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Edwards and Everhot hot water systems are no longer made. Edwards was an Australian solar specialist acquired by Rheem, and the range has been discontinued; Everhot was a Rheem-owned brand that has likewise left the market. Dux is a different story, still manufacturing in Moss Vale under Japanese owner Noritz, but plenty of Dux tanks around Melbourne are now comfortably past their design life. If one of these names is on your system, the question isn’t whether it will need replacing. It’s what you’ll replace it with, and thanks to Victoria’s 2027 gas rules, when.
We see these systems every week, usually on the day they’ve stopped making hot water. This page is for reading before that day.
Are Edwards solar hot water systems still made?
No. Edwards earned a strong reputation over decades, particularly for roof-mounted solar with the tank up top, before the brand folded into Rheem, whose solar business now runs under the Solahart name. For owners, the consequences are practical: collectors and tanks are no longer produced, genuine parts are scarce, and a failing Edwards generally can’t be repaired like-for-like at a sensible price.
Most Edwards systems still running are 15 to 25 years old. When one fails, the usual paths are a current solar system reusing the roof position, or, increasingly, a ground-level heat pump, which takes the weight off the roof and makes every future service easier. Roof-tank systems carry one extra warning worth taking seriously: a corroding tank holding hundreds of litres above your ceiling is not a wait-and-see item. Rust streaks or damp around the unit mean it’s inspection time now, not spring.
Who makes Everhot hot water systems, and what replaces them?
Everhot was part of the Rheem family, and it’s gone from sale, which means any Everhot tank still working is well over a decade old by definition. The good news is that replacement is easy: standard Rheem, Vulcan, AquaMAX or Thermann tanks are close equivalents in footprint and connections, so a changeover is usually a same-day job for our hot water team. If yours is still running, our guide to when a hot water heater needs replacing lists the warning signs worth catching before the cold shower catches you.
How long should a Dux hot water system last?
Storage tanks, 8 to 12 years, in line with the rest of the market, with continuous flow units lasting longer. Because Dux is still in production, parts and warranty support are solid, so a younger Dux with a valve or thermostat fault is often worth fixing. Past the 10-year mark the calculation flips: repairs on an old tank buy months, not years, and the money is better pointed at the replacement that’s coming regardless.
The 2027 deadline that turns this into a decision
Here’s the part many owners of ageing gas systems haven’t heard. Under Victoria’s building electrification regulations, from 1 March 2027 a gas hot water system in an existing home that reaches the end of its life must be replaced with an efficient electric alternative, such as a heat pump. Repairs to existing gas units stay legal, and gas cooking is untouched.
For anyone running an old gas Everhot, Dux or similar, that creates a genuine fork. Want one more gas system? The replacement has to happen before 1 March 2027; after that, end of life means electric. Happy to go electric? Then there’s no deadline pressure at all, and the current rebates make heat pumps an unusually well-supported switch. The outcome worth avoiding is the third one: the fifteen-year-old gas tank that dies in the winter of 2027 and turns a planned decision into an urgent one with fewer options and no hot water while you make it.
Whichever way you lean, a changeover is a fixed-price job for us, and where a heat pump needs a new circuit, O’Shea Electrical handles the wiring inside the same booking, one of the quiet advantages of both trades living in one family group. If other water-connected appliances are moving at the same time, appliance installation rounds out the visit.
Frequently asked questions
Are Edwards solar hot water systems still made? No. Edwards was acquired by Rheem and discontinued. Failing systems are generally replaced with a current solar setup or a heat pump rather than repaired.
Who makes Everhot hot water systems? Everhot was a Rheem-owned brand, no longer sold. Standard Rheem-family tanks are the natural like-for-like replacements.
How long should a Dux hot water system last? Around 8 to 12 years for storage tanks. Dux still manufactures, so support for younger units is good, but past 10 years, plan the replacement.
What replaces an Edwards solar hot water system? A current solar system reusing the roof position, or a ground-level heat pump, which many owners now prefer for weight, access and rebates.
Running one of these veterans? Call O’Shea Plumbing on 03 9888 2887 or get a fixed replacement quote while the timing is still yours to choose.
