Gas Water Heaters

Gas hot water systems remain a common option, especially in newer homes where tighter block sizes make fitting a 650mm-wide storage tank alongside the house difficult. On the Sunshine Coast many areas are tied into natural gas mains, which generally deliver a far cheaper supply than bottled LPG cylinders. Instantaneous natural gas and LPG hot water units are compact—roughly the size of a small suitcase—and can be wall-mounted. These tankless hot water systems save valuable space as lot sizes shrink. Most models use electronic ignition rather than a continuous pilot light, reducing gas use over time, though they do rely on electricity and won’t provide hot water during a blackout because there’s no stored volume. LPG hot water systems are still widely used, but running costs have risen due to delivery, handling and cylinder rental charges, often making them pricier than an off-peak electric hot water system. Reliable operation usually requires two 45kg gas bottles. In some newer estates or planned communities without mains gas, developments may be supplied by a central LPG system with metered distribution; this removes bottle rental costs but typically ties you to a single gas provider. Where homes are connected to natural gas mains, supply costs are commonly 25–45% lower than using LPG bottles. That said, many suppliers now add service fees of more than $50 per quarterly bill in addition to the gas usage charges. Because water heating consumes far more gas than cooking or barbecues, both efficiency and supply pricing are key considerations when choosing a system.