The battery you already own.
Your hot water tank can work like a battery. A heat pump heats it in the middle of the day, on your own solar, and you shower on it at night. We size it to your household, time it to your roof and put the price in writing.
Heat water at noon. Shower on sunshine at night.
Heating water takes about 23% of the energy an average Australian home uses. A heat pump does it with around a third of the energy of an electric storage tank, because it moves heat out of the air instead of making it. Set its timer to the middle of the day and much of that power can come straight off your roof.
- Sized to your household: how many people, how many showers, and how fast the tank needs to recover.
- Timed to your solar, so it runs while your panels are producing.
- Placed with care: good airflow, away from bedroom windows and the neighbours.
Source: YourHome, Australian Government, hot water systems.
Victoria is moving hot water off gas.
If you own and live in your home, from 1 March 2027 a gas hot water system that breaks and can’t be repaired has to be replaced with an electric one. There are exemptions where going electric is impractical or costly, and gas heating and cooktops aren’t covered. New homes must be built all-electric from January 2027.
You don’t have to do anything until your gas system fails. The point is to choose its replacement calmly, before a cold shower chooses it for you.
Source: energy.vic.gov.au, electrification standards for buildings, page updated 5 August 2026.
Six things we check first.
The Energy Exam covers your hot water system in the same thirty minutes as your bill, roof and switchboard.
Your household
How many people, how many showers, and when. That sets the tank size and how quickly it needs to recover.
Your current system
Gas, electric or instantaneous, how old, how big and on what tariff. It decides what the swap involves.
Where it goes
Airflow, access and noise: a spot away from bedroom windows and the neighbours, chosen at design, not on install day.
Your switchboard
A heat pump usually needs its own circuit. We check the capacity before anything is ordered.
Your solar
Panels now or panels later: we set the timer to your roof and size for a Melbourne winter, not just summer.
The old system
How it comes out and where it goes. If it runs on gas, a licensed gasfitter disconnects it and caps the supply.
Licensed trades. One company answering for it.
We design the job and run it. The regulated work is done by trades licensed for it, and we stay your one point of contact from the quote to day 14.
- A licensed plumber we contract installs your system and issues the plumbing compliance certificate.
- A licensed electrician connects it and certifies the electrical work.
- At day 14 we run the Daylight Check: its real daily use, in kWh, measured against the quote, in writing.
What your written quote shows
- The full price, before any discount
- The model, its tank size and its warranty
- Any discount that applies, line by line
- Removing and disposing of the old system
- The kWh a day we expect it to use
Never free. Sized properly.
No pressure calls and no “free” anything. A hot water system should be chosen for your household, not for the paperwork.
Some hot water rebates can only be claimed through an authorised retailer. Lightwell isn’t authorised for them yet, so we don’t apply them today, and we won’t pretend otherwise. Your written quote shows the full price first, then any discount that does apply, line by line. If waiting would save you money, we’ll tell you to wait.
When our authorisation comes through, this page will say so.
Sometimes we’ll tell you to wait.
Your system is young
If it’s working well and has years left in it, keep it. We’ll plan the swap for when it’s due.
There’s nowhere good to put it
A heat pump needs airflow and a spot away from bedrooms. If your home can’t offer one, we’ll say so.
Something else comes first
If a battery or solar would do more for your bill, we’ll show you the order that makes sense.
Asked before you have to ask.
Will a heat pump keep up with my household?
Yes, when it’s sized properly. We size the tank and how quickly it recovers to your household and your showers, then set the timer inside your solar window.
What does a heat pump cost?
It depends on the tank size, the model and what the swap involves. Your written quote shows the full price first, before any discount, and we will publish our price ranges once our price book is final.
Does it work in a Melbourne winter?
Yes. It reheats more slowly when the air is cold, which is one more reason we run it in the middle of the day, when the air is warmest, and size the tank so a cold week doesn’t leave you short.
Are heat pumps noisy?
They make some noise, like the outdoor unit of an air conditioner, so placement matters. We put it away from bedroom windows and the neighbours, and set it to run in the middle of the day, well clear of the night-time hours Victoria’s residential noise rules restrict. Your quote names the model, so you can check its noise rating before you sign.
Can it run on my solar?
Yes. We set its timer to the hours your panels produce most, so much of its power comes off your own roof. No solar yet? It still uses around a third of the energy of an electric storage tank, and it’s ready for panels when you are.
Do you apply hot water rebates?
Not yet. Some hot water rebates can only be claimed through an authorised retailer, and Lightwell isn’t authorised for them yet. Your written quote shows the full price and any discount that does apply, and if waiting would save you money, we’ll tell you.
What happens to my old system?
We remove it as part of the job. If it’s gas, a licensed gasfitter disconnects it and caps the supply. If it was your last gas appliance, we’ll explain what closing your gas account involves.
How long does the install take?
A straightforward swap usually takes a day, and you’re only without hot water while the old system comes out and the new one goes in.