cross-posted from: https://aussie.zone/post/1305841
TL;DR: Tip 1 – Find trusted, independent information, Tip 2 – Plan your approach, Tip 3 – Access available rebates and resources, Tip 4 – Wait for a sale or negotiate a better deal, Tip 5 – Know the issues.
If you’re contemplating upgrading gas appliances in your home, or even disconnecting from the gas network altogether, here are a few handy tips and resources to cut through the confusion.
You will avoid ongoing fixed gas supply charges once you disconnect from the gas network, but you may be required to pay an “Abolishment fee” for permanent disconnection.
Just stop using gas appliances in favour of existing electric appliances that do the same job, such as a reverse cycle air conditioner for space heating.
Undertaking a wider energy retrofit may mean you can buy a smaller, cheaper reverse cycle air conditioner when replacing gas heating.
Many of us have grown up with gas in our homes and when one appliance breaks, the easiest thing to do is replace like-for-like.
Not fully. It’s on the list of things to do if our income ever decides to match living expenses ever again.
We took off an old solar HWS, put panels in its place and bought a 400L element HWS on a simple timer. The HWS functions as a “battery” as it will stay warm for 4-5 days if we turn the timer off. We downgraded the element so it wouldn’t use more than the panels supply.
If you have the roof space, a solar HWS could be the go, or a heat pump. Heat more water while the sun is shining, it’s an efficient power store if the HWS is insulated well.
We also bought a cheap IKEA induction to use instead of gas where we can.
Nah, it’s better to have panels that produce electricity so they can only heat water when they need to and sell power to the grid the rest of the day (which will be most of the day).
The energy to heat water from panels takes more panels than the footprint of a solar HWS. Not everyone has a lot of roof space.