Gas Water Heating — Wellington, Hutt Valley, Kapiti & Porirua
Endless hot showers. No storage cylinder in the cupboard. Lower running costs than electric. Gas continuous-flow is the most popular water heating setup we install — and Southern Plumbing has been doing it in Wellington for 40+ years.
Certifying Gasfitter on staff. Gas Safety Certificate same day. Call 0800 484 353 — Your Job On Time, or It’s Free.
Gas vs Electric — Why Gas Wins on Hot Water
- Lower running cost per litre — especially for high-use homes
- No standby heat loss — only heats what you use
- Endless hot water — multiple showers without the tank running out
- Smaller footprint — wall-mounted unit vs 180L cylinder in the cupboard
- Better shower flow — pressure delivered straight from the main
- Higher recovery rate — fill a spa bath without waiting
Considering the greener alternative? Compare with a heat pump water heater or solar hot water.
Southern Plumbing’s Continuous-Flow Hot Water Systems
We install and service every major NZ-approved continuous-flow model:
- Rinnai Infinity — 20L, 26L, 32L — the Wellington standard
- Bosch Hydro Power — no battery, no power supply required (10L, 13L, 16L)
- Rheem continuous-flow range
- Rinnai Symphony temperature-controlled systems
Modern units deliver 20–32 litres per minute compared with the old mechanical units’ 10–13. No pilot light wasting fuel. Electronic ignition, flame modulation, temperature lock.
Sizing Your Gas Water Heater
- 1 bathroom home: 16L/min minimum
- 2–3 bathrooms: 26L/min recommended
- Spa bath or large family home: 26–32L/min
- Commercial / multi-unit: manifold two or more units
Southern Plumbing sizes the system to your household — not the salesperson’s commission. Undersized units throttle flow; oversized ones cost more to buy and take up more space without a benefit.
Installation Requirements — What Actually Matters
Location clearances:
- 300mm from internal or external corners
- 300mm from opening windows
- 1.5m below any opening window
- 500mm from electrical meter-box vent openings
Gas supply sizing: a 26L continuous-flow needs 20mm supply for the first 9m, then 25mm. Get this wrong and the unit starves at full flow — and you’ll blame the appliance when the installer is at fault.
All Southern Plumbing installs are commissioned to NZS 5601 parts 1 & 2 and pressure-tested before sign-off.
Combi Systems — Hot Water + Central Heating In One Unit
One wall-mounted gas unit produces all your hot water and feeds radiators or underfloor heating. Combi systems save space, simplify servicing, and are easier to upgrade than separate boilers and cylinders.
Southern Plumbing designs combi and dual-purpose systems for new builds and major renovations across Wellington. Talk to us early — pipe runs and manifold location are much easier to get right during the framing stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
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For high-use households, yes — no standby heat loss and no waiting for a tank to reheat. Light-use households may find a heat pump water heater cheaper to run. We quote both honestly.