Granville Hot Water Repairs and Replacement

Granville has been around a long time, and it shows in the hot water systems as much as the pipework. The older homes near Parramatta often run a tired electric or gas storage tank that has been limping along for years, while the unit blocks and the shops around South Street run their own smaller setups. Terry is comfortable across the whole lot.

Honest advice on an old system

With an old suburb like Granville, a dodgy plumber can turn a simple hot water fault into a big invoice. Terry works the other way. If a repair will get you going, that is what he does. Common repairs, usually around $150 to $450, include:

• Heating elements and thermostats on electric tanks
• Pilot lights, thermocouples and gas valves on gas units
• Tempering valves stuck too hot or too cold
• A pressure relief valve running constantly rather than the odd normal drip

If the tank is leaking from the cylinder and past its 10 to 12 year life, he will tell you plainly that replacement is the sensible call rather than patching a dead unit. A rumbling noise, by the way, is usually just sediment on the tank base and can sometimes be flushed rather than replaced.

Choosing a replacement

For homes on natural gas, gas continuous flow is usually the best value upgrade: endless hot water, more efficient, and a 15 to 20 year life. Where gas is not connected, an electric storage tank or a heat pump does the job. Terry sizes whatever he fits to the household so you are not running out mid-shower, and he leans toward brands like Rinnai and Rheem that have parts readily available across Sydney, so any future repair is fast rather than a long wait.

Cost guide

• Electric storage: roughly $1,500 to $2,500 fitted
• Gas storage: roughly $1,800 to $3,000 fitted
• Gas continuous flow: roughly $1,900 to $3,500 fitted
• Heat pump: roughly $3,500 to $5,500 fitted before rebate

The rebate on a heat pump

Swapping an old electric or gas system for a heat pump can combine a federal STC discount with the NSW Energy Savings Scheme incentive, saving most households roughly $1,000 to $2,500 as an up-front discount through an accredited supplier, with no claim to chase later. Terry will give you a straight answer on whether it is worth it for your Granville home.

Always Terry, never a call centre

Terry has 40 years behind him and holds NSW Licence L10959 as a plumber and gas fitter. He covers Granville Monday to Saturday, with after-hours at an extra fee, and it is always Terry on the tools with a fixed quote agreed before he starts. If your Granville hot water has quit, give Terry a call on 0415 274 542.