Hot Water Cylinder Replacement Wellington — Same-Day *
Hot Water Cylinder Replacement in Wellington
Cold shower this morning? Tank dripping into the garage? Southern stocks common cylinder sizes and brands for same-day replacement if you call before 10am (subject to stock). 40+ years, and around 60,000 jobs across Wellington, the Hutt Valley, Porirua and the Kapiti Coast.
Hot Water Cylinder Replacement Types
Internal or external, electric, gas, solar, or heat pump cylinders — and our in-house electricians handle the wiring side, so it’s one team, one quote, one job. Call 0800 484 353.
Types of Hot Water Heaters and Cylinders We Install
- Electric hot water cylinders — the standard for most Wellington homes. Reliable, well understood, parts everywhere.
- Gas hot water cylinders — faster recovery than electric, useful where there’s already a gas connection.
- Gas continuous-flow water heaters (Rinnai Infinity) — endless hot water, no tank, wall-mount external.
- Heat pump water heaters — Rinnai HydraHeat etc. Highest efficiency, lowest running cost.
- Solar hot water cylinders — stainless steel or copper tank paired with roof collectors.
- External cylinders — frees up internal floor space.
- Underbench & remote-sink cylinders — useful for outbuildings and granny flats.
- Links – Rinnai.co.nz and Rheem.co.nz
Mains Pressure vs Low Pressure vs Smart Tanks
- Mains (high) pressure — same pressure at the hot tap as your cold mains. Better shower flow, more tapware compatibility, faster delivery. Uses more water than low-pressure systems.
- Low pressure — gravity-fed from a header tank, or pressure-reduced into the cylinder using a valve. Lower flow rates but uses less water; may suit older homes where pipework can’t handle mains pressure. Upgrading to high pressure is more expensive due to the high pressure valve set and additional pipe work.
- Smart tanks — heat water on demand just before use, reducing standing-loss and energy waste. Best fit for households with predictable hot water usage windows.
Converting from low to mains pressure usually means new tempering valves including the valve set, possibly new tapware, and re-routing the cold-feed line a cold water and tpr expansion line. We’ll quote the full picture, not just the cylinder swap, but there are some customers that just want the more budget solution. See low shower pressure if your existing system is underperforming.
7 Things to Know Before Replacing Your Cylinder
- Tank size — matched to household size. Too small means cold showers; too big means heating water you don’t use.
- Element size — controls recovery time after a heavy draw. 2kW for low pressure, 3kW or more for mains.
- Electrical wiring — ripple control, cable spec, CoC. Our in-house electricians handle this.
- Valve replacement — TPR, expansion control, tempering valves all need to be checked / renewed.
- Tank quality & warranty — stainless tanks last longer than enamel; warranties range from 5 to 15 years.
- Visible appearance — affects resale, especially for external cylinders.
- High-pressure conversion — increases hot water consumption; budget for higher monthly water/power.
No Hot Water? Here’s What’s Usually Wrong
Electric cylinder issues: faulty element, failed thermostat, blown fuse, broken supply cable, faulty switch, ripple control failure at the meter board, faulty tempering valve, or a leak somewhere on the system or you have a teenager with long hair standing in the shower a long time and the tank has run out of hot water if you want endless hot water then go for a gas continuous flow water heater.
Gas cylinder / continuous flow issues: pilot light out, thermocouple failed, gas supply interrupted, electronic ignition battery flat, control panel switched off, surge protector tripped after a power event. For continuous flow units, a power reset clears most issues. Gas meter problems can cause hot water issues too.
If you’ve checked the basics and still no hot water, see our no hot water Wellington page or call 0800 484 353.
Leaking Cylinder? Replacement Options
Once the tank itself starts leaking, that’s the cylinder telling you it’s done — no patch is going to give you another year. Replace it before the floor or the ceiling below pays the price. While we’re there, options to think about:
- Like-for-like swap (cheapest, fastest)
- Change energy source — electric to gas, electric to heat pump
- Convert from low to mains pressure
- Move to continuous flow and reclaim the cupboard
- Add solar collectors to the existing tank
- Increase capacity if the household has grown.
What is there to consider when replacing a hot water heater?
Obviously there is your personal situation eg you are selling the house. Some customers would install the best system they can to sell the house others the cheapest if they think there is no advantage. But future customers are moving to green systems and low running costs for the long term. So if you put your house on the market some home buyers are looking for a property that has been looked after and kept current. Eg it has a heat pump water heater or efficient gas water heater so they are not purchasing a house with an new old fashioned water heating system. When there is nothing to do the house may fetch a higher price.
Things to Consider when buying or replacing a hot water system
- Future property sale
- Future energy costs
- Future maintenance
- Capital cost of upgrading
- Your financial situation
- You want to be green
- Some home owners want to install PV solar panels, and want to store the energy in the hot water cylinder. Most cylinders at cold will hold about 10kW of energy. Which is not a lot.
Trend of Hot Water Heating Systems
The general trend is away from gas this is due to rising energy costs, and higher line charge costs. There are banks that offer low interest loans on green hot water heating systems such as heat pumps, and solar.
Gas vs Heat Pump Hot Water?
Increasingly we’re being asked which to install. The numbers:
- Capital cost — gas continuous-flow is the cheaper install (a few thousand). Heat pumps cost more upfront.
- Running cost — gas energy runs about 17 cents per unit of useful heat; heat pumps run about 7 cents at a coefficient of performance (COP) of 4.
- Lifespan — both around 12-15 years with regular service.
- Reliability — gas continuous-flow and electric tanks are mechanically simpler; heat pumps have a refrigerant circuit that needs servicing.
For a 4-person household, the running-cost gap typically pays back the heat pump premium in 5-7 years, and the gap is widening as gas prices rise a lot depends on the amount of hot water used. Recently gas prices doubled. Electric prices went up 50%. But heat pump water heater prices have dropped and their efficiency has increased.
Why Buy Hot Water Cylinders From Southern?
You can buy a cylinder online for a few hundred dollars less. The question is who installs it, who guarantees it, and who you call at 6am on a Saturday on a long weekend, when something fails.
- 40+ years in Wellington — same family-owned business since 1982
- Operators in Wellington, Porirua, Kapiti and the Hutt Valley
- Master Plumbers member — covers your deposit, protects against substandard work
- Certifying plumber and gasfitter on staff — we self-certify our own work
- SuperGold discount — mention it when you book
- We service every brand we install and the competitor’s brand if you’ve inherited one
- 24/7 response, every day of the year
- Your Job On Time, or It’s Free
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — if you call before 10am and we have your size in stock. We carry common sizes (135L, 180L, 225L, 270L) on the van or at the depot. Call 0800 484 353 first thing.
