Aircon Ledge Installation: Can you do it in Singapore?

aircon ledge heater legal install

For HDB, its a no! Condos, maybe.

HDB regulations generally prohibit installing heaters, including water heaters, on the aircon ledge, though some condos allow it.

HDB flats typically require water heaters to be installed within the unit, such as in the service yard or bathroom. If you're a resident, you should verify specific regulations with your contractor or the HDB directly to avoid non-compliance.

If in doubt:
• Contact Town Council or MCST directly
• Consider indoor placement, the safe option

Worst case:
• You may be asked to dismantle heater at your own cost
AC ledge heat pump hpw condo pre filter

Why this rule exists:

Safety:
• HDB regulations are in place to ensure the safety of the building and its residents.
• This means preventing installations that could be hazardous
• These installations may block essential building functions

Compliance:
• Improper installation can lead to issues with the building's structure
• Some walls are not meant to be drilled
• For condos, aesthetics are important as well as potential fire or gas leak hazards.
Installation Team did an outstanding job in the installation of my storage heater. Patient and very tidy. Did not tarnish the looks of my condo unit at all. Really appreciative of them as I was initially hesitant to swap out my gas heater for fear of having unsightly pipes and trunking due to wiring and piping. Absolute joy and pleasure. I am glad i made the switch. Thank you once again AOSbath.
elwin leong google review
elwin leong
Google review
Have been enjoying this AOS Gen 6 digital header (50L) for about 5 months. Both temperature and pressure are much more stable compared to gas heater. The technical team were very professional and provided with very useful advice and hassle free delivery and installation.
qiang hu google review
Qiang Hu
Google review

Condo, aircon ledge installations

Who should do it:
• Get a qualified installer
• Aircon ledges need specialised servicemen, who can work with safety harnesses
• Be prepared this will take extra time and cost!

Pros:
• Free up inside space
• Messy works outside

Cons:
• Takes longer to get hot water as heater is far away
• High heat loss, if tank is exposed to wind and rain
• May be hard to access and maintain
gas heater vs storage heater pro con

Exception: replace gas heaters

• For condos where gas heaters are already at the aircon ledge
• Specially designed aircon ledges
• 95% chance of approval of storage heater

Easy guide
• How to convert Gas to Storage
My condo 5yr old gas heater failed me suddenly and chanced up AOS electric water heater through google search.

Quoted a reasonable price, much cheaper than gas heater. Neat and good job done by AOS technician within 2hrs. Recommended to those who wanted to switch from gas to electric water heater 🙂
Eunice Chua google review
Elvis Wong
Google review
When my instant gas water heater stopped working, I started looking around for an electric storage heater. After much research, I decided on AOSmith from AOS bath. Highly recommended.

The AOSmith was a much needed upgrade. Hot water was always available rather fast and water temperature remain relatively stable. Very very good experience! Installation was a breeze thanks to Suruj and Rana.
alex ang google review
Alex Ang
Google review

Aircon ledge FAQ

What is the best place to install the heater?
All heaters has a dedicated location. Some are above false ceilings, some are meant to be installed inside bathrooms.

There should also be a dedicated power source and suitable mounting wall close by. Shifting your heater away from the dedicated location may require you to shift water pipes and electrical points.
About 10% of heaters installed in Singapore are at air-con ledges. Most of these are gas heaters in condominiums. These heaters have already been pre-installed by developers when the condo was built.
You will need to do lots of piping and electrical work. It is best to do this only when your house is under full renovation.

It is also important to check your ceiling height space to ensure there is enough space to fit a heater tank. If your condo was originally fitted with a gas heater, the ceiling height space may be shorter than others.

Need some advice?

Reach out to us if you:
• Have questions about gas heater replacement
• Need help to assess if your aircon ledge is suitable

We will be happy to guide you through the steps. It is easy!
Ask: about aircon ledge inst.

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6 Reasons Why a Tankless Heater May Be Better Than A Storage Heater

Stiebel Eltron BathBox Tankless Heater
So, you’re in the market for a tankless heater. Whether it’s because you noticed a leak in your old water heater, if you think it’s time you replaced your old one, or you’re getting a new one for your new BTO, we’re here to recommend the tankless water heater.

1. No Heat-Loss, Save 30% Energy

A tankless heater only runs when water is flowing. A storage heater pre-heats water for you and stores it in a tank. This tank can lose heat. That is why tankless uses less energy than a storage heater. It can save up to 30%, which is better for your monthly bills.

Apart from lowering your bills, all tankless heaters come with a water-saving device. Your water usage goes down by 20%, and you still have a good shower at 7 litres/min. But just how efficient is the tankless heater?

The National Environment Agency (NEA) introduced the Mandatory Energy Labelling Scheme (MELS) to allow you to compare the two heaters and make informed purchases. The tankless heater has 4 ticks, whereas the storage heater only has 1 tick. NEA estimates that this helps you save up to $120 a year!

2. Space-Saving and Easy Installation

Storage heater comes in tank sizes of 30 to 100 litres. Tankless heaters have no tank, so they take up less space. A small heater is easy to install in a false ceiling as it is space saving. That's why your installation will cost less with tankless.

A bonus with tankless heaters is that you get to skip messy ceiling works that can cost up to an extra $500.

The installation of a storage heater, including ceiling works, is about $1500. Compare this to a tankless heater, which costs about $900 to install.

This is what ceiling works looks like:
false ceiling gen 1 electric heater tank cut
Because of this, some creative clients save on huge costs by choosing not to change back to a storage tank. How?

They leave their storage heater in the false ceiling, and get us to fix in a tankless heater in the same false ceiling. We disconnect the pipes from the old storage heater and connect to the new tankless.

Doing this, you can save on ceiling works $200 + removal cost $250. The only catch is that you need to use a hand shower. Rain showers do not run well with tankless heaters.

No problem for most people, some of us prefer hand showers anyway.
Storage and Tankless Heater Installed Together

3. Tankless Heaters: No Need to Maintain

Discolored water being drained brown water hose basin white flush tank
You need to maintain a storage heater tank every 3 years. This costs about $200 each time. The water needs to be flushed out to clear any sediments that are stuck there. This is the same for all storage heaters.

Sediments make your water yellow so you need to do this. If you have a landed home with multiple heaters, this cost goes up.

With tankless heaters, life is easy. No need to maintain these at all as they have no tank.
Comparison of Maintenance of Storage vs Tankless Heater
Simply enjoying how sleek it is for a water heater. Installer Bee is also wonderful in explaining the various positions for the installation before made my decision in this placement. He also took effort to clean up after the installation works. 👍 ...
Aurgus Chang Bathbox Heater Google Review
Aurgus Chang
Google review
Bathbox installation done by Mr.Moez. Great service by him and really like how clean and neat the Bathbox look
Afiq Hamizan Bathbox Heater Google Review
Afiq Hamizan
Google review

4. No Fear of Leaks with Tankless Heaters

Storage heaters can leak and cause damage. This is something every false ceiling owner has to put up with at some point. To prevent this, some choose to change their heaters before they get too old.

This is where the tankless heater shines. No tank = No leaks. That is why the tankless water heater could be an easier choice for you.
leak false ceiling water damage tank water heater

5. Tankless Heaters can Give You Infinite Hot Water

Ever wanted to take a long long shower after a long long day? You can do that with the tankless heater. With a tankless, water gets heated non-stop. This means that the hot water you get goes on forever. You can jump straight in the shower, with no worries that you'll run out of hot water half way.
If your family takes long showers one after another, you may run out with a storage heater. A tankless heater however, gives you infinite hot water. It just keeps going, as long as you aren't using a rain shower. You also can't use multiple bathrooms at the same time because of the lower flow rate.

If you are unsure if the tankless is a good choice for you, feel free to take an easy quiz here! We'll help you with that.
Speed of Tankless Heaters

6. Tankless is Safer for Kids and Elderly

Sometimes on a rainy day, the water at my shower takes longer to heat up because of the cooler cold water. I get impatient and turn the lever all the way to the left (high) and suddenly, the water is way too hot! I often jump back due to the high temperature and quickly turn the tap off. I bet this has happened to you at least once if you have storage heaters.

Many of us have ageing parents or grandparents. They might not be able to react so quickly. Luckily, the tankless heater has a special function not known to many.

Storage heaters can reach up to 70°C, which is a temperature that can scald. The tankless heater allows you to set it to a safe temperature of 50°C. This temperature control setting protects the elderly from injury as it is not so high. This setting also prevents young children at home from getting hurt.
Tankless Heater Safer for Elderly and Children

Why We Choose Stiebel Eltron Tankless Heater

Stiebel Eltron is the # 1 tankless heater supplier in the world. Established in Germany a 100 years ago, they have the best tankless technology. We like these good brands as they make stuff that is durable and long-lasting. An added bonus is how slim it is, allowing it to fit in the tighest space.

In Singapore, our labour cost is high. You don't want to waste money changing to a new heater every 3 years. You want something that can last you around 10 years. Stiebel Eltron can.


We also provide a 3 year full warranty on branded heaters like Stiebel. This is the longest heater warranty in Singapore. The average warranty for other brands are only 1 year.

A good brand is worth investing in. It will spare you the mess that comes with constantly replacing new heaters.
Stiebel Eltron BathBox Tankless Heater HDB Installation made in Germany
Moez came to help us replace our faulty storage heater with the AOS bath box! So slim and sleek looking. Very pleased with the hot water and pressure in both our toilets
google review J
Jac
Google review
Just installed a tankless bathbox at my owner house, Thanks to the installer, Shamemul, for his patience and cooperation during the installation. The tank looks sleek and space-saving compared to the other storage heater brands👍
Afiq Hamizan Bathbox Heater Google Review
Afiq Hamizan
Google review

Conclusion

With storage water heaters requiring more maintenance in the long-run, why not stick with the easy way out?

Not only will the tankless heater be a good addition to your household, it will also help save on your energy bills. The tankless heater can do this while giving you good water pressure for comfortable showers as well. It can also keep your family members, both young and old, safe from burns.

The BathBox is worth your time. Simple and direct, just like it's design, your save on space and energy starts now.

Tankless Heater FAQ

How is the tankless heater different from the instant heater?
Tankless heaters are totally different from Instant heaters.

• Tankless has a more advanced technology. They produce better flow rates of 7 lit/min. Instant heaters only go up to 5 lit/min.

• If you have 2 bathrooms, you can use 1 tankless piped to 2 baths. This is the ideal setup for BTOs. If you choose to install an instant heater, you need 2 heaters plus extra pipe work. Instant may end up costing you more, and your shower won't feel as good with the lower water pressure.
If you want to test the water pressure before deciding on the BathBox, feel free to visit us at our showroom here.

We have a working model available to test it out.
The tankless heater is better investment if you have a BTO.

The installation will also be neater, with no visible pipes.

Here are the approx costs:
Tankless Heater FAQ Tankless vs Instant Heater Cost of Installation

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