SA Affordable Housing March - April 2020 // ISSUE: 81 | Page 27

FEATURE
therefore will not be specified in SANS10400-P, but it is
important for the future of drainage to find solutions for
our water shortages, as well as other alternatives.
One solution may be the adaptation and development
of systems to use greywater, and low-flow toilets and
urinals, which will also significantly alter the design and
workings of a drainage system, as additional elements
would need to be specified and implemented, such as
treatment facilities per property.
WHAT ELEMENTS DOES THE INSPECTOR LOOK AT AND WHY
DOES THE INSTALLATION TYPICALLY FAIL?
It is both a regulation and a legal requirement that a
building inspector must/shall inspect a drain before it is
closed and be present when the pipe is pressure tested.
Only on the final inspection will he or she issue the
COC. The building inspector is supposed to inspect the
total installation to ensure it complies with the deem-
to-satisfy rules if it is not a rational design. If it is a
rational design, then the engineer is responsible for
approval.
It is important to note that the building inspector does
not inspect the water installation; he or she only has to
inspect the hot-water generation and the elements
pertaining to SANS10400-XA.
The most common problems are:
• Incorrect gradients of the discharge pipes and
drainpipes
• Water pipes that fail because of a leak
Q&A: Plumbing compliance
• Hot-water systems that are incorrectly designed and
incorrectly installed
• Contractors who appoint unqualified plumbers to do the
work and then completely ignore the design drawings,
with the result of a hugely and costly failed installation
WHAT ELEMENTS ARE INVOLVED IN THE DESIGN APPROVALS?
The only design drawings that are relevant or required for
approval, are the drawings on the sanitary drainage system. In
SANS10400-A, all the information required on the drainage
drawings are stipulated. The important elements are:
• The site plan
• The building’s floor plan
• The relevant elevations
• The relevant sections.
The drainage piping must be indicated on all the floors and
sections, the elevations with all the piping and piping
elements with pipe sizes must be indicated, and ventilation
piping with all the gradients in all the prescribed colours must
also be indicated.
The design must only be done by a person who is termed
‘competent’ by having the technical and theoretical
qualification, experience, and understanding of all of the
elements of a drainage system.
CONCLUSION
With drainage, if it is done correctly, everything flows as it
should, but when done incorrectly, it has a negative impact
that results in major health risks.
FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF STIEBEL ELTRON, WHAT IS THE
VALUE OF COMPULSORY STANDARDS AND COMPLIANCE?
SA: We fully agree and are for compulsory standards and
compliance. Standard and compliance is
a topic which is taken very seriously
globally by the Stiebel Eltron group.
Product safety and customer satisfaction
are core values for us. It is highly
recommended, by Stiebel Eltron, that the
instantaneous water heaters are
installed by qualified tradesmen which
follows these standards and
compliances. PLEASE OUTLINE THE ISSUE OF THE PROS AND CONS OF THE
USE OF A PRESSURE RELEASE VALVE ON AN INSTANTANEOUS
WATER HEATER.
SA: Due to the instant water heater
having a flow switch it is not required to
have a pressure release device if the unit
is equipped with another pressure or
temperature sensitive safety device. All
our instant water heaters are rated to
10Bar of working pressure, it is however
required according so SANS that a
pressure regulating valve be installed at
the premises.
PLEASE OUTLINE YOUR THOUGHTS
REGARDING SANS 1356 FIXED ELECTRIC
INSTANTANEOUS WATER HEATERS.
SA: The applicable standard for
instantaneous water heater in
accordance to NRCS is SANS/IEC
60335-2-35.
www.saaffordablehousing.co.za
The following is a Q&A with Sascha Altmann
(SA), Managing Director: Stiebel Eltron Southern
Africa on the subject of plumbing compliance: WHY IS COMPLIANCE IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY AS REGARDS
INSTANTANEOUS WATER HEATERS?
SA: Due to the close proximity of electricity and water it is
important that all standards need to be followed, whether it
be product or installation orientated.
Sascha Altmann, Managing
Director: Stiebel Eltron Southern
Africa.
IN RESPECT OF YOUR PORTFOLIO OF
PRODUCTS, ARE THEY CERTIFIED LOCALLY
AND IN WHAT MANNER?
SA: All our instant water heaters, be it
single or 3-phase are tested in
accordance to IEC/SANS 60335-2-35 and
have LOA’s from the NRCS.
MARCH - APRIL 2020
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