Hi everyone,
I'm looking to install a heat pump hot water system in Melbourne and would love to hear about your experiences. Have any of you taken advantage of VEU rebates for your installation?
From what I know you can use VEU, STC and Solar Vic Rebates
Additionally, I'm researching different brands. Could you recommend a reliable heat pump brand and a good installer in Melbourne?
Thanks in advance for your help!
I got a Rheem installed few years ago right as the program was announced. Was $3700ish - $1000 rebate + couple hundred for electrical upgrade so wound up being approx $3000 out of pocket. Used Same Day Hot Water. It was the last gas appliance in the house, and let us turn off the gas tap. Best decision ever.
Same Day Hot Water Service (SDHWS) on their website states: "Please note that all supply and install prices have STCs included as a point-of-sale discount."
VEU rebate which is around $840 is not included in SDHWS price I think because they are not on the VEU registry of Accredited Persons:
https://www.veu-registry.vic.gov.au/Public/Participants2.asp…
I have always used SDHWS in the past and their prices are one of the lowest in the market.
I don't know about that one, I got the Solar Vic rebate which was/is 50% off a heat pump hot water heater up to $1000. They're definitely an approved installer. We just each filled out paperwork, I paid the cost (minus rebate), they got rebate directly.
Right. VEU rebate is fairly new I think. Pays additional $840 if you have electric and $490 if you have gas and looking to replace. Govt is coming up with Induction cooktop rebate in few months. Giving more incentives to shady tradies not to consumers.
Saw that Same Day Hot Water Service website
They have so many brand heat pumps, how do u know which brand is good and suitable?
Is there much difference between the brands?
What model rheem?
Pretty sure it was this one. It looks to have increased in price since then, but also looks like Rheem more recently released a newer, cheaper version.
I used a Reclaim. More expensive than the cheap models, is it worth it? Who knows, its what I chose.
What made you choose reclaim over the rest of the other brands?
the separate heat pump, COP level, cheaper than Sandon but all the tradies (who also install Sandon) said it looked the same quality level. Because I like over spending? Am in Canberra so needed something that could operate in low temps (albeit that 99% of the time I heat during the day with solar and dont run out of water until the next sunny day so perhaps this was a bit over cautious)
Thanks good that you have the means to overspend 😀
I was thinking going maybe medium teir such as rheem, i store or evo heat. Any opinions on these brands
I been reading heat pump uses like 1kwh to heat 4kwh of hot water when compared to the older hot water heater with the element
Also remember reading it only takes 4 hours a day to heat from empty so to top up from day to day usually only 1 to 2 hours
Are these things true?
Hydrotherm x8 is considered the best mid-range heat pump, and Sanden is considered the best heat pump money can buy. It is hard to find a good installer nowadays so jump on MEEH group on facebook for advice on installers and brands.
In Melbourne, Gavin from Melbourne heat pumps is considered one of the best installers (people post install pics on the group for rating from other members). He uses foil insulated thermal lagging on the pipes (very rare to see a plumber use this due to cost cutting) and has great workmanship as well. Hydrotherm costs about $3.7k supply and install - STC and solar rebates of 1.8k, you're looking at 1.8-1.9k out of pocket.
Best of the best, Sanden heat pump is around 6k out of pocket, but it is NOT x3 better than than hydrotherm, so its not considered good 'value'.
You get 1 rebate per household, use it wisely on the best system and installer that the budget can afford.
With VEU rebate installer takes advantage of you.