Frequently Asked Questions

What is a gas geyser?

A Gas Geyser, also known as a Gas geyser, 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.

Click on the link below to get more information of how a gas geyser works

What are the requirements to install a gas geyser?

Please click on the link to read all about the requirements for a gas geyser installation:

Where do I need to place the gas cylinders?

Cylinders shall be located on a firm, clean, well-drained and level base. The area surrounding a container shall be kept clear of combustible materials, for example, weeds, dry grass, paper and waste.

Cylinders shall be located and protected against tampering by unauthorized persons and damage and interference by, for example, animals and vehicles.

Below diagram explains a more accurate on the exact requirements and dimensions:

Is a gas cage required?

Domestic installations do not require according to SANS standard that the cylinders be placed in a cage but shall be secured in such a manner so as not to accidentally fall over (Eg: Anchor and chain).

Can I install a gas geyser at a house with a thatched roof?

Installing a gas geyser in a house with a thatched roof is generally possible, but it requires careful consideration of safety and regulatory requirements and needs to be performed by a professional and certified installer.

Gas cylinders shall not be installed directly under the eaves of thatched roof and shall be not less than 3 m away from eaves of the thatched roof behind a firewall. Please find below sketch of requirements of the location of the gas cylinders:

How much kg’s of LPG gas am I allowed to store at my house:

You are not allowed to have over 100kg of “fixed” LPG gas cylinders at your house. If you plan to install over 100kg of LPG gas, you will require planning submission and approval in terms of the “National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act” as well as certification in terms of the “Community Fire Safety By-law” and its amendments.

Please do consult your local municipality regarding these regulations as they might differ between municipalities.

Does switching from a electric geyser to a gas geyser save me money?

Switching from an electric geyser to a gas geyser can result in significant cost savings, especially with the rising cost of electricity in South Africa.

To calculate the potential savings, we need to compare the operating costs of both systems.

Factors to Consider:

1. Electric Geyser Costs
   • Electricity Monthly Usage: To heat 150litres of hot water per day for one month, the electric units used are 270kWh.
   • Electricity Tariff: According to its latest publicly available data on electricity prices, South Africa’s average per-kWh electricity tariff for households stood at roughly R3.30 by December 2023 (Source MyBroadband & https://www.globalpetrolprices.com/electricity_prices/)
   • Monthly Expense: 270kWh × R3.30 = R891.00/month
2. Gas Geyser Costs
   • Gas Consumption To heat 150litres of hot water per day for one month, the gas used is 15kg
   • Gas Price: The cost of LPG is around R36 per kilogram in South Africa (prices fluctuate with market conditions).
   • Monthly Expense: 15kg × R36.00 =R540.00/month

Monthly saving by switching from an electrical geyser to a gas geyser is R351.00, which is almost 40%!

Does the size of the gas geyser matter?

The size of the geyser does matter as it depends on the number of hot water taps and amount of bathrooms [showers/baths/basins] that you may want to run water simultaneously.

Do you need electricity for gas geysers?

Yes and no

Yes: the larger size gas geysers (20L/min & 26L/min) are often referred as fan-forced gas geysers. These gas geysers require small amounts of electricity for the ignition and the fan.

No; the smaller size gas geysers (8L/min – 18l/min) The non-fan forced gas geysers come are the smaller units (12L/min to 18L/min), operate either with a battery or use hydro-generated power (Bosch models).

Do fan forced gas geyser need a lot of electricity?

Fan-forced gas geysers use between 50W-65W of power (equal to a light bulb) and therefore can easily be installed to your Solar PV/ Inverter system/ a UPS or a generator. The plug point is generally installed close to the gas geyser.

What size gas geyser do I need for my home?

This depends on your household's hot water usage. A professional installer can assess your needs based on the number of people and usage patterns in your home.

Below the size gas geyser we at Hotwater24 use as an indication:

1. 1 kitchen tap: 8L/min
2. 1 shower: 12L/min
3. 1 cottage/ 1 bathroom: 16L/min
4. 2 bathrooms and kitchen tap: 20L/min
5. 3 bathrooms and kitchen tap: 26L/min
6. >3 bathrooms: you are looking at a combination of the above mentioned gas geysers

What is the life span of a gas geyser?

If the gas geyser is well maintained, and serviced/maintained yearly, you are looking at a life span of approximately 15-20 years

Do I need to service my gas geyser regularly?

Yes, regular servicing ensures efficient and safe operation. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations or consult your installer for service intervals.

Which gas geysers are the best?

For the best quality gas geysers, we highly recommend Rinnai, Paloma, Bosch, Typhoon or Dewhot. They do come at a higher price, however with these models offer durability, higher efficiency, better aftersales support and better warranty.

In which cities do we provide installation services?

Currently we have installers based in various areas of Pretoria, Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Can one convert an electric geyser to a gas geyser?

No, you can’t

Can you use a gas geyser as a back-up for your electric geyser or solar geyser?

YES! A gas geyser can be used as a backup for an electric or solar geyser. This setup ensures a continuous supply of hot water during times when the primary system is giving you insufficient hot water (during winter/ overcast weather) or unavailable.

By installing a solar-to-gas valve the hot water is either being directed straight into the house (when water has the desired temperature), or in case the water is too cold, the water will first be directed from the electric or solar geyser to the gas geyser to heat up the water to the desired temperature.

Do I need to permanently decommission or switch of your electric geyser when I install a gas geyser?

NO! The electric geyser can still be part of the hot water supply system. When installing the gas geyser, we switch off the electric geyser from the DB board (preventing you from getting these high electricity bills).

In case you forget to fill up your gas cylinder, you can then simply switch on the electric geyser from the DB board, wait for 1-1.5hours and still enjoy hot water.

Do we offer weather covers for gas geysers?

Yes, we do install weather covers depending on the type and brand of gas geyser required

What type of gas do your gas geysers use?

Gas geysers typically use either propane (LPG) or natural gas (methane) as their fuel source.

Is LPG safe to use?

YES! LPG is very safe to use for your property. However, ensure that all the necessary guidelines are followed during installation, including the issue of CoC (Certificate of Compliance) and have regular - a least once a year - repairs and maintenance.

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 in possession of a CoC for gas installations at all times, 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:

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

Do I need a professional to install my gas geyser?

Yes, it's crucial to hire a qualified gas installer who is registered with the LPGSA (Liquefied Petroleum Gas Safety Association) to ensure safety and compliance with local regulations.

What permits or approvals are required for installing a gas geyser?

You typically need a Certificate of Compliance (COC) from the installer, stating that the installation meets safety standards and complies with local regulations.

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 build-in gas equipment – Gas fires, Heaters, Gas Braais, Stoves, Ovens and Hot water systems (gas geyser). 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?

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

What are the cylinder size limits?

1. In flats, the maximum cylinder size allowed is 9kg.
2. Inside a house, the maximum cylinder size is 19kg.
3. For free-standing properties, the maximum cylinder size permitted is 100kg.

How much does a gas geyser installation roughly cost?

Please click on the link below to get an idea of the costing of installing different size gas geysers for your property:

How much doe s gas cylinder and/ or gas cages cost?

Prices on gas cages: For safety and security reasons it is advisable (but not required by SANS Safety Standards) to lock up your cylinders in a gas cage. Prices depend on the quality and size, but in general do range between R1.8K (for a single 19kg cage) to R3.5K (for a double 48kg).

Prices on gas cylinders: This often differs between regions/ provinces, but in general range between R1,6k for a single 19kg (including deposit and gas supply) and R3k for a single 48kg (including deposit and gas supply).

Where is the gas geyser installed?

Most gas geysers. are installed on the outside wall of your house/ property. In addition to being installed according to SANS, gas geysers are often installed close to where hot water will be used.

Where does the gas cylinder need to be positioned?

Please find below picture of where the gas cylinders are, according to the SANS are allowed:

Do I save money when switching from an electrical geyser to a gas geyser?

Yes! You can save up to 25% and in future even up to 30% (due to increasing cost of electricity) when switching from an electric geyser to a gas geyser

Please click here to calculate your saving

Does a gas geyser make noise?

A gas geyser makes very little noise when in use.

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

The average use for a household family (4 people) is estimated to be 20kg of LPG a month.

What size cylinder is best for your gas geyser?

We recommend that you use a 19kg with a 12L/min tot a 18L/min gas geyser and a 48kg gas cylinder with a Fan-forced gas geyser >20L/min.

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 is not able to produce enough hot water.

How long will last me a 48kg gas cylinder?

This depends strongly on the number of family members, temperature setting on the gas geyser, if you like to take long or short showers, if you like your baths, etc….

However when all being taken in moderation, we see that a 48kg gas cylinder lasts between 2-3months.

When used in conjunction with a solar geyser, this can even go up to 5-6 months and even longer….

Can I install a gas geyser indoors?

Yes, you can install it indoors, but proper ventilation is essential to prevent the buildup of carbon monoxide. Follow manufacturer and local safety guidelines.

What are the advantages of a gas geyser over an electric one?

Gas geysers often provide faster heating and are more energy-efficient, potentially reducing utility costs over time.

Are there any disadvantages to installing a gas geyser?

Initial installation costs can be higher than electric heaters, and there are safety considerations with gas appliances that require careful handling.

How long does it take to install a gas geyser?

Installation times can vary depending on the complexity of the job, but a typical installation may take a few hours to 1 day to complete.

Can I install a gas geyser myself if I'm experienced with DIY projects?

It's strongly advised against. Gas installations require specific expertise and certification to ensure safety and compliance with regulations.

Do gas geysers require a different type of plumbing setup?

No, the existing pipework is used to connect the gas geyser to. There are no major changes in the plumbing setup needed.

How do I know if my home's gas supply is sufficient for a water heater?

Your installer will assess your home's gas supply and advise if any upgrades are needed to support the water heater's requirements.

Every house(hold) has a different setup and needs a different size gas geyser, which obviously determines the cost.

By clicking on the link below Hotwater24 will guide you through some questions and based on the answers will send you a proposal entailing all initial information needed for a gas geyser installation:

What happens if my gas geyser malfunctions?

Contact your installer immediately. Do not attempt repairs yourself, as this could void warranties or compromise safety.

Are there different types of gas geysers available in South Africa?

Yes, options include instant gas geysers, storage tank gas geysers, and tankless gas geysers, each suited to different household needs and preferences.

Do I need to shut off my gas supply during installation?

Yes, the gas supply should be turned off during installation to prevent leaks and ensure safety until the new system is properly connected and tested.

Can a gas geyser be installed on an upper floor of a building?

Yes, but it requires proper ventilation and possibly additional structural considerations due to the weight and operational requirements of the heater.

Is there a warranty on the gas geyser and installation?

Yes, most manufacturers offer warranties on their appliances, and reputable installers often provide warranties on their installation workmanship.

How often should the gas lines and gas geysers be inspected?

Gas lines and gas geysers should be inspected on a yearly basis as part of routine maintenance by a qualified gas technician to ensure they are leak-free and in good condition.

What safety features should I look for in a gas geyser?

Look for features like automatic shut-off valves, temperature controls, and venting systems designed to prevent carbon monoxide buildup.

Can I install a gas geyser at a building with a thatched roof?

Yes, you can install a gas geyser in a building with a thatched roof, but there are strict safety regulations and precautions that must be followed due to the fire risk associated with both gas and thatched roofs.

Please see picture below of the regulations by SANS.