Sustainable Water Heating Solutions: Gas Geyser, Heat Pump, or Solar Water Heating

installer in green shirt and cap doing maintenance work on a heat pump and solar water heating panels on the side of a roof
gas water heater, heat pump, solar water heating, Sustainable Water Heating /

The countless times that I’ve seen an article about how expensive a gas geyser, heat pump, or solar water heating systems are versus electricity is astonishing. The reality is that the majority of these articles are not fact-based and relevant to individual use and property requirements in South Africa.

We can provide statistics on either side to promote our products or viewpoints, but in reality, every household or commercial property manager must provide us with their specific requirements, which include the head count and consumer habits. With that information provided, we can determine a factual calculation of the cost savings and initial layout, which include the installation and maintenance of the water heating system.

Sustainable Water Heating

When it comes to sustainable water heating, going off-grid or even just becoming a little less reliant on electricity will come down to your budget, the convenience you require, and your actual hot water usage requirements. For example, initial layout costs on solar water heating may be more expensive than a gas water heater, but the convenience of both together eliminates your reliance on the grid. If you add a heat pump for your swimming pool, you have an off-grid winner, covering all angles.

Regardless of how you look at it, when properly calculated, you will save money on your electric bill, even if you must top up your gas, pay for annual maintenance on these systems, or replace some parts every ten years.

Still, our country has a regulation that 50% of our hot water must come from a non-electrical source.(South African National Building Regulations (SANS 10400–XA) Inevitably, the majority of the homes and buildings in South Africa will have some form of green technology powering their water heating needs in the future. 

So let me tell you about these systems and how they work. This will enable you to begin with the right water heating system and progressively work your way up until you can combine all of these systems for complete reliance on green energy rather than dirty grid energy.

Solar Water Heater (SWH)

A solar water heater harnesses the sun’s energy to provide the power needed to heat the water. When the solar system gathers the sun’s energy through collectors, it either heats the water directly or the heat transfer fluid. Collector plates are mounted on a north-facing roof with no shade. SWH typically includes a storage system or tank; even with pools, the pool is designated as the tank. Some systems use water-circulating pumps, whereas others do not.

The solar plates that we install are tube collectors or high-efficiency collectors.

Tube collectors are the tubes you typically find on a rooftop. High-efficiency flat plate collectors are the flat plates you’re used to seeing; they’re the typical sort of solar plate, but they’re still quite effective and less expensive. If you want technical information and drawings regarding the collectors, please see the links at the bottom of this post.

Heat Pump Water Heating (HP)

A heat pump is an efficient way to heat water by extracting warmth from the surrounding air, even in cold conditions! It consumes very little electricity while making the water piping hot. A heat pump also requires a water storage tank. It is simple to place out of sight or on the side of a wall and can be combined with solar water heaters for a zero-emission solution.

Gas Water Heater (GWH)

In South Africa, we commonly refer to it as a gas geyser, but it has also been called an instant water heater, a tankless water heater, and, most recently, a gas water heater. Gas water heaters (GWH) are no longer as dangerous as traditional GWHs, and they can provide far more hot water at the same time than before, allowing you to operate three taps at once rather than one. 

  • Some gas water heating systems may require a little bit of electricity to ignite the flame, and others will only require batteries.
  • When a hot water tap is opened, the flame ignites instantaneously and increases the temperature to the appropriate level. Some systems include a remote control that allows you to set how much water is used to fill a bath, preventing the water from spilling or overfilling the bath. Most systems include a safety feature that will force the machine to automatically shut down when the gas depletes the oxygen level in a room that increases carbon monoxide. This safety feature therefore prevents a health hazard.
  • Water is not stored in a tank, and therefore you receive instant hot water, whether it is in the bath, shower, or your kitchen basin.
  • In previous years, gas water heating systems larger than 16 l/m had to be installed on the outside of a property but today we have gas geyser units with a balanced flue, which allows bigger sizes gas water heaters to be installed inside the property.

Side Note: A balance flue pulls in fresh air and releases the hot air or burned gasses to the outside.

  • All permanent gas water heater installations that have a fixed gas supply line must be done according to regulation by a qualified gas installer, and a gas coc must be provided to the customer.
  • A gas water heater must be serviced at least once a year and can easily last up to 10 years before it needs to be replaced. Some parts may be replaced to ensure the system remains optimal and safe.

Final Thoughts about a Gas Geyser, Heat Pump, or Solar Water Heating

Will you save an unfathomable amount of money on your electrical bill vs. your gas bill? Will you save a great amount of money on buying and installing a gas geyser, heat pump, or solar water heating system vs. your electrical geyser plus maintenance or replacement costs?

As much as I’d love to give you the sales pitch to persuade you of excessive savings, I won’t.

Yes, you will save money, but the amount you save is entirely up to you and depends on your lifestyle. What you will get in return is comfort, always having hot water for everyone, being able to heat your pool without worrying about Eskom’s next increase and having a little extra money to spend on making great memories with your family, renovating your home, or spoiling your employees. And, undoubtedly, you will not use the ESP app to keep track of any loadshedding schedule because you will not need to plan ahead of time.

We are all working to move away from using energy that is harmful to the environment, and installing a gas water heater, heat pump, and solar water heater will bring us one step closer to a world with fewer harmful contaminants that contribute to global warming.

Please contact us to survey your property and quote you on the correct system for all your needs at your property. This allows us to provide you with accurate figures that you can use before installing your sustainable water heating system.

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