Why phase out greenhouse-intensive hot water systems?
Water heating is the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions from most Australian homes. On average, each electric hot water system produces around four tonnes of greenhouse gases every year. That’s equivalent to running an average sized car for a year.
Saxon electric HWS tank banned after 2010 & must be replaced with an energy efficient sustainable HWS
Electric hot water systems use at least three times the greenhouse gases produced by other more efficient technologies such as solar or gas hot water systems. Around 27 per cent of electricity used in the average Queensland household is for heating water—making hot water systems one of the highest single energy users and greenhouse gas contributors in the home. Replacing an electric hot water system with a greenhouse efficient system is one of the most effective ways to reduce your household’s carbon footprint.
The Australian Government in partnership with state and territory governments is working to phase-out electric hot water systems. Commencement dates for Stage 1 are dependent on individual state and territory decisions although in Queensland the installation of electric hot water systems were banned after 1 March 2006 in all new houses and townhouses. This phase out will result in the reduction of greenhouse gases by about 78.7 million tonnes over twenty years from 2010-2030.
Stage 1 – during 2010, electric water heaters will no longer be able to be installed in:
- any new detached, terrace or town house
- any existing detached, terrace or town house where there is access to piped natural gas, except where an exemption applies
During 2012, electric water heaters will no longer be able to be installed in:
- any existing detached, terrace or town house.
Regulations commenced on 1 January 2010 through the Queensland Plumbing and Wastewater Code. The regulations prevents plumbers from replacing a hot water system with an electric hot water system where the property is located within a reticulated natural gas area. This applies not only to existing electric systems, but
also existing gas, heat pump and solar hot water systems.
A reticulated natural gas area is an area where a gas distributor can install a connection from the gas pipeline network to the property boundary at no cost to the property owner. The property owner will still be responsible for the internal connection costs from the gas meter outlet to the hot water system if they decide to install a gas hot water system.
Whywait Plumbing will inform you if your property is within a reticulated natural gas area when offering you options for upgrading your hot water service. Owners of homes located outside these areas are still able to replace their existing hot water system with another electric system or voluntarily upgrade to a greenhouse-efficient system (gas, solar or heat pump).
Contact Whywait Plumbing to for all the advantages of sustainable hot water.
Gold Coast & Tweed: (07) 5580 4311
Logan & Brisbane: (07) 3801 3243
