PlumbWiz – 10 secrets to know before buying your gas geyser

Before purchasing a Gas Geyser you should know what will work for your home environment or applications. Here are 10 things to know and consider before purchasing your geyser, courtesy of PlumbWiz.

1. There are four types of gas geysers available

• Diaphragm Unit: This is older technology, needs relatively high water pressure to operate efficiently and is battery operated.
• Low-Pressure Unit: These units come with a flow sensor and are the latest models on the market. Low-pressure geyzers are battery operated and work effectively with low and high water pressure.
• Constant Temperature with Flow Sensor: Constant temperature units are the best battery-operated units on the market and are “semi-intelligent” meaning it will self-adjust the gas flame according to the amount of flow through the unit. These units are also battery operated.
• Fan Forced Unit: These units are electricity operated and are the best money can buy. They are top of the range and guarantee amazing flow and functionality.

2. Water pressure matters!

Water pressure plays an important role in the efficient operation of a gas geyser, so, choosing the correct geyser to suit the water pressure is very important You can do a simple test yourself to determine your home’s water pressure, called the bucket test.

Open a cold water tap fully and let it pour into a bucket for one minute then measure how many litres of water was collected. The amount of water collected is your available flow rate per minute.  A good flow is 20 litres- and an average flow is about 15 litres per minute.

3. Where do want your geyser to supply hot water in your home?

Bath, Shower, Kitchen or Whole House will determine the correct geyser?

• Kitchen Only: You will need at least 12 litres of flow per minute.
• Basin and shower: Between 10- and 12 litres of flow per minute.
• Bath, Basin and Shower: At least 16 litres of flow per minute.
• Whole House: Depending on the size and how many bathrooms in your home, we would recommend a 16-litre Constant Temperature or Fan Forced unit.

4. Legal requirements and standards

• All gas geysers must be installed by a LPGSASA (Liquefied Petroleum Gas Safety Association of Southern Africa) registered installer.
• A Certificate of Conformity must be issued on completion of installation for:
  •  your warranty to be validated and
  • for insurance.

5. Do gas geysers work during load shedding?

• Yes, but only battery-operated units.
• Fan forced will only work with a UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply), power generator or solar backup.

6. How long does a gas geyser system take to install?

Gas and Plumbing should be completed within 2 to 5 hours depending on the size of installation.

7. Will gas geyser save you money?

Yes, the average saving is approximately 40% on the water heating component. Gas vs Electricity.

8. Can I have a stove/fireplace/braai on the same gas installation

Yes, your registered gas installer will guide advise you as to which appliances are approved by the LPGSASA.

9. Are gas installations safe?

Yes, but only if it is installed by a professional, registered gas installer according to the SANS 10087–1 : 2013 code.

What will a gas installation cost on average?

A budget estimate will be safe between R10 000-00 to R25 000-00 which includes plumbing, connection and gas installation. It is also dependent on the type, size and number of geysers required.

PlumbWiz are registered LPGSASA installers and licenced plumbers authorised to install electrical-, solar- and gas geysers. We’ve been “gassing and warming up” people’s homes for more than 5 years. Our staff and technicians/installers are highly trained professionals and are standing by to give you the best advice and service you require. We believe in empowering our customers with knowledge so they can make informed choices and decisions regarding their gas requirements before and after installations where our technical backup and after-sales service might be required.

Visit our website to find our more at www.plumbwiz.co.za