An insurance has shared tips on how to prevent geyser damage and avoid claiming for a geyser disaster from your insurers, as Johannesburg residents experience a 58-hour water shutdown. File Picture: Bongani Mbatha/African News Agency (ANA) Archives
As Joburg residents are approaching the tail end of the 58-hour planned water shutdown and are bracing themselves for the system recovery period, Budget Insurance has advised residents to keep an eye on their geysers before enjoying a hot shower.
According to Rand Water, the system recovery could take up to five days or even longer.
Budget Insurance has advised that older geysers are particularly at risk.
“Most modern-day geysers are fitted with vacuum breakers, which prevent water from flowing out of the geyser when the supply is switched off - a safety feature to prevent the heating element from overheating. These breakers do become less efficient and can fail over time.
“If there is no water and the geyser does run dry, the element could overheat and pose a fire risk, even if the main water supply is cut,” said Tyrone Lowther, head of Budget Insurance.
Budget shared these practical tips to prevent disaster:
– Switch off the power to the geyser during water cuts and only switch it back on once the supply has been re-established.
– If your geyser has run empty, make sure that you allow ample time for it to refill before turning its power back on.
– Keep your geyser in tip-top shape.
Experts recommend that geysers be serviced by a qualified plumber every three years. A geyser service would entail draining the geyser and checking its components, including the anode, element and thermostat. Lime scale and sludge should be removed from the tank and element, and the whole system should be checked for leaks. The plumber should also check that the thermostat temperature on the geyser isn’t set too high. 60°C is the recommended temperature. Geysers are known to burst when the thermostat is incorrectly set or badly regulated.
Keep an eye out for early warning signs of geyser failure. If you notice that the water coming from the geyser isn’t as hot as it used to be, that the water pressure isn’t high enough, that too much water or steam is coming from the hot water overflow pipe on your roof, that the geyser is making strange humming, hissing, or cracking noises, or you notice wet spots near the geyser, disaster may be around the corner, and it must be inspected immediately.
The insurance company says that geyser claims generally increase by 30% or more during the winter, and 98% of these claims are due to bursting or overflowing geysers, failing pipes, or faulty equipment.
To avoid a geyser claim, here are some tips:
– Wrap it in a blanket: Consider investing in a geyser blanket and timer to save electricity, but also avoid a burst geyser caused by extreme fluctuations in heating and cooling.
– Don’t be a drip: It is advisable to fit a drip tray if there isn’t one already in place beneath the geyser. The outlet pipe on a drip tray carries away most of the water should the geyser burst, making it a helpful measure for limiting water damage to walls, carpets, and other home contents.
– Save wisely: It is wise to switch off your geyser from time to time, especially during peak electricity demand periods, but it’s best to not let it get cold, as this additional contraction-expansion cycle could decrease the life span of your geyser, while also consuming more electricity to warm the water up again.
– Quick hands: If your geyser bursts, switch off the electricity mains immediately, turn off the water mains, and call your plumber and insurer.
IOL