I had a very pleasant visit to new customer Gavin’s home recently, where we discussed the ins and outs of hot water systems. It went a little something like this:
Gavin: Many thanks for your enlightening visit.
Me: Pleasure - lovely to meet a fellow Landi driver.
Gavin: We’re going away for 3 months, and just in case the hot water system carks it in that period, can I ask you to think about the following queries below? Possibly, this could make up the subject for one of your excellent articles in the local Herald!
Me: Yes I’d be happy to make this the subject of one of my case articles.
Gavin: Our 40c solar panel payments run out in mid/late 2021.
Me: They really need to give more incentives if they want to change public action and perspectives on climate change!
Gavin: I realise there may be some solar electricity generation sharing initiatives in the wind (bad pun), plus developing cheaper battery storage options, but for the moment maybe ignore those.
Me: I would be cautious about battery technology until they improve the tech.
Gavin: We have a dishwasher (not used very often) and front loader washing machine, but presumably both draw from the cold water tap and draw electricity for heat.
Me: We could create hot water connections for them if you like?
Gavin: With just the two of us we shower max 20 mins/day, and the only other HWS use is intermittent cooking/washing up. We do have ducted a/c which we use in summer (and winter, albeit supported by a slow combustion fire).
Me: Based on $600 per year hot water consumption costs for 2 people, including dishwashing and clothes washing, I estimate on that rate of usage that it would take approx 8 years to recover the costs of a heatpump investment, which comes in at just under $5000. If for example the heatpump lasts for around 12-15 years, the cost is on average $500 year at the tenth year, or $333 p.a.
Using a Rinnai B26 instant HWS as a comparison, lets say $3000 for installation/upgrade/maintenance costs, plus $500 a year for running costs over 10 years, brings you to $8000 inc gst, so you’re looking at around $800 a year at current gas charges, or $700 p.a. over the 15 years which most Rinnais are getting these days. Net result over 10 years indicates you’re $3000 better off and approx half of your current expenditure is amortised.Gavin: I should add, we expect to remain here for about 10 years before considering retirement village/ death options.
Me: The death option doesn’t sound too flash at any cost :)
Me: Pleasure - lovely to meet a fellow Landi driver.
Gavin: We’re going away for 3 months, and just in case the hot water system carks it in that period, can I ask you to think about the following queries below? Possibly, this could make up the subject for one of your excellent articles in the local Herald!
Me: Yes I’d be happy to make this the subject of one of my case articles.
Gavin: Our 40c solar panel payments run out in mid/late 2021.
Me: They really need to give more incentives if they want to change public action and perspectives on climate change!
Gavin: I realise there may be some solar electricity generation sharing initiatives in the wind (bad pun), plus developing cheaper battery storage options, but for the moment maybe ignore those.
Me: I would be cautious about battery technology until they improve the tech.
Gavin: We have a dishwasher (not used very often) and front loader washing machine, but presumably both draw from the cold water tap and draw electricity for heat.
Me: We could create hot water connections for them if you like?
Gavin: With just the two of us we shower max 20 mins/day, and the only other HWS use is intermittent cooking/washing up. We do have ducted a/c which we use in summer (and winter, albeit supported by a slow combustion fire).
Me: Based on $600 per year hot water consumption costs for 2 people, including dishwashing and clothes washing, I estimate on that rate of usage that it would take approx 8 years to recover the costs of a heatpump investment, which comes in at just under $5000. If for example the heatpump lasts for around 12-15 years, the cost is on average $500 year at the tenth year, or $333 p.a.
Using a Rinnai B26 instant HWS as a comparison, lets say $3000 for installation/upgrade/maintenance costs, plus $500 a year for running costs over 10 years, brings you to $8000 inc gst, so you’re looking at around $800 a year at current gas charges, or $700 p.a. over the 15 years which most Rinnais are getting these days. Net result over 10 years indicates you’re $3000 better off and approx half of your current expenditure is amortised.Gavin: I should add, we expect to remain here for about 10 years before considering retirement village/ death options.
Me: The death option doesn’t sound too flash at any cost :)
