Soaring electricity costs in South Africa have prompted more and more home-owners to opt for gas-powered appliances. This is especially true in the case of geysers which can use up to 40% of your available electricity. The installation cost of a gas geyser can be recouped in a very short time due to saved electricity costs. There is also the added benefit of always having piping-hot water available. You may have made some plans in this direction, but before you hire anyone to do the work, there are specific gas geyser regulations that have to be met with before installing a geyser.
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Gas Geyser Installation Regulations
You cannot just plonk gas bottles next to a wall, drill a few holes and connect pipes to an appliance! This may have been possible at some time in the past, but in 2009 rules and regulations were created under the auspices of the Occupational health and Safety Act, which require all gas installations to have a certificate of conformity. This certificate must be issued by a person who is registered with the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association of Southern Africa, (LPGAS)
In effect the certificate should state that the installation has been inspected and conforms to requirements and is deemed to be safe and leak free. It is essential that this certificate be kept in the possession of the home-owner, not the installer.
It is also advisable to familiarise yourself with all the current gas installation regulations. Listed here for your information are some specific installation requirements.
Gas bottles may not be installed:
- Less than 1m sideways from doors and windows.
- Less than 2m from drains and air vents.
- Less than 3m below windows unless a non-combustible roof has been installed.
- Less than 1m from a property boundary wall.
- Less than 5m sideways from an electric or plug switch.
- Light bulbs cannot be less than 1.5m above a gas bottle.
Additional Gas Geyser Regulations:
- Only approved gas piping may be used.
- Any copper pipes used must be sleeved if going through a wall.
- Approved flexible gas hose may not be more than 2m long and may not pass through any partition
including wood, a dry wall, or a cupboard wall.
Possible future insurance claims for gas geysers
We all know that at times insurance companies can be very difficult when it comes to paying out claims, and if your home is damaged by a defective gas appliance or installation, in this case your gas geyser, the first thing they will ask for is the certificate of compliance. If you are unable to produce one, your claim might not be honoured.
Remember that if you purchase a home with a gas geyser or other gas appliances already installed, the seller is obliged to provide you with a certificate from an authorised person. And if you decide to sell your home then you will have to supply the buyer with a similar certificate if you have any gas appliances.
Always employ a registered gas installer to do the job
If you have decided to go for a gas geyser to save on electricity costs, or for the convenience of always having hot water, only use an installer who is registered with the LPGAS association, as it is not worth cutting corners to save costs. You could be putting yourself and your family at risk. It is very important that your geyser and any other gas installations you may have, are kept in excellent working order. The best way to do this is to obtain the services of a registered gas installer to perform an annual maintenance and service check.
Something important to remember when installing a gas geyser is to only use a verified and tested gas product purchased from a qualified gas dealer. The seal on the cylinder should always match the brand of the cylinder. Once your geyser has been successfully installed, regularly check that it is working properly, and if you suspect that something is wrong, get the help of a qualified technician.
A gas geyser is easy, clean and cost effective to use – as long as all the regulations have properly applied.
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