What is a continuous flow hot water system?
There are a number of ways to refer to it, and for some people it may sound quite confusing, but the name says it all. It’s a system that provides a continuous flow of hot water to your home.
But don’t all systems provide a continuous flow of hot water?
No, not really. There are two main ways of getting hot water into your home – a hot water cylinder or a continuous flow system.
With a hot water cylinder, water is stored in the cylinder and kept at a heated temperature. This is why people often keep towels and linen in the cylinder cupboard, because it’s warm and dry in there. Your hot water cylinder can be either inside the house (in the cylinder cupboard) or outside the house.
With a continuous flow system, you don’t have a hot water cylinder. Hot water comes in on demand, as you need it, from your mains water supply. It’s a great system if you have several household members, if there are several showers each day, or if you find you run out of hot water often.
Can you install a continuous flow hot water heater in any property?
Yes, we can. Continuous flow hot water systems usually operate on gas, so as long as there is gas supplied to the property, we can help. It can be mains gas (also called natural gas) or bottled gas (also called LPG, which stands for liquid petroleum gas) – either work. If you’re currently using an electric hot water cylinder, we can switch you over to a gas continuous flow system, no problem. The Cylinder Direct team includes 10+ New Zealand-qualified plumbers and gasfitters who can handle the switch over for you – you’re in safe hands with Cylinder Direct.
A continuous flow hot water system has many benefits:
- Because you’re not limited to just the cylinder amount of hot water, a continuous flow system provides an endless supply of hot water. There’s no more running out of hot water after 2 or 3 showers.
- It doesn’t take up any room in the house, and very little space outside, which is an excellent option if you have a small outdoor area. You don’t need to find space for a hot water cylinder and its components.
- A continuous flow hot water system is a much cheaper way to heat water than a hot water cylinder system. With continuous flow you only heat what you use, as you use it (rather than holding a cylinder full of hot water and keeping it hot when you’re not using it).
- You can even control the water temperature remotely from your smartphone with one of the models we install, the Rheem EZiSET® system.
- A continuous flow hot water system is an attractive feature that buyers will look for if you decide to sell your house in future.
What homes are best suited for a continuous flow hot water system?
- homes that have access to gas, supplied either by mains gas or LPG bottles
- households with average to frequent water use (i.e. showers, laundry)
- properties with limited or no space for a hot water cylinder
- homeowners looking for additional ways to add value to their property
- property owners who want to control the water temperature remotely (e.g. for a bach, rental property, Airbnb unit)
What are the most reliable brands of continuous flow hot water systems?
At Cylinder Direct we know and trust the Rheem and Rinnai brands. Rheem was started in the United States in the 1920s. Rinnai began in 1920 in Japan. Both companies have expanded globally, focusing on plumbing, heating and appliances. At Cylinder Direct, we supply and install both brands.
Get in touch with the knowledgeable team at Cylinder Direct for a no-obligation initial chat and we’ll help you determine what’s best for your home and your budget. Have a look at our Gas Water Heating Installation page – then give us a call for a no-obligation initial chat.
