No hot water at all
Usually a failed element, thermostat or a tripped safety switch on electric units; a blown-out pilot or faulty ignition on gas. Often a same-day repair.
No Hot Water?
Fixed or replaced today*.
Same-day hot water repairs, replacement and new installs, electric, gas, solar and heat pump, across Wollongong & the Illawarra. Fixed upfront price, $0 call-out, book 24/7.
TodaySame-day replacement$0Call-out fee24/7Online bookingNSWLicensed & insured
*Same-day replacement subject to stock and time of call. *45-minute emergency response during service hours (7am to 5pm) in serviced areas, subject to availability. Book any hour by phone or online.
Hot Water Special
Claim by Phone · 1300 707 059
Old Hot Water System Failing? Upgrade Today. $0 Call Out Fee
Same-day hot water replacement with fixed upfront pricing. Old unit removed and disposed of. Payment plans available.
On the Tools
Hot Water Done Properly.
The same licensed crew, the same tidy finish, every Illawarra job.
Sound Familiar?
Which One's You?
Tell us the symptom on the phone and we'll tell you what it usually means, and give you a fixed price before we start. If it's a burst tank flooding the laundry, that's a job for our emergency plumbers.
Runs out too fast
An undersized or ageing tank, a failed lower element, or a tempering valve on its way out. We'll size the right fix for your household.
Leaking tank or valve
A dripping pressure relief valve is a quick fix. Water weeping from the tank body means the cylinder has rusted through, that's a replacement. Wet patch but can't find the source? Book leak detection.
Pilot light won't stay lit
Thermocouple, gas valve or a draught problem. Our licensed gas fitters repair it safely and test for leaks before we leave.
Banging or rumbling
Sediment build-up in the tank or an element burning out. Caught early it's a flush and a part; left alone it shortens the tank's life.
Rusty or smelly water
Rust points to a spent sacrificial anode or a corroding tank; a rotten-egg smell is bacteria reacting with the anode. Both are fixable.
Every System Type
Gas, Electric, Solar & Heat Pump. Same‑Day Service.
We repair every major brand and install replacements to suit your home, your budget and your energy bills, with honest advice on which type actually makes sense for you.
Electric
Storage tanks from 50L to 400L and instantaneous units. The most common same-day replacement, we carry popular sizes on the van.
Gas
Continuous-flow and storage systems installed, certified and compliance-plated by licensed gas fitters. Endless hot water for busy households.
Solar
Roof-mounted and split systems serviced, repaired and replaced, make the most of the Illawarra sun and cut your bills.
Heat Pump
Energy-smart upgrades that can cut hot water running costs by up to two-thirds. Ask us about current government incentives.
Not sure which system suits your home? Ask us, honest advice, fixed quote on the spot.
Talk Hot Water Now · 1300 707 059Straight Answer
Repair It or Replace It?
We'll never sell you a new system you don't need. Here's the rule of thumb our plumbers actually use.
Repair makes sense if… Usually same-day
- The system is under 8–10 years old
- It's a single part, element, thermostat, valve, thermocouple or anode
- The tank itself isn't leaking
- The repair costs well under half of a new unit
Replace it if… Same-day supply & install
- Water is weeping from the tank body (cylinders can't be repaired)
- It's 10+ years old and on its second or third fault
- Rusty water keeps coming back after an anode change
- Your household has outgrown it, or you want lower running costs
Compare Your Options
Gas vs Electric vs Solar vs Heat Pump
The four system types we install across Wollongong and the Illawarra, side by side. Relative costs are shown as $ bands; you always get an exact fixed price before we start.
| Electric storage | Gas (continuous flow) | Solar (electric boosted) | Heat pump | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost (installed) | $ lowest | $$ | $$$$ highest | $$$ before rebates, often $$ after |
| Running cost | Highest on a standard tariff, lower on off-peak | Moderate, tied to gas prices | Lowest in summer, booster carries winter | Low year-round, about a third of an electric tank |
| Typical lifespan | 8 to 12 years | 15 to 20 years | 15 to 20 years (collectors longer) | 10 to 15 years |
| Install time | 2 to 3 hours, same-day like-for-like | 3 to 5 hours, gas compliance included | 1 day, roof access required | Half a day, needs outdoor airflow |
| Rebate eligibility | None | None | Federal STCs | NSW Hot Water Upgrade Incentive plus federal STCs |
| Best for | Fast, cheapest swap when the old tank fails | Big households wanting endless hot water | Sunny north-facing roofs, long-term owners | Cutting power bills, all-electric homes |
Bands are relative, not quotes. Lifespans and install times are typical for Illawarra homes and depend on water quality, location and access. Rebate eligibility depends on what you're replacing; we check it for you before quoting.
Local Knowledge
Hot Water Across Wollongong & the Illawarra
Our base is in Woonona, so a hot water call-out to Corrimal, Fairy Meadow or Bulli is minutes away, and Wollongong CBD and the southern suburbs are well inside the same-day window. Salt air along the escarpment coast is hard on outdoor tanks, which is why we see more rusted-through cylinders here than inland, and why we fit sacrificial anodes and valves rated for it.
Older weatherboard and brick homes from Thirroul down to Port Kembla often still run 1990s electric tanks on a single-rate tariff. Those are the homes where a heat pump upgrade pays back fastest, and where the NSW incentive covers a meaningful slice of the install. Newer estates around Shellharbour and Calderwood mostly have gas or space for a heat pump, so the decision there is usually about running cost rather than what fits.
Whichever way you go, the crew that turns up is the same local, licensed team, the price is fixed before we start, and the old unit leaves with us.
Brands We Install & Repair
All the Names You Know
Genuine parts, full manufacturer warranties, and the right brand for the job, not the one with the biggest margin.
Fixed Price. Nothing Hidden.
What's Included in a Replacement
- Supply of the new system, sized for your household
- Removal and responsible disposal of the old unit
- New valves, tempering valve and fittings to current standards
- Full installation, testing and compliance certificate
- Manufacturer warranty plus our workmanship guarantee
- Site left clean, you'll never know we were there
No hourly rates, no surprises. See exactly how a quote is built.
Ahh. Hot water.
How It Works
Hot Water Back in Four Easy Steps
1
Call or Book
Phone 1300 707 059 any time. Tell us the symptom, the system type and roughly how old it is.
2
We Arrive Fast
A licensed local plumber is at your door, within 45 minutes* during service hours for genuine emergencies.
3
Fixed Price Quote
We diagnose it, explain repair vs replace honestly, and give you the exact price before any work starts.
4
Hot Water Tonight
Repaired or replaced the same day in most cases, tested, certified and cleaned up.
Questions
Good to Know Before You Call
How quickly can you replace my hot water system?
In most cases the same day you call. Our vans carry the most common electric storage sizes, and we hold gas and heat pump units locally, if a specific model isn't in stock we'll tell you up front and usually have it next day.
How do I know whether to repair or replace?
If the tank itself is leaking, it has to be replaced, cylinders can't be repaired. If it's a single part on a system under about 10 years old, a repair is usually the better value. We'll give you both prices and our honest recommendation.
What size hot water system do I need?
As a guide: 1–2 people suit a 125–160L electric tank, 3–4 people a 250–315L, and larger households or homes with multiple bathrooms often suit continuous-flow gas or a heat pump. We'll size it properly on the phone before we arrive.
Are there rebates for heat pump hot water?
Yes, two can stack. The NSW Hot Water Upgrade Incentive, run under the Energy Savings Scheme, discounts a heat pump that replaces an electric or gas water heater, and federal small-scale technology certificates (STCs) apply on top. Eligibility depends on what you're replacing and where you live in the Illawarra; we confirm it and handle the paperwork before quoting.
What warranty do I get?
Every system comes with the manufacturer's warranty, typically 5 to 12 years on the cylinder and 1 to 3 years on parts and labour depending on brand and model (see Rheem's terms for a typical example), plus our own workmanship guarantee on the installation. Warranty claims are lodged by us, not you.
Do you take the old system away?
Yes. Removal and responsible disposal of your old unit is included in the fixed price, along with new valves and a compliance certificate.
Cold Shower? Not Tonight.
One call gets a licensed hot water plumber on the way, fixed upfront price, $0 call out, same-day replacement in most cases. Sunny says: life's too short for cold showers.
*45-minute emergency response during service hours (7am to 5pm) in serviced areas, subject to availability. Book any hour by phone or online.
Sources & further reading
- NSW Government: Hot Water Upgrade Incentive (Energy Savings Scheme) the state rebate for replacing an electric or gas water heater with a heat pump
- NSW Energy Security Safeguard: heat pump water heater fact sheet (PDF) eligibility rules under the HEER activity
- Clean Energy Regulator: Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme the federal STC discount for solar and heat pump water heaters
- Rheem Australia warranty terms
- Dux warranty terms
- NSW Fair Trading licence check search 489163C
Reviewed by the licensed plumbing team at Wollongong Plumbing and Hot Water, NSW Licence No. 489163C. Last updated .