Continuous-Flow Gas Hot Water on the North Shore and Northern Beaches
A continuous-flow system heats water only when a tap is turned on, so there is no tank to keep hot and no tank to run dry. When the last shower of the evening is as hot as the first, that is usually the reason people switch. Reit Plumbing installs continuous-flow gas hot water, replaces old storage tanks with it, and repairs and services the units already on your wall.
How a Continuous-Flow System Works
Cold water enters the unit, a flow sensor detects it, and a gas burner fires to heat the water as it passes through a heat exchanger. Turn the tap off and the burner stops. Nothing is stored, so nothing is lost keeping a tank of water hot overnight, and the unit takes up a fraction of the space a tank does. The trade-off is flow: each unit can heat only so many litres a minute, so it has to be sized for how many showers and taps you run at the same time.
The Rinnai Infinity B26 in Our Photo
The unit pictured, from one of our jobs, is a Rinnai Infinity B26: an external, wall-mounted gas continuous-flow heater. According to Rinnai’s specifications, it delivers up to 26 litres a minute, suits homes with two bathrooms (up to three in warmer climates), carries a 6.0 star equivalent energy rating and starts heating from a flow of just 1.5 litres a minute, so it works with water-saving shower heads. It comes in natural gas and LPG models and is built for outdoor installation, with frost protection down to −20°C.
The photo shows what a tidy installation looks like: copper pipework run straight to the unit, isolation valves on the water and gas lines so it can be serviced without shutting down the house, an insulated hot water outlet, and a weatherproof power outlet beside it. Continuous-flow units need power for their electronics as well as gas.
Is Continuous Flow Right for Your Home?
- Size it for peak use. Two showers running at once needs a bigger unit than one. We work out your peak demand before recommending a model.
- Check the gas supply. A continuous-flow unit draws far more gas while it is running than an old storage heater, so the meter and gas pipework have to be able to keep up. We check this as part of the quote.
- Plan the location. External units go on an outside wall, clear of windows and openings, ideally close to the bathroom and kitchen so hot water arrives quickly.
- Set the right temperature. Models are available preset to different delivery temperatures, and we fit the one that suits your home and its bathrooms.
Installation, Replacement and Repairs
Swapping a storage tank for a continuous-flow unit usually means new gas and water connections and a power point, and the gas work is carried out by us as part of the job. Every installation is done under our NSW contractor licence 500258C, which you can check on the NSW Government licence register. For gas connections and leaks elsewhere in the house, see our gas fitting and leak detection service.
Already have a continuous-flow unit that shows an error code, runs lukewarm or will not fire? Most faults are repairs, and our hot water repairs and replacement team works on every type of system. No hot water at all? Call our 24/7 emergency plumbers, or send us an enquiry for a quote.