What Do You Need To Know About Home Gas Certificates?
When is a Gas Certificate required?
The higher cost of electricity has prompted many South African home-owners to utilize gas installations in their homes. There are however specific regulations homeowners must comply with when installing gas equipment in their homes to ensure their insurance policy remains valid.
According to the regulations that were introduced in 2009, all gas installations must have a Certificate of Compliance (COC) according to the Pressure Equipment Regulations that have been promulgated under the Occupation Health and Safety Act (No 85 of 1993) – effectively stating that the installation has been properly inspected and is determined to be safe and leak free.
According to the regulation, any home-owner who has a liquid gas installation installed in their home must have a Gas Certificate of Conformity issued by an authorized person who is registered with the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Safety Association of Southern Africa (LPGAS). The onus is on the homeowners to ensure that they have this certificate in their possession – not the installer. In the absence of a valid gas certificate, the insurance company would be well within their rights to repudiate a claim if a defective gas appliance caused a homeowner property damage.
It is also important for homeowners to know that if they wish to sell their home and they have a gas appliance installed, they are required to obtain a gas certificate and deliver a copy thereof to the new purchaser. The types of gas installations that require this certificate include gas fires or braais, gas stoves and ovens, as well as hot water systems. It is vital for all home-owners to realize that such an inspection is not just essential for their insurance policy to remain valid, but even more importantly, that it is conducted to ensure that the installation is safe and their family is not put at risk. If a gas appliance has been incorrectly installed and results in a gas leak this could have major health implications for a family, not to mention the huge danger involved of an explosion.
Author: The Techno Group
