Hot Water Systems in Hillcrest
The 3351 postcode, covering Hillcrest, Mortchup, Berringa, Bo Peep, Cape Clear, Carngham, Chepstowe, Haddon, Happy Valley, Illabarook, Lake Bolac, Mininera, Mount Emu, Nerrin Nerrin, Newtown, Nintingbool, Piggoreet, Pitfield, Rokewood Junction, Ross Creek, Scarsdale, Smythes Creek, Smythesdale, Snake Valley, Springdallah, Staffordshire Reef, Streatham, Wallinduc and Westmere and surrounding areas, is home to around 3,541 households. With many households already generating their own clean solar power, many are now looking at how they can make their entire home energy system more efficient, with hot water heating often the logical next step.
With hot water roughly accounting for a quarter of the average home's energy use, switching to an energy-efficient hot water system is one of the biggest opportunities for savings. Across Hillcrest and the 3351 area, 664 homeowners have already switched from older electric storage and gas hot water systems to solar hot water or air-source heat pump systems that draw on clean, renewable power while also claiming the hot water rebates to reduce their hot water heater system cost. These highly-efficient systems not only help cut energy bills but also reduce carbon emissions and improve overall energy independence.
With Hillcrest's climate delivering an average of 4.3 kWh/m² per day, conditions are ideal for hot water systems and hybrid heat pump systems that harness both sunlight and ambient air temperature to heat water efficiently all year round. When paired with existing rooftop solar power or solar batteries, the result is hot water that costs far less to run and is powered by clean, self-generated energy.
Hot Water Ranking
Postcode 3351
115th
State Wide
456th
Australia Wide
Hot Water Installation Hillcrest
Estimated daily energy to heat household water, comparing a resistive electric element with a high-efficiency heat pump. Demand shifts month-to-month using local climate patterns.
Energy Efficient Hot Water & Solar Power Hillcrest
* Data from the Bureau of Meteorology. Closest station: N/A.
Solar Powered Hot WaterHillcrest
Illustrates how a typical 6.6 kW rooftop solar system can offset the daytime energy demand of a COP 5 heat pump hot water unit.
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Heat Pump Hot Water Systems for Hillcrest
Compare heat pump hot water systems suitable for Hillcrest's climate. These energy-efficient systems are designed to work in local temperature conditions and can significantly reduce your hot water energy costs.
Community Hot Water Statistics - Hillcrest, 3351
Hot Water Demographics - Hillcrest
Based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 Census (ABS), Hillcrest has around 3,541 private dwellings, home to approximately 8,554 people. With an average household size of 2.7 people, and around 50 litres of hot water used per person each day in Australia, Hillcrest households use approximately 135 litres of hot water daily, equating to a massive 0.5 million litres of hot water used across the suburb every single day.
Other census insights reinforce Hillcrest's suitability for energy-saving improvements like energy-efficient or solar-powered hot water. The Hillcrest community is home to 768 couple families with children and 147 one-parent families, meaning a large proportion of households face substantial hot water demand. With 1,504 homes owned with a mortgage and 1,321 owned outright, many residents also have the homeownership and growing equity that make switching to efficient hot water systems a practical way to lower expenses.
Hillcrest is converting hot water demand to efficient systems faster than many peers, with 18.8% of dwellings already upgraded.
Hot water systems in Hillcrest
Across Hillcrest and the wider 3351 area, more households are swapping old gas and ageing electric units for an energy efficient hot water system. With most homes here being separate houses and an average household size of around 2.7 people, hot water demand is steady year‑round. At the same time, power prices keep creeping up, so it makes sense that locals are looking closely at a modern heat pump hot water system, solar hot water system or efficient electric hot water system to keep bills down.
Hillcrest’s climate is well suited to efficient hot water. The nearby Linton weather station records an average annual solar exposure of about 15.5 MJ/m² per day, which is roughly 4.3 kWh/m² of usable sunshine daily. That level of sun helps a solar hot water heating system and heat pump hot water perform strongly, especially when paired with rooftop solar. With a solid base of owner‑occupiers (more than 2,800 homes owned outright or with a mortgage) and a median household income that supports smart upgrades, shifting from old gas hot water to a cleaner, all‑electric hot water system is a logical next step. Many Hillcrest households can shave a big chunk off their annual hot water energy use by upgrading.
Around 3,155 dwellings in the postcode means a lot of hot showers, baths and laundry loads. Hot water can easily account for a quarter of a typical home’s energy use, so moving to the most efficient hot water system you can afford really matters. Locally, we are seeing more homes choose quality brands like Rheem heat pump hot water units, Sanden heat pump systems and Rinnai solar hot water or Chromagen solar hot water packages, often tied in with existing rooftop solar. These options can dramatically reduce running costs compared with an older electric hot water system or gas storage unit, and they are frequently shortlisted when people search for the best hot water system Australia wide.
Recent efficient hot water upgrades in Hillcrest show how quickly things are changing. There have already been 664 efficient hot water systems installed in the 3351 postcode, combining both heat pump and solar hot water installation projects. Install numbers were small in the early 2000s, then jumped sharply around 2008–2011 as solar hot water rebate offers kicked in, with 58 installs in 2008 and 88 in 2009 alone. After a quieter period, installations picked up again from 2019 onwards, with 43 in 2020, 42 in 2021, 40 in 2022 and 51 in 2023. This steady growth reflects a strong local shift towards electrification, lower running costs and more reliable hot water repair and replacement options.
When it comes to hot water system price and ongoing savings, Hillcrest homes upgrading from older units can see meaningful bill reductions. Typical annual savings can look like this:
• Old electric to heat pump hot water system: save roughly $400–$800 per year. • Gas to heat pump vs solar hot water: both can save $300–$700 per year depending on usage and tariffs. • Gas to solar hot water system: save around $300–$600 per year. • Old electric to modern electric hot water installation with good solar: save about $250–$500 per year.
Upfront heat pump hot water price or solar hot water price depends on size, brand and whether you need a solar hot water tank replacement, but rebates help. Federal Small‑scale Technology Certificates (STCs) reduce the cost of eligible solar hot water systems and heat pump hot water installation. On top of that, Victorian hot water rebate programs can provide a heat pump hot water rebate, solar hot water rebate or even an electric hot water system rebate for certain upgrades, cutting the effective hot water system cost by a substantial percentage. For Hillcrest households with rooftop solar, using timers or a smart controller to run a heat pump during the middle of the day can shorten payback periods to just a few years. Many locals are also comparing solar hot water vs electric hot water, or electric hot water vs gas hot water, to decide what suits their roof space, budget and lifestyle best.
Hot Water Rebates, Tariffs & Savings
In Hillcrest VIC, interest in replacing old gas or electric hot water with efficient options is only growing. Homeowners are weighing up heat pump vs solar hot water, and some are choosing modern electric hot water installation combined with solar to move towards an all‑electric home. Federal incentives like STCs apply to eligible heat pump and solar hot water systems, effectively discounting the upfront heat pump hot water cost or solar hot water price. Victorian programs can add a hot water rebate VIC on top of this, including a heat pump hot water rebate or solar hot water rebate for approved systems. Together, these can slice thousands off the installed cost, while annual bill savings in the hundreds of dollars are common. When you factor in smart tariffs, off‑peak or daytime‑solar operation, and the reliability of brands such as Rheem solar hot water, Rinnai solar hot water and Sanden heat pump units, it becomes easier to see why efficient hot water repair and replacement is climbing the priority list for Hillcrest households.
If your Hillcrest home still runs on an old gas or electric unit, this is a good time to check whether a hot water upgrade makes sense. A tailored heat pump hot water installation, solar hot water repair and replacement, or efficient electric hot water system can cut bills, reduce emissions and future‑proof your place as energy prices change. Talk with experienced local hot water installers like us, who specialise in energy efficient hot water system design and hot water repair across hot water VIC. We can help you compare options such as solar hot water vs electric hot water, choose the best heat pump hot water system for your family, tap into any hot water rebate VIC programs you are eligible for, and design a reliable system that keeps your Hillcrest home comfortable for years to come.
