Electric boilers, gas water heaters, solar systems and heat-pump tanks installed across the Costa del Sol. F-Gas registered, three-year parts and labour warranty.
Electric boilersGas water heatersSolar and heat-pumpThree-year warranty
The right hot water system on the Costa del Sol comes down to a few practical questions. How many bathrooms run at the same time? Is there gas at the property already, or is it electric only? Does the home sit empty for weeks at a time, or is it lived in year round? An apartment with one bathroom rarely needs the same setup as a five-bed villa with a guest annex. We install electric boilers, gas water heaters, solar hot water systems and heat-pump tanks across the Costa del Sol from Nerja to Gibraltar.
Types of water heaters and when each fits
Four main options cover almost every home on the coast. Electric storage boilers (termos electricos) hold a tank of pre-heated water and suit apartments without gas. Gas water heaters fire on demand from butane bottles or piped gas, run faster and cost less per litre, but they need a flue and ventilation. Solar uses rooftop collectors with a backup electric or gas element for cloudy spells. Heat-pump water heaters draw warmth from the air and use far less electricity than a direct electric boiler.
Electric storage: apartments and smaller flats with no gas
Gas (butane or piped): higher demand homes, faster recovery
Solar with backup: low running cost, needs roof space
Heat-pump tank: electric supply only, much lower consumption
Sizing the system to the property
Tank capacity and recovery rate matter more than headline kilowatt figures. A one-bed flat with a single bathroom can manage on a 50 to 80 litre electric boiler. A two or three-bed townhouse with two bathrooms usually needs 100 to 150 litres of storage, or a continuous-flow gas heater at 14 to 18 litres per minute. Four and five-bed villas with multiple bathrooms and an outdoor shower point need 200 to 300 litres, a high-output gas system, or a solar setup with backup. We size by counting outlets and how often two showers run together, not by square metres.
Hard water and limescale on the Costa del Sol
Mains water along the coast is hard. Calcium and magnesium scale builds up on heating elements, inside tanks and across the burner plates of gas units, which steadily drops efficiency and shortens working life. Most failed electric boilers we replace died from limescale, not age. We recommend a sacrificial anode check every two to three years on storage boilers, plus a descale on gas units after five years in service. A water softener at the mains is the longer-term fix and pays for itself across the dishwasher, washing machine and shower screens.
Regulatory and safety requirements
Heat-pump water heaters use refrigerant gas and any installer touching the loop must hold current F-Gas certification. Gas water heaters fall under RITE rules for combustion appliances, need a registered gas installer for sign-off, and an annual flue and combustion check on butane and piped natural gas units. Electric storage boilers need a properly rated circuit and an RCD on the consumer unit, certified by a boletin from a registered electrician. Our engineers are F-Gas registered and gas-installer registered, with a registered electrician on call for circuit work.
What an EnviroCare water-heater install includes
A standard install covers removal of the old unit, supply and fit of the new water heater (we hold stock of the most-installed sizes), wall bracket or floor stand, isolation valves, expansion vessel where required, condensate drain on heat-pump models, flue and ventilation work on gas units, the circuit and RCD on electric models, full commissioning and a handover walk-through. We tidy up and remove the old unit on the day. For gas installs we register the work and provide the paperwork the property owner needs for insurance and resale.
Warranty and aftercare
Every new water-heater install carries our three-year parts and labour warranty on top of the manufacturer warranty on the unit, which runs from two to five years depending on brand. Owners on a maintenance contract get an annual service and a priority callout slot. Installation records stay on file so spare parts can be sourced fast when something does need attention later.
How the work runs
From first call to commissioned system
Step 1
Site survey
An engineer visits the property to check usage, the existing supply, available space, ventilation and the route for pipework or cabling. Survey appointments are free across the Costa del Sol.
Step 2
Recommendation and quote
We send a written quote with the recommended water heater, sizing rationale, all materials, certifications and the labour figure. No deposit is taken until you accept it.
Step 3
Installation
Most water-heater swaps complete in a single day. Larger jobs like a solar setup or a heat-pump install with new circuits take one to two days. We protect floors and finishes and remove the old unit.
Step 4
Commissioning and warranty
We commission the unit, check temperatures, run the flue and combustion test on gas models, register the install paperwork where required and walk through the controls. Three-year parts and labour warranty starts that day.
Why EnviroCare
Local experience that matters on the job
Trading since 1996
Close to thirty years on the Costa del Sol installing and servicing hot water systems for British and European homeowners across the coast from Nerja to Gibraltar.
F-Gas registered engineers
Our installers hold current F-Gas certification and are registered gas installers. The paperwork goes on the file the day the job is signed off.
Multilingual team
English, Spanish and Dutch across the office and field staff. Quotes, invoices and warranty paperwork are issued in your preferred language.
Three-year parts and labour
Every new install carries a three-year EnviroCare warranty on parts and labour, on top of the manufacturer warranty on the unit itself.
Brands we install
Brands matched to the job
Equation
Stocked at Leroy Merlin, Equation electric boilers are the budget default for apartments and rentals. Decent reliability for the price, easy to source parts. A sensible pick when keep-it-simple and keep-costs-down is the brief.
Ariston
Italian brand with a long track record on the coast. Quiet running, holds heat well, twelve to fifteen year lifespan with sensible servicing. A step up from the budget end for owner-occupied homes.
Junkers
Junkers (now part of Bosch) gas water heaters are the workhorses of the Spanish market. Continuous-flow units handle two showers at once. Default fit for villas and townhouses with piped gas or a butane set.
Vaillant
German engineering, top of the range. Vaillant gas water heaters are quiet, efficient and built to last fifteen years plus. Worth the investment when running cost matters more than initial outlay.
Cointra
Spanish manufacturer, strong on continuous-flow gas water heaters and gas-fired storage tanks. Parts are easy to come by anywhere on the coast. Solid choice for serviceable kit at a fair price.
Bosch
Premium electric boilers and heat-pump water heaters with sensible warranty terms. Picked when the supply is electric only and the household runs the hot water hard.
It depends on the property. Apartments without gas usually run an electric storage boiler of 50 to 80 litres. Larger villas with piped gas or butane do better on a continuous-flow gas water heater. If running cost matters most and the supply is electric only, a heat-pump water heater is the most efficient choice.
How much does an electric water heater cost to run in Spain?
A 100-litre electric boiler heated daily costs roughly 15 to 25 euro per month at 2026 tariffs, depending on usage. Heating overnight on a discriminated PVPC tariff drops the cost by about a third. A heat-pump tank of the same size runs at about a third of the cost of a direct electric boiler.
Are Ariston water heaters reliable on the Costa del Sol?
Yes. Ariston is one of the brands we recommend most for owner-occupied homes. The Italian-built electric boilers handle hard local water with a sacrificial anode check every two to three years. Spare parts are easy to source. Average working life on the coast is twelve to fifteen years.
Is a Junkers gas water heater a good choice?
Junkers is the most installed gas water heater brand on the Spanish market and it earns that position. Continuous-flow units handle two showers and a kitchen tap at once. Parts and engineers are everywhere. We fit Junkers as a default for villas with piped gas or a butane bottle set.
What about Cointra water heaters?
Cointra is a Spanish manufacturer with a strong domestic following. Their continuous-flow gas water heaters and gas-fired storage tanks are well priced and parts are easy to find on the coast. Cointra suits owners who want serviceable kit without paying extra for a German badge.
Do I need a water storage tank in my Spanish home?
Most Costa del Sol homes already have one. Mains water arrives via a deposito (storage tank) typically holding 500 to 1,000 litres, fed from the mains and drawn down by a pressure pump. The water heater takes its supply from this tank. We service the deposito and pump alongside water-heater work.
Can you replace an old water boiler that has stopped heating?
Yes. Most water-heater replacements run as a same-day swap. We bring the new unit, take the old one away, fit and commission, and hand over the warranty paperwork. If the old supply or circuit needs upgrading we book a follow-up day with a registered electrician. Quotes are sent before any work starts.
Need help with water heaters?
Tell us what you need and where the property is, and EnviroCare will advise on the right next step.
