When an electric storage tank fails, a like-for-like swap gets the hot water back simply, and a heat pump cuts the electricity it uses. Either way, we test the circuit and its safety switch protection, check how the tank is switched, and issue a certificate for the electrical work.
When to get it checked
Water under or around the tank
A damp base, rust streaks or a puddle usually means the cylinder is leaking, and a leaking cylinder has to be replaced.
No hot water, but the breaker is on
The element or thermostat may have failed, or the off-peak supply isn't switching on. On a younger tank that's often a repair.
The safety switch trips when it heats
A failing element can leak current to earth, often overnight when an off-peak tank switches on.
Rusty hot water
Brown water from the hot tap while the cold runs clear can point to corrosion inside the tank.
Rumbling or popping while it heats
Sediment on the bottom of the tank makes noise as it heats and cuts the tank's capacity.
Why it happens
4 common causes
The anode has run out
A sacrificial anode protects the steel cylinder. Once it's used up, the cylinder starts to corrode from the inside.
Element and thermostat failure
Elements burn out and thermostats stick after years of heating cycles.
Sediment build-up
Minerals settle in the tank, insulating the water from the element and making it work harder.
Off-peak switching faults
Tanks on a controlled off-peak circuit rely on the meter or a relay to switch them on. If that fails, the tank never heats, even though nothing is wrong with it.
What the job covers
What we usually do on this job. Your quote confirms it for your place.
- Old tank, circuit and switching assessed
- Like-for-like and heat pump options explained
- Circuit isolated and old tank drained
- Old tank removed
- New tank fitted and water connected
- Circuit insulation and earth tested
- Safety switch protection checked
- Off-peak switching or timer set
- Certificate of Electrical Safety issued
Your options, explained
Like-for-like electric tank
Low disruption- Best for
- A failed tank where a simple swap suits best
- How it works
- A new element tank of a suitable size goes on the existing circuit, once the circuit is tested.
- Worth knowing
- The simplest changeover, but every bit of heat is paid for in electricity.
Upgrade to a heat pump
Medium disruption- Best for
- Homes with a suitable outdoor spot, especially with solar
- How it works
- A heat pump water heater replaces the tank, with the circuit and timer changed to suit.
- Worth knowing
- Uses much less electricity. See our heat pump hot water replacement page.
Electric continuous flow
High disruption- Best for
- Small households, or a single outlet where a tank won't fit
- How it works
- A continuous-flow electric unit heats water only as it's used.
- Worth knowing
- It draws a very large current, so it often needs heavy cabling and switchboard or supply work. Some larger units need three-phase power, which is when a single to three phase upgrade makes sense.
Repair instead
Low disruption- Best for
- A younger tank with a failed element or thermostat
- How it works
- The element or thermostat is replaced and the circuit tested.
- Worth knowing
- Not an option for a leaking cylinder, which can't be repaired.
The people behind the work
One local team for electrical, heating and cooling, based in Altona Meadows, with 19 years in the industry.
Licensed electrical contractor (REC 38187)See more team photos
Worth knowing before you book
- Supply first
- A failed off-peak switch can look like a dead tank.
- Leaks mean replacement
- A leaking cylinder can't be repaired.
- Rentals from 2027
- Replacements must be energy-efficient electric systems.
What affects the price?
The right scope depends on your installation. These are the details we check so your quote is useful, with any additional work explained before it proceeds.
Tank size and type
A like-for-like element tank, a larger tank or a heat pump each change the equipment and the time on site.
The existing circuit
A sound, protected circuit can be reused. A damaged cable, a missing safety switch or an old fuse board adds work.
How it's switched
Changing how the tank is switched, or adding a timer for a heat pump, changes the electrical scope.
Location and access
Tanks inside cupboards, in tight spots or upstairs take longer to remove and replace.
How it runs
- 1
Send photos
The tank, its label and your switchboard.
- 2
Choose and quote
Like for like or heat pump, priced up front.
- 3
Change over
Old tank out, new one in and connected.
- 4
Test and certify
Circuit tested, tank heating, certificate issued.
Step by step, in more detail
5 steps
Identify the tank and circuit
We note the tank size and type, how it's powered and switched, and what protection it has at the switchboard.
Choose like for like or an upgrade
A new element tank, or a heat pump if there's a suitable spot. We explain the trade-off and let you decide.
Quote the changeover
A price that covers removal, the new unit, the water connection by a licensed plumber and the electrical work.
Change over
The circuit is isolated, the old tank drained and removed, and the new one fitted and connected.
Test and certify
The circuit is tested, the safety switch checked, the tank filled and heated, and your Certificate of Electrical Safety issued.
What is safe to do, and what to leave to us
Safe for you to do
- If the tank is leaking, turn off the water supply to it if the valve is easy to reach.
- Switch the hot water circuit off at the switchboard if water is near the electrics and it's safe to reach.
- If the safety switch trips, reset it once. If it trips again or won't reset, leave it off and call a licensed electrician.
Leave these to us
- Removing the element cover or touching the wiring. Electrical work isn't a DIY job, even small ones.
- Connecting a new tank yourself, or buying one online without checking it suits the circuit and the space.
- Ignoring a relief valve that never stops dripping.
When to get us in
- Water is leaking from the tank or pooling underneath
- No hot water, or the safety switch trips when the tank heats
- The hot water is rusty or the tank rumbles while heating
- You'd like to move from an electric tank to a heat pump
- A rental's hot water has failed
More detail
Off-peak, timers and how the tank is switched
Many electric tanks run on a controlled off-peak circuit that the meter or a relay switches on overnight. If that switching fails, the tank simply never heats, which can look like a failed element. We test the supply to the tank before condemning it.
A like-for-like tank usually stays on the same arrangement. A heat pump does better heating in the warmer part of the day, so moving to one may mean changing how the circuit is switched or adding a timer.
Safety switch protection
Energy Safe Victoria's guidance on the Wiring Rules says every final sub-circuit in a home, the hot water circuit included, needs RCD protection, and additional RCD protection is required when an existing installation is altered. In some older homes, the hot water circuit has no safety switch at all.
A new tank is a good time to fix that. We test the circuit's insulation and earth before reconnecting, because a damaged cable is better found now than by a tripping safety switch later. Hot water services are non-prescribed work, and you receive your Certificate of Electrical Safety within 30 days.
Like for like, or a heat pump?
A like-for-like element tank is the simplest swap and suits homes where there's nowhere for a heat pump to breathe. A heat pump usually costs more up front, but uses much less electricity to heat the same water.
If the old tank has failed and you need hot water back, a like-for-like replacement is often the sensible call. If it's ageing but still working, that's the time to look at a heat pump properly.
Local rules and conditions
Victorian requirements and local conditions that shape this job, with the sources listed at the foot of the page.
Rentals: what the replacement has to be
From 1 March 2027, when a rental hot water system permanently fails and can't be repaired, the rental provider must replace it with an energy-efficient electric hot water system, so check what qualifies before choosing a like-for-like element tank. A failed hot water service is an urgent repair.
Old fuse boards and the hot water circuit
With older fuse boards, the electrician may have to replace the whole switchboard to meet the rental electrical standard, and then every circuit needs circuit breaker protection, hot water included. When a main switchboard is replaced, the power can't go back on until a licensed electrical inspector has checked it.
Sized for winter
July at Laverton averages a minimum of 5.2 °C. Colder water coming into the tank takes longer to heat, so a tank that just copes in summer can run short in winter, which is worth weighing when choosing the size.
Useful reading
Guides to read before you decide, with checklists and questions to bring to the quote.
- Planning a switchboard upgrade without surprisesWhat the electrician needs to check, how to compare the scope and what to organise before the power goes off.
- A safety switch keeps tripping: what to record and when to callUnderstand the difference between a protective device doing its job and a fault that needs investigation.
- Renting and the power or heating has failed: what to doNo power or a dead heater in a Victorian rental? What to check safely, what counts as urgent, how to report it, and what to do if nobody responds.
- Certificates of Electrical Safety explainedWhat a Victorian COES records, how prescribed and non-prescribed work differ, when your copy should arrive and why it belongs in your house file.
Common questions
Questions people ask about this
- What is the off-peak or timer switch on my switchboard?It controls an off-peak circuit, usually for electric storage hot water and sometimes for slab heating or a pool pump.
- Is it normal for my hot water system to drip from the valve?A little water from the relief valve drain while the tank is heating is normal, because water expands as it heats and the valve lets the extra out.
- My electric hot water has gone cold. What can I check?Start at the switchboard: look for a tripped hot water circuit breaker or safety switch and reset it once.
- Why does my hot water run out faster than it used to?Usually something has changed in the tank or in how it's heated.
- Why does my hot water smell like rotten eggs?A rotten egg smell that comes only from the hot tap usually starts inside the storage tank.
From the blog
- Repair or replace an electric hot water system?A failed element or thermostat on a sound tank is usually worth fixing. A leaking or rusting tank isn't. Here's how to weigh it up, and where a heat pump fits.
- Heat pump or electric storage hot water: which suits your household?A heat pump wins for most households with an outdoor spot where it can breathe. An electric tank still makes sense in a few situations. Here is how to tell.
- Planning ahead for a rental hot water failure after March 2027After 1 March 2027, a failed gas unit in a rental can't be replaced with gas. Check the switchboard, the spot and the tank size now, so a breakdown is a quick swap.
Sources for the rules and local facts on this page
10 sources, with the date each was checked
- 1.Consumer Affairs Victoria: From 1 March 2027, when an existing hot water system permanently fails and can't be repaired, rental providers must replace it with an energy-efficient electric hot water system. Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 2.Consumer Affairs Victoria: Anything on this list is legally defined as an urgent repair: burst water service blocked or broken toilet system serious roof leak gas leak dangerous electrical fault flooding or serious flood damage serious… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 3.Consumer Affairs Victoria: Some properties do not have circuit breaker type switchboards, such as older properties that have a panel and fuse board or a federal fuse board. With these older fuse boards, an electrician may not have the option of… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 4.Energy Safe Victoria: The electrician has eight business days after the work is completed to have that work inspected by a licensed electrical inspector (LEI). If an electrician replaces a main switchboard at a property, power cannot go back… Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 5.Bureau of Meteorology: Mean minimum temperature (°C) 14.0 14.4 12.7 10.0 7.8 5.9 5.2 5.7 6.8 8.4 10.3 12.2 9.5 81 1943 2026 Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 6.Energy Safe Victoria: Clause 2.6.3.2.2 requires all final sub-circuits in a domestic installation be protected by a residual current device (RCD). A hot water service is included in this requirement Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 7.Energy Safe Victoria: Clause 2.6.3.2.5 of the Wiring Rules states: Additional protection by RCDs shall be provided in existing electrical installations where alterations or a switchboard replacement is completed. Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 8.Energy Safe Victoria: For electrical installation work performed within your electrical installation including but not limited to lights, power points, air conditioning, hot water service etc. Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 9.Energy Safe Victoria: Locate your electricity box outside your home and check whether the safety switch has tripped. If it has tripped, reset the switch. If the switch won’t reset, call a licensed electrician. Accessed 30 September 2026.
- 10.Energy Safe Victoria: Electrical work isn’t a DIY job, even for small jobs such as changing power points or light switches. Accessed 30 September 2026.
