Gas Hot Water Wellington

A gas hot water cylinder heats a tank of water with a burner underneath it, so there is always a store ready for the next shower. Many models need no mains power to run, which means the hot water keeps coming during a power cut. Across Wellington City, the Hutt Valley and Porirua, Powerco's natural gas network reaches a lot of streets, and plenty of homes already have a gas meter at the boundary.

We install and replace gas storage cylinders, convert electric cylinders to gas, and help you work out whether gas is the right fuel in the first place. Every job is done by a certifying gasfitter and finished with a Gas Safety Certificate and a Certificate of Compliance, so the installation is on record and safe to use.

Pricing: quotes are free, and every job gets a fixed price before we start, so there are no surprises on the invoice.

Gas Hot Water Jobs We Handle Across Wellington

• Gas hot water cylinder installation
• Gas hot water cylinder replacement
• Outdoor gas hot water cylinder
• Electric to gas hot water conversion
• Gas hot water heater repair
• Natural gas hot water cylinder

Gas, electric or heat pump: pick the fuel first

Before we talk models, it is worth being straight about the trade-offs. The government's Smarter Homes guide notes that gas storage cylinders lose more heat than electric cylinders, and that instant gas systems are more efficient than gas storage. Gen Less says a heat pump water heater costs more to buy and install but is the cheapest to run, and uses less energy than gas water heating.

Gas storage still makes sense in many homes: where natural gas is already at the meter, where a big family wants a large reserve of hot water, where hot water must keep going through power cuts, or where an old gas cylinder simply needs replacing like for like. If you want to compare, we can quote heat pump hot water or a continuous flow unit on the same visit.

Natural gas or LPG: where you live matters

Powerco owns the reticulated gas network across Wellington, the Hutt Valley and Porirua, and its address checker tells you whether pipes run past your property. If they do, a connection is often possible, and a licensed gasfitter does the work inside the boundary.

On the Kāpiti Coast it is a different story. Powerco's listed network areas do not include Kāpiti, so most homes in Paraparaumu, Raumati, Waikanae and Ōtaki rely on LPG bottles. That matters because many domestic gas storage cylinders, including Rheem's Stellar outdoor and indoor gas storage ranges, are built for natural gas only. On LPG, a continuous flow heater is often the practical choice. We confirm the gas type for your address before you commit to a model.

How It Works

Indoor and outdoor gas cylinders

Outdoor gas cylinders sit against an outside wall with the flue built in, which frees up the hot water cupboard and keeps combustion outside. Rheem's Stellar outdoor range, for example, comes in 130 and 160 litre sizes and needs no electricity to run. Indoor cylinders go in a cupboard or garage and need a flue taken out through the roof or wall.

In Wellington, exposure is part of the decision. A unit on a wall facing the prevailing wind, or on a coastal section in Lyall Bay, Seatoun or Eastbourne, takes more weather than one in a sheltered side yard. We look at where the wind and salt spray hit the house and follow the manufacturer's installation instructions for exposed sites.

Flue clearances and placement

A gas water heater has to get rid of its combustion products safely. Flue terminals need set distances from openable windows, doors, air intakes, gas meters and electricity meters. NZS 5261 used to set these rules; it has been replaced by AS/NZS 5601.1, and manufacturers such as Rinnai publish clearance tables based on it, which can be stricter for fan-assisted units.

On narrow Wellington sections this decides a lot. Cottages with sash windows close to the old cylinder spot, houses built tight to the boundary on a hill, and units under a deck all need checking before we choose a location. We measure on site rather than guessing from photos.

Converting from electric to gas

Switching an electric cylinder to gas usually means running a gas line from the meter or bottles, fitting the new cylinder and flue, reconnecting the hot and cold pipework, and leaving the old electrical circuit safe for your electrician to terminate. If the new unit goes outside, the old cupboard becomes storage.

We check the meter and pipe size can carry the extra load on top of your hob or heater, and set the cylinder so stored water is heated to at least 60 degrees C to control Legionella. Hot water delivered to basins, baths and showers in new installations is capped at 50 degrees C, which is the job of tempering valves on the hot line. We also secure the new cylinder against earthquake movement, which matters in a region crossed by the Wellington Fault.

Replacement signs and what affects the cost

Book a check if you notice water under the cylinder, rust at the base, hot water running out sooner than it used to, a pilot that keeps going out, soot or a yellow flame at the burner, or rumbling as it fires. A cylinder over 10 years old with no service history is also worth a look.

We give a free quote after seeing the site. The price depends on cylinder size, indoor or outdoor model, natural gas or LPG, how far the gas line has to run, any flue work through the roof, access to the old cylinder, and pipework changes for a conversion.

Why Choose Cheeky's Plumbers for Gas Hot Water

Gas Hot Water FAQs

Gas Hot Water Across Wellington

Our gas hot water team works in every Wellington suburb. Find your local plumbers:

Gas Hot Water Guides

• Gas, Electric or Heat Pump Hot Water in Wellington: Which Costs Less to Run?
• Getting Natural Gas in Wellington: Is Your Street on the Powerco Network?

Related Services

See all hot water services or every service we offer.