Frequently Asked Questions

What is a gas geyser?

A Gas Geyser, also known as a Gas Water Heater, is a water heating system that runs on gas. The traditional gas geyser does not have a reservoir to store hot water. Instead, it heats the water instantly/ on-demand. If someone opens the hot tap, the gas geyser will activate and send hot water to the tap. The gas geyser will deactivate when the tap is closed and stop producing hot water.

How does a gas geyser work?

As soon as a hot water tap is opened, water flows through the pipes at a sufficient flow. That flow triggers a sensor inside the gas geyser, igniting the gas burner. The water flows through the pipes absorbing the maximum heat emitting from the heat exchanger. Once the tap is turned off, the sensor again is triggered, and the burner switches off.

What type of gas do your gas geysers use?

Gas geysers use Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), a combination of butane, propane, or a mix. LPG is a clean burning and efficient hydrocarbon gas produced by-product of oil refining or natural gas extraction. When compressed in a tank or cylinder, it becomes a liquid released as a gas.

Why use LPG?

Please click on this link so you can read all about why using LPG is a very sensible thing to do:https://www.hotwater24.com/why-us

Do I need a Certificate of Compliance/Conformity (CoC) for my gas installation?

A CoC is proof that your gas installation is safe and complies with the rules and regulations laid out in the South African National Standards (SANS) 10087-1.

The law requires that you be always in possession of a CoC for gas installations, as does your insurance company. If your property suffers damage from a gas fault, your insurance company will expect you to produce a valid certificate. Not being able to produce one may invalidate your claim.

When must a CoC be issued?

A Certificate of Conformity (CoC) must be issued for a PERMANENT installation:

On completion of a new gas installation,
After any modification, alteration, or maintenance of an existing gas installation
On change of ownership of a property housing an existing gas installation. (When you sell your property).

What is a permanent gas installation?

Legislation deems a permanent gas installation to be a gas installation that is a fixture in a building, immovable and not of a temporary nature. This would include all built-in gas equipment – Gas fires, Heaters, Gas Braais, Stoves, Ovens, and Hot water systems. Movable gas heaters and gas braais on wheels are seen as temporary and do not require a CoC.

How long is a CoC valid for?

A CoC is valid for five years, provided the installation has not been altered.
Any maintenance or alterations done to your gas installation requires issuing a new CoC for the ENTIRE system.
An installation must be inspected, and a CoC issued when a property is sold.

How regularly must an LPG installation be serviced?

According to legislation, the manifold system (which includes the regulator/s) should be inspected and serviced at intervals not exceeding five years.

Am I allowed to have a gas cylinder inside my house?

Yes, according to the SA National Standards (SANS).

If you live in a flat, you may have a maximum of 9kg gas either stored or permanently installed inside.
If you live in either a free-standing house, cluster house or in-group housing (not exceeding two storeys), you are entitled to a maximum of 19kg. There are, however, strict regulations regarding the positioning of gas cylinders inside a flat or house and necessary ventilation.

What makes gas geysers different?

Gas geysers are the most energy-efficient geysers available. Unlike the traditional electric geyser that acts as a reservoir for your water, heating it constantly over time - gas geysers don't store copious amounts of water internally. Instead, gas geysers heat water on demand. Meaning they only heat water when your hot water tap is turned on.

Why should I choose a gas geyser over an electric geyser?

Well, for starters, gas geysers supply endless hot water as long as you have gas

Are gas geysers safe for home use?

YES. ABSOLUTELY! Gas geysers are 100% safe, provided you work with professional experts, registered suppliers, and installers like us.

There is no shortcut around this – Precautious and adequate safety measures must be taken to select, install, and use any gas geyser. ALL our gas geysers have safety features: a flame failure device, an over-heat protection device, a gas and water stability device, a combustion safety device, and an oxygen depletion sensor device.

Install in a well-ventilated area.
Ventilation is the most crucial safety measure when using a gas geyser at home. Our expert installers assess the most strategic and ventilated location to install your gas geysers, for example, mounted on a wall outside, on a balcony, rooftop, terrace, or other areas where maximum ventilation can be achieved.
Be on the Lookout for gas Leaks.
The second measure that ensures safety is to ALWAYS be on the lookout for gas leaks. Loosely fitted pipes or other utility fixtures become one of the most common causes of gas leaks at home. Be exceptionally vigilant when it comes to gas leaks!
Keep out of reach of children!
Like any potentially harmful device, KEEP OUT OF CHILDREN'S REACH! NEVER ask your child to turn on or off the gas geyser or let them fiddle its knobs. We always install your gas geyser in an area out of reach of children and recommend that you keep it locked. In instances where the home has limited placement, for example, in an apartment building, we install a safety grill around the geyser to ensure the safety of young children.
Keep a watchful eye on your thermostat.
The thermostat allows you to set your temperature at your desired levels. Avoid setting your temperature to 'very hot' for extended periods, as boiling water can accumulate extreme steam pressures. So, please re-set your thermostat to your 'normal' temperature after using boiling water. Fortunately for you, ALL our gas geysers are modern and have safety features that make them very safe. For example, if there is increased heat in the gas geyser, it has temperature sensors for the air temperature exiting the unit. If the temperature is too high, it will stop supplying gas to the burners. If that were to fail, there is a second water temperature sensor. If the outgoing water temperature is too high, it will stop supplying gas to the burner.
Servicing and Maintenance.
We keep track of our purchases to remind ALL our clients of the need for one of our installers to come and run a thorough service/maintenance on your gas geyser every 12 months. Your gas geyser needs to be maintained regularly like any mechanised item, including your car, washing machine, and stove. If your gas geyser hasn't been used for a while, please contact us, and one of our expert technicians will inspect it before turning it on.

Why are gas geysers great?

Gas water geysers provide Just in Time heating! Use It Right Now! Hot water. They don't store the hot water to pre-heat. Instead, they instantaneously heat your water as it passes through the gas appliance.
You aren't wasting energy by constantly heating the water. From a cost perspective, it will cost you less to run and operate a gas geyser than paying for electricity, based on the gas you use.
You only need to set it to your desired temperature. For some arbitrary reason, Electric geysers in South Africa are typically set to 65 degrees Celsius. Anything higher than 50 degrees is likely to scorch you. That's why we usually mix in cold water to reach a tolerable temperature. How wasteful!

What sizes are available?

12, 16, 20 and 26 Litre gas geysers

What uses do the different sizes have?

The tables below provide a general indication of the usage of each hot water tap in a typical household and can help you establish what you may need to consider.

Multiple-use application guide - can run multiple outlets simultaneously

Application	Usage
Shower & Basin	12 litres
2 Showers & Basin	16 litres
Basin & Bath	16 litres
Shower, Basin & Bath	20 litres

Single-use application guide - outlets cannot run simultaneously

Application	Usage
Basin or Camping shower	5 – 8 litres
Small Showerhead	8 litres
Medium Showerhead	10 litres
Large Showerhead	12 litres
Bath	16 litres

How do I figure out the best size for my home?

Creating a comprehensive list of your primary requirements will help you decide on the best model and size of gas geyser you may need for your household. The size of the geyser you choose depends entirely on your needs, the layout of your house, and how many hot water taps you expect to have at any given time. Generally, a bath will require a geyser of 12 - 16L and a shower of about 6L, minimum.

The Bucket Test
Now that you have determined your household needs. It is essential to calculate your highest flow rate amongst all your outlets. The bucket test is fool proof for figuring out what size geyser you need. This will give you an accurate gauge of how many litres flow through your most demanding tap in 1 minute and thus what size geyser you need to consider. We advise simply using your tub as a good gauge since it generally demands the highest water flow.
1. Grab a 20-litre bucket
2. Place it under all the taps you require running hot water (i.e., your shower, bath, kitchen and bathroom basin etc.). Open the tap and run water into the bucket for 60 seconds.
3. After precisely 60 seconds, turn off the tap and measure how much water is in the bucket.
Making your final decision
Once you have determined each outlet's water demand, you can compare the demands and work out your highest usage. The size of your geyser is determined by the flow rate of the outlet that delivers the most water into the bucket. If you slow down your flow rate (for example, a smaller showerhead), you can reduce your flow rate demand.

Is one gas geyser enough for my entire house?

YES! But there are a few things you need to consider:

It depends on the distance from the gas geyser to where you want to use it.
One (1) gas geyser can supply two bathrooms if they are within 10 metres from the geyser.
You should install another unit if the run is more than 5 metres from the geyser.
If your bathrooms are within 5m of the gas geyser, but your kitchen is further, you can use one gas geyser for your bathroom and a smaller one for the kitchen.

How much does it cost?

Hardware prices range from approximately R 5,2K for the 12-litre models to 12K for the 26-litre gas geyser. Please note that it is complicated to provide an accurate estimate for installation, as this depends on the size of your property, the mileage, and how your property is set up.

Gas supply: Cages & Cylinders

Please be aware that the price mentioned above excludes the supply of gas, gas cylinders or gas cylinder cages. Depending on the current setup, you might also need a gas cylinder, gas cage and gas supply.

Prices on gas cages (single or double 19kg and 48kg) range from R1.8K (single 19kg cage) to R3.5K (double 48kg).
Most gas suppliers want to exchange only, and without a cylinder, they can charge up to a R1k deposit per cylinder regardless of the size.
For LPG prices (June 2022), the market is offering between R35 to R40 per kg.

Plumbing

Our plumbing jobs range between R2,5 – R4kk depending on requirements and mileage.
Please do drop us an e-mail (info@hotwater24.com) or visit our website (www.hotwater24.com) for any questions or pricing issues.

Can I use a gas geyser off-the-grid?

Gas geysers DO require electricity as it needs a spark to ignite the burner. However, the answer is Yes! Absolutely!. During power outages/load-shedding, consider a battery-operated or Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) operated gas heating system.

Our 12L and 16L gas geyser models are battery operated, meaning that the battery (Duracell D) ignites a small amount of gas with a continuous pulsating electric spark.
Our 20L and 26L gas geyser models operate through a small backup power system like a UPS. A UPS compatible with the 20L and 26L gas geyser costs around R2,5k (excl. VAT).

Where is the best location for my gas cylinder and gas geyser?

Ensure that your gas geyser is installed by a qualified person following the installation instructions, and in compliance with Standards SANS837 (for NG) and SANS10087 (for LPG), as applicable under local regulations and all local codes, bylaws and regulatory authority requirements. If in doubt, check with the relevant authority before undertaking the installation.

Gas geyser location
Mount the gas geyser on a wall. In addition to being installed according to SANS, install the gas geyser close to where hot water will be used. Clearance must be allowed for servicing of the gas geyser. The gas geyser must be accessible without a ladder or scaffold. Make sure the entire front panel can be removed for service. You must be able to read the information on the rating plate.

How much do I save switching from an electric geyser to a gas geyser?

Save up to 40-50% on your monthly electricity bills!! With the current electricity prices as well as the gas prices, the saving for an average household family (4 people) with average use (20kg of LPG a month) of hot water (5-10mins per day shower, twice a day) saving is 20%.
Please click here to calculate your savings and read our blogread our blog to learn more.

Does a gas geyser make noise?

A gas geyser makes extraordinarily little noise when in use.

What is the average use of gas when using a gas geyser?

The average use for an average household family (4 people) showering 5-10mins per day shower, twice a day, is estimated to be 20kg of LPG a month

Who can I ask to install, service or maintain a gas geyser?

US, Hotwater24! We only work with certified installers registered with the LPG Association of South Africa. For safety and quality purposes of the installation work performed, every installation comes with a CoC (Certificate of Compliance) to guarantee your safety.

What size cylinder is best for your gas geyser?

We recommend that you use a 19kg+ cylinder

Why choose a gas geyser over a solar geyser?

Although solar geysers work well and are very efficient at heating water, there are times when either the demand for hot water is greater than the capacity of your solar geyser, typically when multiple people are relying on a single geyser for hot baths and showers (a solar geyser can only heat the tank once a day), or for periods of bad or overcast conditions when your solar geyser has not been able to produce enough hot water.

When switching to a gas geyser, do I need to get rid of my old electrical geyser?

NO! However, your electric geyser will need to be decommissioned by a professional, registered and certified plumber.

Can I convert my electrical geyser to a gas geyser?

NO!

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