Kym and Andrew from Lyall Bay, Wellington, found that their hot water from their gas hot water system was cutting in and out. When Andrew called Paramount Plumbing, we attended and found everything working as expected on arrival. Rather than leaving it at that, we suggested a routine service to investigate more thoroughly. What we found underneath the surface told a different story.
The Problem: Gas Califont Cutting In and Out
Intermittent hot water is one of those problems that can be genuinely hard to pin down. The system appears to be working when you look at it, then cuts out again when you least expect it. For Kym and Andrew, the issue was not mechanical failure in the traditional sense. It was something slower and harder to see.
What We Found During the Service
During the routine service, we discovered signs of rust and corrosion on the controller connections, unit connector block, and heat exchanger. Kym and Andrew were shown the damage directly and told that this was the expected condition for a system that had been operating close to the ocean for ten years. Salt air accelerates corrosion in ways that inland properties simply do not experience at the same rate.
Why Coastal Living Accelerates Corrosion
Wellington’s coastal suburbs including Lyall Bay, Island Bay, Miramar, Eastbourne, and the Petone waterfront are all exposed to salt-laden air that works its way into outdoor-mounted equipment over time.
A gas hot water system Wellington properties rely on is particularly vulnerable because the unit sits outside, exposed to the elements year-round. Copper heating elements, controller connections, and heat exchangers are all susceptible. The closer to the waterfront, the faster the process.
The Repair Versus Replace Decision
This is the conversation that defines the value of working with an honest plumber. We could have carried out a quick fix on Kym and Andrew’s system. The option was there, and we told them the cost. But we also told them the truth.
As Kym and Andrew put it: “Paramount were great. They said they could do a quick fix and advised cost, but suggested it might be wasted money spent as the copper heating element was getting corroded and that within a few months, we may need to replace it anyway.”
When a Quick Fix Makes Sense
A repair is worth considering when the system is relatively young, the corrosion is surface level, and the core components including the heat exchanger and controller remain in good condition. If the repair cost is low relative to the remaining useful life of the system, it can be a reasonable short-term decision.
When Replacement Is the Better Investment
When corrosion has reached the heat exchanger and controller connections, a repair addresses the symptom rather than the underlying condition. In a coastal environment where salt air will continue doing its work, the repaired system is likely to present further problems within months. At that point, the repair cost becomes money spent on a system you are about to replace anyway.
We recommended that Kym and Andrew invest in a new unit and controller, and they agreed.
The Solution: New Rinnai A26 With Full Installation
Kym and Andrew went ahead and booked Paramount Plumbing to replace the existing unit with a Rinnai A26 Natural Gas Infinity and a Rinnai MC601A controller. The Rinnai Infinity gas hot water systems we install are purpose-designed for continuous flow domestic hot water, producing instant and endless supply while operating only when needed.
What the Installation Involved
The pipework was carried out with Dux Secura pipe and fittings, and the gas pipework and fittings were from the SPK-Riefing range. The exposed pipework was protected from UV rays with solar lagging and the new valve kit for the Infinity is the Aqualine IK20. The full installation was carried out, tested, and the system was recommissioned. The job was issued certification for safety and compliance.
One detail that made a difference to Kym and Andrew was scheduling flexibility. As they noted: “We booked in the time for the job and when they had time free up on their scheduling we were contacted to see if we’d like them earlier, which of course we did.”
The Additional Finding During Installation
During the replacement, we also identified more corrosion on an existing galv gas main in numerous places. It proved to be sound upon testing, but we advised Kym and Andrew to protect it in the meantime and begin budgeting for replacement in the near future. This is the kind of finding that only comes from a thorough installation process where the team is paying attention to what else is going on around the job.
What Kym and Andrew Had to Say
The response from Kym and Andrew covered every part of the experience. On the advice and transparency: “Paramount were great. They said they could do a quick fix and advised cost, but suggested it might be wasted money.”
The trust that built during the installation led directly to a follow-on booking. As Kym said: “We decided given our good experience we’d just book that in and get it replaced. We have booked that and are booked in to get it fixed next week. I can highly recommend Paramount Plumbing.”
On pricing, the outcome exceeded expectations: “With the whole job we were really expecting the price we’d been quoted plus GST, but when billed we were happy to find it was inclusive of GST.”
What This Means for Wellington Coastal Homeowners
If you live in Lyall Bay, Island Bay, Miramar, Eastbourne, or anywhere along the Wellington waterfront, your gas hot water system is working in a more demanding environment than most. Salt air does not announce itself, and the corrosion it causes builds slowly over years before the symptoms become obvious.
The practical advice from this job is straightforward. Have your system serviced regularly rather than waiting for it to cut out. If your unit is approaching ten years old and you are in a coastal suburb, a service that includes a proper inspection of the controller connections and heat exchanger is worth scheduling now rather than after a failure.
Our gas fitting Wellington team carries out these assessments across the region and can give you an honest picture of where your system sits.
For urgent situations where hot water has already failed, our emergency plumbing Wellington service operates around the clock.
Talk to Paramount About Your Gas Hot Water System
Coastal corrosion is one of the more common issues we deal with across Wellington’s waterfront suburbs. If your system is ageing, showing intermittent behaviour, or you simply have not had it serviced in a few years, we can assess the condition and give you a straight answer about whether repair or replacement makes more sense for your situation.
We service Wellington, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt, Porirua, and surrounding areas.
Contact us to book a service or discuss your options. Call 0800 02 72 72 today.