If the time has come to replace your old hot water system, then you may be happy to get an upgrade but worried about its costs. Making changes to a system can increase the amount you pay for both your new system and its installation costs. What will affect the price the most?
1. Upgraded Systems
If you replace your old hot water system with a new one that is basically the same type of system with the same capacity needs, then you typically get like-for-like benefits. The new system can simply slot into the same place as the old one.
If you go for a more powerful system or one with a larger capacity, then the system may be more expensive, and your installation costs may increase. For example, you may need work done on supply pipes. Or, your electrical system may need to be upgraded to cope with increased usage needs.
2. System Relocation
It's usually cheaper to install a hot water system in the same place as your old one, even if you have to do some work to upgrade the system's supply. You have all the pipework and connections set up already.
If you decide to relocate your hot water system, then you are likely to increase your costs. You may need to reconfigure plumbing and energy supplies to get them into the new location.
3. An Energy Supply Switch
It's generally cheaper to put in a new hot water system that uses the same energy source as your old one. You've already got everything you need in place to make a quick changeover.
If you decide to switch to a different form of energy, like if you go from electricity to gas, then you need to have some work done on the supply during the installation. For example, your old electricity connections will need to be taken out and you'll need to run a gas supply to the new system.
While keeping your costs low is important, it's also important to weigh up additional costs to see if they have future benefits. For example, if switching to a new type of energy would reduce your usage costs when you start using your system, then paying extra to convert your supply may be worth it.
To find out more about your options and costs, talk to your plumber. They can help you choose a new hot water system that will both meet your budget and fulfil your hot water needs.
Hello! My name is Paula and on this blog, I will be taking you on a fascinating journey through the world of plumbing. Not many people like to think about plumbing as it can seem like a very dry and boring subject. I used to think plumbing was really dull. However, once I got talking to a plumbing contractor who had called around to fit a new tap, I discovered that plumbing is, in fact, a quite fascinating subject. Since then, I have done all I can to learn as much as possible about the plumbing industry. I hope you find what I have written here useful.