Sparks Electrical News March 2019

CONTRACTORS’ CORNER

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LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS FOR WATER HEATING SYSTEMS A midst the never-ending Eskom debacle of spiralling tar- iffs, load shedding and tales of corruption, our Legislature has seen fit to bestow on us more onerous legal require- quirements for the installation of new, and the replacement of existing, domestic geysers and other domestic hot water sys- tems. In terms of these standards all parties involved in the pro- duction or manufacture of heating systems are required to en- sure that their respective products are more energy efficient and fall within the so-called ‘B class’ or ‘B Energy’ bracket.

installation is non-compliant with the regulations a certificate of non-compliance will be issued, which explains what the non- compliant aspects of the installation are such that they can be remedied. Enforcement against Manufacturers/Importers The proposed changes will now require businesses manufactur- ing geysers to apply for what is referred to as Letters of Authority (LOAs). Only once an LOA has been obtained can a manufac- turer or importer lawfully trade these newer geysers. To ensure effective implementation and regulation the NRCS has devised a plan called ‘VC Enforcement’ which includes the likes of spot inspections, various stakeholder engagements, more or better consumer awareness and surprise raids on various

ments relating to geysers and other hot water systems. Chantelle Gladwin-Wood, Partner, and Kyle Venter, Candidate Attorney, at Schindlers Attorneys note that whilst there is an obvious need to help our struggling power giant (Eskom) meet the country’s current demand, or at least alleviate it in some way, there is also financial pressure on the purse strings that comes with legislative implementation of new technology. The idea behind the new regulations The National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) published amended standards during 2018 that changed the re-

The new geysers in the B class are said to have thicker insulation between the inner cylinder and the outer casting, which subsequently prevents heat loss and reduces one’s energy consumption (and hopefully one’s electricity bill too). In essence, it seeks to achieve the same outcome that a thermal geyser blanket would achieve but on a much larger scale. The new regulations also require that compliance certificates be issued when these newer geysers are installed. If the

business premises. This is notwithstanding the fact that should a manufacturer fail to adhere to prescribed specifications it could warrant the NCRS imposing a hefty sanction either by confiscating the product, destroying it and/or imposing a penalty it deems fit in the circumstances. Enforcement against homeowners The problem homeowners might face (apart from the apparent size difference in geysers which might become an issue in sectional title schemes, because the new geysers are big- ger than their older and less energy efficient counterparts and might not fit into the ceiling or ducted space provided for them) is the risk of a repudiation by their household insurance should they find themselves with a burst gey- ser or any other damages from a burst geyser in the situation where their geyser installation is non-compliant with the relevant standards. Seeing that the law does not require the immediate replacement of all existing geysers but only that those newly installed for the first time, or those replaced, after the regulations came into effect be Class B, a homeowner with an existing but non-compliant geyser will not suffer any harm as a result of these new regulations. But what happens if an installation is non- compliant with the relevant legislation and there is a claim? Will it be repudiated? This issue will not affect geysers installed before the commencement of the regulations in question because the law requires that they be replaced as and when necessary, so if a home owner claims because an old geyser (installed before August 2018) burst and it was non-compliant, this cannot affect the claim. However, if a geyser installed since August 2018 bursts, and is non-compliant, then the insurers might repudiate the claim on the basis of the fact that non-compliance with the prescribed standards rendered the risk profile different and vitiated the cover. Some proponents are of the view that, much in the same way as not having a valid licence disk for your vehicle does not increase your risk of having an accident, having a piece of paper that says you are complaint does not necessarily make you so or alter your risk profile in relation to the risks insured. Others disagree for obvious reasons. If you are uncertain, check with your insurer and/or a plumber that issues compliance certificates. Another important thing to remember is that, to the extent that an insurer can show that the burst geyser/ other form of damage arose form a lack of maintenance/repairs, the damage will ordinarily not be covered by insurance. Conclusion It is always best to err on the side of caution – homeowners should check with insurers whether the geyser installation is covered by their household contents/homeowner’s insur- ance, and if so, check the requirements of the insurer for the geyser specifically, to ensure that they don’t face the repudiation of a claim when an emergency occurs.

Enquiries: www.schindlers.co.za

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

MARCH 2019