Hot Water for Big Households
When seven people need a shower before school and work, the hot water system needs to keep up. How to choose the right type and size.
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- Licensed plumbers and gasfitters
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- Homes and shops
Why big households run out
A storage hot water unit holds a set amount of hot water. Once it is used, it takes time to reheat. Gas units recover faster than electric ones, but a family that showers one after another in the morning can still empty the tank. Add a dishwasher and washing machine and the last person gets a cold shower.
Options
A bigger storage tank
Simple, but a bigger tank costs more to keep hot all day. Gas storage with fast recovery suits many households.
Continuous-flow gas
Heats water as you use it, so it never runs out as long as the gas supply can keep up. Two showers running at once need a high-capacity unit and good gas pipe sizing. Very popular for large families.
Heat pump with solar
Heats a large tank during the day using your solar panels. Size the tank for the evening and morning peak, and choose a model with good recovery.
Two systems
In very large homes or homes with a granny flat, two separate systems can make sense.
Questions to ask
- How many people shower each morning, and how close together?
- Do you have solar panels?
- Is your gas pipe big enough for a continuous-flow unit?
- Where will the unit go, and is there room?
Temperature and safety
Whatever you choose, stored water must reach 60 degrees and bathroom water must be delivered at a safe temperature through a tempering valve.
Getting it right
We ask how your household runs, check your gas supply and site, and recommend a type and size, with a fixed installed price.
Spreading the load
Small habit changes help too: stagger showers, run the dishwasher and washing machine outside the morning rush, and fit water-efficient showerheads, which use less hot water without feeling weak.
Springvale ground and pipes
Springvale sits on a mix of sandy loam and heavier clay, and much of the suburb was built in the 1950s and 1960s with earthenware sewer pipes and galvanised or early copper water pipe. Clay joints shift over time and let roots in, rusting galvanised pipe slowly narrows and leaks, and drains under subdivided blocks are often shared between homes. We use drain cameras, locators and pressure tests to see exactly what is going on before anyone digs.
Related services
- Emergency plumbing
- Blocked drains
- Hot water
- Gas fitting
- Hot water replacement
- Heat pumps
- Leaking taps
- Burst pipes
- Toilets
- Leak detection
- Pipe relining
- Stormwater
- Bathrooms and kitchens
- Commercial plumbing
- Grease traps
- Backflow testing
More guides
Why Springvale homes and shops call us
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How quoting works
Ring 03 7076 1660 or send the form with a short note and a photo if you can. A licensed plumber calls you back, asks a few questions and books a time. On site they find the cause, explain your options in plain English and give you a fixed price. Nothing starts until you agree, and larger jobs get a free written quote.
Need a plumber in Springvale?
Springvale, Springvale South, Noble Park, Keysborough and nearby suburbs. Quote-only: the plumber finds the fault first, then gives you a fixed price.