Taupō’s Hot Water Specialists
Repairs. Replacements. Upgrades. Expert advice.
Hot water should fit around your life. Enough for the morning showers, reliable when guests arrive, and a system that makes sense for your home and budget.
At McBeth Plumbing & Gas, we help you understand your options and choose with confidence. From electric and gas hot water cylinders to gas continuous flow and hot water heat pumps, our team can help with a repair, a straightforward replacement or a change to something better suited to your needs.
Family owned and serving Taupō for over 40 years, we’re here to help you get your hot water sorted, and keep it working well.
The right hot water starts with your home
There’s no single system that suits everyone. A busy family home, a couple’s first house and a holiday home used on weekends can have very different hot water needs.
We look at how much hot water you use, your existing system, available space and what you want to improve. That might be keeping installation costs manageable, reducing ongoing energy use, improving shower pressure or having enough hot water for a full house.
We’ll explain what’s practical, what’s involved and the costs to consider, so you can make an informed choice.
Explore your hot water options
Hot water heat pump technology
An efficient way to heat your water using energy from the air.
A hot water heat pump uses electricity to collect heat from the surrounding air and transfer it into water stored in a cylinder. It works on a similar principle to a heat pump used for home heating, but is designed specifically for hot water.
Because it moves heat rather than relying only on an electric element, it can use substantially less electricity than a conventional electric cylinder (up to 75% less). That can make it particularly appealing for households using plenty of hot water.
Options include all-in-one units and split systems, where the heat pump and cylinder are separate.
It could be a good fit if you:
- Want to reduce the energy used to heat your water.
- Are replacing an older electric or gas system.
- Want an electric option with lower running costs over time.
- Have PV solar, or are considering it.
What to consider:
The initial investment is generally higher than a standard electric cylinder. We’ll consider cold-weather performance, cylinder capacity, reheating time, airflow, noise and placement. In Taupō, choosing a model suited to colder conditions is an important part of getting the system right. Savings depend on the system, your household’s usage and energy prices.
Gas continuous flow
Hot water heated as you need it.
A gas continuous-flow water heater heats water as it passes through the unit, rather than storing it in a tank. Often called an Infinity or califont, it can keep supplying hot water without a cylinder running empty, provided the system is correctly sized and has gas, water and power available.
An outdoor installation can also free up the space occupied by an indoor cylinder. Condensing models offer up to 11% more efficiency within the gas continuous-flow range.
It could be a good fit if you:
- Have a busy household with showers at different times.
- Want to free up indoor cupboard space.
- Already use Natural Gas or LPG and want to explore an upgrade.
- Need hot water for changing guest numbers at a holiday home.
What to consider:
We’ll check how many outlets you want to use at once, your water supply and the gas or LPG installation requirements. Hot water still takes time to travel from the heater to the tap, and most continuous-flow units need electricity to operate.
Electric hot water cylinders
A familiar, practical option for everyday hot water.
An electric cylinder heats water using an element and stores it in an insulated tank, ready when you need it. If your current setup suits your household, replacing an ageing cylinder with a correctly sized modern one can be a straightforward solution.
We can help with low-pressure and mains-pressure systems, cylinder sizing and suitable indoor or outdoor models.
It could be a good fit if you:
- Want a practical replacement for an existing electric cylinder.
- Prefer to keep your hot water fully electric.
- Want to explore a change from low pressure to mains pressure.
- Need a different cylinder size or location.
What to consider:
Storage capacity matters. Once the available hot water is used, the cylinder needs time to reheat. We’ll also check your pipework and fittings before recommending a pressure upgrade.
Gas hot water cylinders
Stored hot water, heated by gas.
A gas hot water cylinder uses a burner to heat water stored in a tank. If you already have one, we can assess its condition and help you compare repairing it, replacing it or changing to another type of system.
It could be a good fit if you:
- Have an existing gas cylinder that needs attention.
- Prefer a stored hot water system.
- Want to compare your replacement options before making a change.
What to consider:
Cylinder size, reheating performance, gas costs and installation requirements all matter. Whether a unit works during a power cut depends on the particular model and installation.
Repair, replace or upgrade?
Not every hot water problem means you need a new system. A repair or adjustment may be enough to restore reliable hot water.
If your system is ageing, struggling to keep up or needing repeated attention, it may be time to compare your options. Replacing it with the same type is one choice; changing the size, pressure, location or heating technology may suit you better.
We can help with:
- Hot water faults, repairs and servicing.
- Electric and gas cylinder replacements.
- Gas continuous-flow installation and upgrades.
- Hot water heat pump installation.
- Low-pressure to mains-pressure upgrades.
- Assessing hot water needs for renovations and new homes.
Plan ahead. Choose what suits you.
You don’t have to wait until the hot water stops to explore something better.
Planning ahead gives you time to compare systems, understand the installation and choose around your needs and budget. It can also help you address an ageing or leaking system before it becomes a more disruptive problem.
If you’re unsure how your current system is doing, ask us about a Hot Water Health Check. We can assess its condition and explain any maintenance or upgrade options worth considering.
Local advice, installation and ongoing support
There’s no single system that suits everyone. A busy family home, a couple’s first house and a holiday home used on weekends can have very different hot water needs.
We look at how much hot water you use, your existing system, available space and what you want to improve. That might be keeping installation costs manageable, reducing ongoing energy use, improving shower pressure or having enough hot water for a full house.
We’ll explain what’s practical, what’s involved and the costs to consider, so you can make an informed choice.
Your hot water questions, answered
Which hot water system is cheapest to run?
Hot water heat pumps generally have lower running costs than conventional electric cylinders because they use electricity more efficiently. The right comparison for your home also includes installation costs, hot water use, energy costs, and any gas connection or cylinder rental charges.
Can I change from a hot water cylinder to gas continuous flow?
Often, yes. We’ll assess the Natural Gas or LPG supply options, water pressure, pipework and a suitable location, then explain the work involved.
Will a new cylinder improve my shower pressure?
A mains-pressure upgrade, hot water heat pump or continuous flow water heater may improve hot water flow if you currently have low pressure. The result also depends on the incoming water supply, pipework and shower fittings. We’ll check these before recommending a change.
Do hot water heat pumps work in Taupō’s winter?
Suitable models can operate in cold conditions, but performance varies between systems. We only recommend models that are suitable to our climate conditions because we want you to get the best experience from your investment.
How often should my hot water system be serviced?
That depends on the type, model and manufacturer’s recommendations. We can advise on a suitable maintenance schedule for your system.
Let’s find the right hot water for you
Whether you need a repair, a replacement or advice on an upgrade, talk to Taupō’s Hot Water Specialists.
Call 07 378 2547 or enquire online.
