It’s mid-winter and the last thing you need is for your geyser to burst.
A burst geyser can cause considerable damage, and even loss of property.
Geysers are more likely to burst in winter because of the increased rate of expansion and contraction. When the geyser is working, the heat causes the atoms in water, hydrogen and oxygen, to expand. When the geyser switches off and cools, the atoms contract. While this also happens in summer, the vast temperature difference between the warm geyser and the cold atmosphere in winter means that the geyser cools that much faster. Here are four tips to help prevent your geyser from bursting.
1. Have your geyser assessed by a qualified plumber.
2. Install a geyser blanket to reduce heat loss. Not only will it go a long way to prolonging your geyser’s life span, it will reduce your electricity bills.
3. Install a drip tray under the geyser that will limit water damage if the geyser does burst.
4. Get your geyser serviced every three years. Geysers do not “burst” in the traditional sense, simply because when something bursts it is sudden. Geysers and pipes corrode over time and eventually give in.
If your geyser does burst, switch off the electricity mains as soon as possible. Turn off the water mains and then call your plumber and insurer.
