TECHNICAL
59
Wall of Shame:
what went wrong?
If we have a look at the September 2017 edition of Plumbing
Africa’s Wall of Shame, it is clear that all the plumbing issues
found in the pictures could easily have been prevented had the
plumbers consulted the standards to find a simple solution.
By Mark de Wet
Going forward, we will be looking at the Wall of
Shame installations and digging deeper to explain
why the installations are not done correctly, as well
as the possible effects thereof. Although we are all
amused by the hilarious photos, they can sometimes
pose a serious risk to people and property, which can
cause injury or death.
Looking at the following pictures taken, let us see what
could have been a feasible way of solving the problem.
PIPEWORK IN A ROOF USING
POLYCOP PIPING
1
Polycop piping is not an approved piping system to be
used in hot or cold-water installations; however, many
plumbers seem to be using the pipe for both hot and
cold-water installations, as they are not aware that the
pipe is non-compliant.
The merchants do not always tell you when a
product is non-compliant, so the best thing to do
is to request the certification certificates from the
merchant to ensure that the products you are using
are in fact approved.
The installation in Picture 1 may have been a
temporary fix or the plumber was showing off his
MacGyver moves, but this type of installation can
cause damage to the property and you as the plumber
can be left liable for the damages.
Basic copper tubing and fitting can be used to rectify
this problem at a minimal cost.
FROZEN WATER PIPES IN THE FREE STATE
SANS 10252-1 gives clear-cut detail on the
requirements of pipe insulation and the protection of
piping in areas prone to freezing conditions.
Mark de Wet
Mark de Wet is the national
technical manager at
IOPSA. He is a qualified
plumber and registered
gas installer. He also sits
on the SABS technical
committees and working
groups on behalf of IOPSA
and the IOPSA National
Executive Board, as well as
being a PIRB inspector.
The correct R value pipe insulation could have been
used to insulate the piping and prevent the pipes from
freezing, as we can see in pictures
2 and 3.
Using the standards correctly
and applying it to our everyday
plumbing work can help us save
so much time and money by
doing the work in line with the
standards on our first attempt.
www.plumbingafrica.co.za
Continued on page 60 >>
November 2017 Volume 23 I Number 9