Burst geyser, what to do first: switch off the power at the DB board, shut the main water supply, and protect the ceiling and anything electrical below it. Do those before you phone anyone. Then photograph the damage and report the claim.
It is 23:00 in a Johannesburg house or flat, there is water coming through the ceiling, and the person standing under it has to act before they think. This is the sequence.
The first ten minutes
- Switch off the power at the DB board. MiWay's advice is to switch off the main energy source at the distribution board, not only the geyser breaker. It warns that leaking water reaching electrical fixtures is a serious safety threat. If the board is wet or you would be standing in water, keep away from it.
- Shut off the main water supply. Close the main stopcock or the valve at the meter, as both MiWay and Discovery advise. Do not climb into the roof to find the geyser's own valve.
- Open the hot taps. Discovery's burst geyser sheet says draining through the hot taps relieves the pressure in the geyser and limits the damage.
- Protect the ceiling and the electrics. Put buckets under the drips, mop what you can, and move appliances and extension leads away from the water.
- Stay out of the roof. The same sheet warns that the leaking water is extremely hot and that you should not inspect the roof or ceiling yourself. Mop and wait for the plumber.
What should you photograph for the insurer?
Photograph everything before it is cleaned up or moved. That means the geyser if it is safely visible, the ceiling from below, the floors, the cupboards and any damaged contents, each with a wide shot and a close one.
The reason is the claim form. AIG South Africa's commercial property geyser claim form asks for the date and time of the loss and how it happened. It asks whether the ceilings, floors and cupboards were damaged, whether the geyser is under warranty and whether it was installed or replaced in the last year. The documents it wants are photos, quotes and a damage report. Write the time down now, while you remember it.
Report the claim as soon as the house is safe, not on Monday. MiWay puts it plainly: once the safety steps are done, alert your insurer. Many policies also carry an emergency plumbing service. OUTsurance's free Help@OUT emergency home assistance, for example, pays a plumber's call-out fee and one hour's labour. So check with your insurer before you phone a plumber yourself.
Know what the policy pays for. OUTsurance's buildings cover pays for loss or damage caused by a leaking or bursting geyser and the resultant damage to walls, ceilings and fitted carpets. If rust or wear and tear caused the burst, neither the geyser nor the resultant damage is covered without its optional geyser and pipes wear and tear cover. Other insurers word this differently, so read your own policy.
What the assessor will check
The replacement is measured against SANS 10254, the standard for the installation, maintenance, replacement and repair of fixed electric storage water heaters. Kwikot, the manufacturer, notes that an insurer's assessor will typically check whether the installation complies and whether a valid certificate of compliance exists. A claim on a non-compliant installation may be rejected.
The PIRB requires its licensed plumbers to issue a PIRB certificate of compliance on all plumbing work, geysers included. The top copy goes to the owner and a second copy can go to the insurer. Whether the new geyser needs a drip tray is a separate question, and the drip tray rule is covered here. What the page itself proves is set out in what a plumbing compliance certificate is.
Why it has to be a licensed plumber
The certificate is a self-certification by the licensed plumber who did the work. A handyman cannot sign one, so a cheaper unregistered fitter leaves you with a geyser and no certificate to give the insurer. Before anyone starts, check that the plumber is registered and can issue a CoC on the PIRB's public verify a plumber search, by name or registration number.
In a sectional title scheme
Call the managing agent or a trustee first. Section 3(1)(h) of the Sectional Titles Schemes Management Act obliges the body corporate to insure the buildings, so damage to the building is generally claimed on the scheme's policy rather than your own.
The excess is a different matter. Under prescribed management rule 23(2)(b) of the 2016 Regulations, the owner pays the excess on damage to parts of the building that owner must maintain. Tenants should phone the landlord or the agent, who then deals with the scheme. Who approves the repair itself is explained in sectional title maintenance approval.
Freehold owners in Joburg deal with it directly. The City says leaks within the property boundary are generally the owner's responsibility. If an insurer declines the claim and you disagree, the National Financial Ombud Scheme resolves complaints against insurers free of charge, once you have complained to the insurer first.
Who to call at night
Arabella Infrastructure Solutions is a Johannesburg-based building maintenance and construction company, open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, that sends vetted, licensed plumbers to burst geysers, public holidays included. Call or WhatsApp 078 497 3616. A homeowner call-out is from R450, you get a written quote before any work starts, and the plumbing certificate of compliance comes with the job. The homeowners page has the detail.
On Monday
Find your geyser breaker on the DB board and label it. Then find the isolating valve on the cold pipe into the geyser, and the main stopcock, and label both. At 23:00 with water coming through the ceiling, nobody should be searching for them by torchlight.
