Hydronic Heating & Cooling Specialists
Hot Water Guide

Selecting the Best Hot Water System

Six questions that determine the right system for your household. We'll walk you through each, then quote three options.

The six questions

1. How many people in the household? (sizes the tank or flow rate). 2. How many bathrooms running simultaneously? (peak flow). 3. Gas, electric or both available? (rules out non-options). 4. Roof orientation and shading? (eligibility for solar). 5. Budget split between up-front and running cost? (heat pump payback or not). 6. How long will you live in the home? (longer = better case for solar/heat pump).

Key benefits

  • Up-front vs running cost trade-off
  • STC rebate eligibility check
  • Sizing calculation included
  • Honest brand comparison
  • Three quote options
  • Whole-home efficiency assessment
FAQs

Common questions

What's the single most important factor?

Annual operating cost over 15-year horizon, including all rebates. A unit with $1,500 higher up-front cost that saves $400/year in running costs is dramatically cheaper over its lifespan. We'll show you the all-in comparison for three options.

How do I know what size I need?

Storage: 50L per person (more if you have spas, bathtubs). Continuous-flow: 16 L/min for 1 bath, 20 L/min for 2 baths, 26 L/min for 3+ baths. Account for peak simultaneous use (showers + washing machine + dishwasher).

What rebates apply?

Solar thermal and heat pump systems qualify for Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) — typically $1,000–$2,000 off install cost. State schemes (Victorian Energy Upgrades, NSW Energy Savings Scheme) add more. We handle all paperwork as part of the install.

Reviews

Trusted by homeowners, builders and strata across Australia

Rated 5-star across NSW · ACT · VIC · QLD

"AHHAC delivered our 22-zone underfloor system on time, on budget and to spec. The crew were tidy, the documentation was thorough, and the commissioning was textbook."

David Chen
Custom Builder · Mosman, NSW

"We've worked with AHHAC for 17 years. They've installed and serviced our hot water plant across three commercial buildings — and they pick up the phone on weekends."

James Holloway
Strata Manager · Melbourne CBD

"Three mobs quoted us; AHHAC's design was the only one based on a proper heat-loss calculation. The system runs beautifully — the others would've been oversized and expensive."

Janelle Smith
Homeowner · Robina, QLD