New Zealand’s weather conditions.
Switching to an electric hot water system can yield significant savings and environmental benefits.
Contact FlowFix Plumbing at 027 265 4949. Our expert team can design and install a new electric water heating system tailored to your business or household’s needs. Whether you need a new hot water cylinder installation, an upgrade for better efficiency, or a repair, FlowFix Plumbing has you covered.
With FlowFix Plumbing’s expertise, you can make the transition to electric hot water heating smoothly and efficiently, especially during home renovations. FlowFix Plumbing services Warkworth, Orewa, Whangaparaoa, Millwater and the North Shore.