iStore Hot Water Review

A good starting point when reviewing your home’s hot water heating costs is to understand your current hot water system’s energy consumption.

• Existing Electric Storage Hot Water systems are usually connected to an off-peak tariff. There is commonly 2 types of off-peak available; a dedicated off-peak circuit which is controlled by the energy network as to when power will be available, or a Time of Use Tariff (TOU) where the power is controlled by the installation of a timer clock inside the home’s switchboard. With various electricity retailer options across Australia, it would be best to have a copy of your electricity bill at the ready when contacting iStore to discuss your individual needs.
• Existing Gas Storage or Instantaneous Hot Water Systems are always connected to a gas supply to your home. There are 2 types of gas available in Australia; a Natural Gas Connection is the most common in metro areas & LPG Gas connection via Gas Bottles. To ascertain how much gas consumption your hot water system is using, it’s best to compare a summertime bill (when heating is not being used) to a winter gas bill (when heating is being used). This will give you an indication of how much your hot water and heating costs are over the year.
• Natural Gas Connection - Your summer bill may include a small proportion of gas consumption used for cooking and also a daily service charge from the gas networks for the service connection.
• LPG Gas Bottles – Your summer bill may include a small proportion of gas consumption used for cooking although traditionally LPG gas suppliers charge per exchange or re-fill. The statement you receive will provide a good indication of the cost of heating hot water over the summer months.