What's particular to replacing hot water here
The network's timeline
The ACT Government expects some of the gas network to shut from the mid-2030s, with notice, and favours closing it in bulk: street by street, suburb by suburb or district by district.
Ageing electric tanks
The ACT Government calls a standard electric storage unit the least efficient way to heat water, and says one over 10 years old may be due for a more efficient replacement.
Frost and solar
Canberra Airport averages 58.8 days a year at or below 0°C. The ACT Government says evacuated tube solar systems can be used in sub-zero temperatures.
Replacing a failed system, step by step
Make it safe
Turn the unit off at the switchboard, or turn off its gas if that's safe to do. If it's leaking, close the cold water valve to the tank.
Confirm it's finished
A hot water specialist can tell a failed part from a failed tank. If it's only a part, a repair may buy you time to plan.
Choose the fuel with the network in mind
A gas swap is still allowed where there's a meter. The ACT Government points out that going electric now can save replacing the same appliance again when the network starts closing.
Sort the money before you sign
Concession card holders should apply for Home Energy Support and wait for pre-approval. Everyone else can look at the Sustainable Household Scheme loan and the STC discount.
Agree the paperwork
Ask which licence classes the installer holds, whether a tempering valve is going in, and what you'll receive at the end.
Rules that touch a Canberra replacement
Gas work and water work fall under different ACT licence classes, from general gasfitter to water supply plumber, so check the installer's licence covers both if the old unit was gas.
We haven't confirmed whether a like-for-like replacement needs a tempering valve in the ACT. NCC 2025 commenced on 1 May 2026, but it isn't mandatory there until 1 May 2027, so ask which edition the plumber is working to. Our tempering valve guide explains what one does.
Whatever you choose, stored water should sit at 60°C or above. The Australian Building Codes Board says that reduces Legionella growth significantly.
If this was your last gas appliance
Switching the hot water to electric can leave a gas meter with nothing behind it. The ACT offers two ways out. Disconnection closes the account and caps the line, but the pipe on your block stays pressurised. Abolishment removes the connection for good, and in most cases a home without a gas connection can't get a new one under the ACT's rules.
Our Canberra gas fitters page sets the two side by side.
Questions before you say yes
- Have the ACT's gas appliance rules changed since the 2026 consultation?
- Which loans, rebates and STC discounts are already in this price?
- Will you hold the quote while my Home Energy Support application is pre-approved?
- Where will the new unit sit, and does that spot meet the placement rules?
What we would do
Get hot water back first, even if that means a short-term repair, so you aren't choosing in a hurry. Then ask yourself how long you plan to stay. If the answer runs well into the 2030s, a gas unit bought today may outlast the gas supply in your street, and that tips most cases towards a heat pump. Line up the ACT loan or rebate before anything is signed.