FAULTY GEYSERS CAUSE A FLOOD OF PROBLEMS What could be worse than returning home from a relaxing holiday only

to find that your home has been flooded as a result of a burst geyser? The ramifications of such an incident are huge and unfortunately all too common. The insurance industry is constantly inundated with claims for damage caused by burst geysers. Some of these claims could be rejected due to the fact that the geyser was installed by untrained and inexperienced plumbers or DIY-ers, says Telesure MD, Thomas Creamer. What many people dont know is that a defective geyser is a serious concern. Besides destroying fixtures and fittings in the property, it can also cause fatalities. Geysers that burst are dangerous and to prevent devastating consequences it is crucial that one employs an accredited and reputable plumber to repair a faulty geyser, says Creamer. A burst geyser is usually caused by human error and factors such as poor installation, the use of incorrect valves and thermostats being set incorrectly. So what should one do if they suddenly see a gush of water streaming from the ceiling? Thomas Creamer says that the first step is to locate the water supply stop valve on your property and turn it off. Then call a reputable plumber immediately. According to Health 24 (www.health24.com), the next step to take in the event of a burst geyser is to turn off the geyser isolator which should be situated on the electricity main board. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, if the geyser element continues to heat up with no water in the geyser, you could burn the house down. Secondly, water leaking from the geyser could cause a short circuit and possibly a fire. Another tip is to turn on a hot water tap in the bath or basin, which will take the pressure off the geyser. Always bear in mind that no heroics should be attempted. Rather concentrate on mopping up your soaking wet floors and drying your furniture until the plumber arrives, says Thomas Creamer. It is also advisable to consider the following preventative measures:

Insulating the pipes in your roof which can stop the geyser from bursting. Knowing where the water supply stop valve and geyser control valve are so that you can switch it off in a crisis. Turning your geyser off at the mains when you go on holiday to avoid hot water building up pressure as a result of not being relieved by constant use. Get a friend or neighbour to pop into your home the day before you return to switch it back on. That way, you can have hot water for a bath or shower when you get home.

Remember to ask your plumber for a compliance certificate for any work done on your geyser. The compliance certificate confirms that the plumbing installation was installed by a qualified plumber, gives a accurate technical report on the status of the geyser installation and will assist you during the insurance claim process, should it be necessary, concludes Thomas Creamer.