TECHNICAL 35
It is so wrong !
By
Rory Macnamara
The matter of illegal geysers has reached beyond the pale .
The recent release from the NRCS confiscating a large load of refurbished , recycled and reconditioned – call it what one will – shows that this activity has become endemic .
A geyser cannot be made into its original form once it has burst or broken . Any engineer will tell one that steel , when specified , cannot be sandblasted or acid washed when its use has expired and be expected to perform like the original .
The test process for these geysers is nowhere near the requirements of the compulsory standards SANS 151 and certainly does not comply with SANS 10254 .
The arguments put forward by some ‘ manufacturers ’ of these illegal geysers are weak and in fact have no standing in the engineering or The Consumer Protection Act .
Sometime ago I communicated with the SA Insurance Association ( SAIA ) about their role in completing the circle as geysers are replaced under insurance policies , so they start the process . A qualified plumber is appointed either directly or through another means , replaces the geyser and removes the old one . This is where the problem starts – what happens to the old geyser ?
Professional plumbers take it away to their office and will have a destruction company collect to destroy the geyser / s .
My question to SAIA was that common sense tells one that as they started the process , they should complete it by insisting on a destruction certificate . The reply was that “ would make SAIA a policeman ” and it is not within their mandate . This is nonsense as SAIA is merely avoiding responsibility . Completing the circle one started is the right thing to do . A request to meet with one of their committees was ignored .
The point is that unless this circle is complete with a destruction certificate , the practice – that is so wrong and dangerous to buyers – will continue .
The plumbers who take the old geyser and sell it to these companies become part of the illegal dealing – all for a measly R100 – R150 , which probably does not even cover the cost of petrol !
IOPSA and NRCS are working together on this , but the responsibility for selling these geysers rests with questionable suppliers .
Consumers believing they are getting a bargain by allowing nonspecified geysers to be installed also become part of a criminal activity , as they become part of the supply chain as per the Consumer Protection Act .
Whether a supplier , consumer or plumber , ensure one has a Letter of Authority ( LOA ) from the NRCS . That is the only authority and protection one has in ensuring the geyser is correctly specified .
Perhaps the NRCS should chat to SAIA , who would be more respectful of the gap they are leaving in the marketplace . PA
Plumbing Africa
It is so wrong !
January 2024 Volume 29 I Number 11 www . plumbingafrica . co . za