Safety tips for your alternative energy and water solutions

South Africa is in the midst of a tough winter as the energy crisis continues. Prolonged and repeated power outages not only affect the electricity supply to millions of homes and businesses, but also constrain water supply as pump stations are turned off and water reservoir levels cannot be replenished fast enough between power outages.     

“Many households are clamouring for alternative energy and water solutions to decrease their dependency from municipal suppliers. While solutions such as solar and gas are the most popular alternatives that consumers are turning to, each brings its own unique set of risks to be aware of and to manage,” explains Mandy Barrett from Aon South Africa, an insurance brokerage and risk advisor.

Aon offers some important safety tips during the winter months: 

Gas Safety

Due to loadshedding and rocketing electricity prices, the inclusion of gas appliances in our homes such as fireplaces, heaters and stoves are becoming very popular. It also means that more gas-filled bottles are being stored at home, which may represent an increased fire risk. What many insureds may not know is that your insurance policy is likely to stipulate the SANS 10087-1 regulations which govern how many gas bottles you are allowed to store safely in and around your property:

• For flats:
  • ≤ 9kg gas bottle can be stored inside a building.
  • > 9kg gas bottle must be stored outside a building.

• For houses (including cluster housing and townhouses not exceeding 2 storeys):
  • ≤ 19kg gas bottle can be stored inside a building.
  • > 19kg gas bottle must be stored outside a building.

• If you’re storing a back-up bottle of gas in the garage, and your garage adjoins your home, then the limitations above set on ‘indoor gas storage’ includes your garage. Remember that gas is a fire propellent, so these regulations are there to protect you and reduce the amount of ‘fire fuel’ on your premises. 
• Always use your gas appliances as specified by the manufacturer with the correct safety valves and mechanisms in place. Get a certified gas installer to do regular safety checks and service your equipment regularly. 

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Generators and Solar Photovoltaic systems

Generators and solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are being installed in homes and businesses at an unprecedented pace across the country. And as this industry experiences a boom, fly-by-nights, unqualified installers and unsafe products are flooding the market.

• It is essential that you get these systems installed by qualified installers and that they provide you with an electrical Certificate of Compliance (COC) for any electrical work done at your home. Should you need to claim in the future, your insurer will request a copy of the COC, in order to ascertain that the work was done to required safety standards and regulations.
• Increasingly, finance houses and insurers are also stipulating that solar installations must also be done by installers that have PV Green Card certification. Your alternative energy solution is going to be attached to your single most valuable asset – your home – so make sure that your installation is safe and compliant. 
• Also confirm that your generator has a transfer switch to ensure that you can safely switch between electricity from the grid or from the generator when required. Make sure that your generator is installed in a well-ventilated location outdoors as it emits deadly toxic gases and should never be utilised      
• Make sure that you add these items to your homeowners insurance and increase your sum insured to cover you for the additional value that these items represent – theft of solar equipment and generators are on the increase, so take extra security precautions to safeguard your property.

Fireplaces and candles

• Candles and fireplaces are a significant fire risk and should never be left unattended. Keep all flammable items away from any open flames.
• When it comes to home fireplaces, have your chimney flue cleaned regularly for ventilation and fire mitigation. Don’t place any combustible or flammable objects close to the fire, such as rugs, blankets, curtains and the like. Use a fire screen to prevent any cinders or sparks from flying across the room and never leave a fire unattended.

Water Solutions

With water supply increasingly becoming a challenge, many households are considering borehole water and installing water storage tanks onsite.  

• Borehole water – Make sure that you test the quality of the water and install the necessary filtration and purification systems to make the water safe for consumption.
• Any big water storage tank must be installed properly, sitting on a secure foundation that is built to carry the full weight of a filled tank. Any connections, pumps and overflow valves need to be checked regularly for safety purposes.
• Regularly check that the water pump on your water collection tank or borehole is in good working order and has ‘run-dry’ protection on it so it will automatically shut off if it detects that there is no water to pump – this could happen if the water freezes in the pipes or the tank runs dry.

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Geyser

• Cold winter temperatures and burst geysers or pipes go together like salt and pepper. Insulation is always a good idea for your geyser and water pipes.  Use a geyser blanket to insulate your geyser and lagging on the exposed water pipes – not only does this protect against a sharp drop in temperature which can cause a burst pipe or geyser, but it will also save you money in the long run as water will stay hotter for longer, saving on electricity costs.
• Service your geyser and check that all the seals, valves, stop-cock, thermostat and element are in good working order. Make sure that your drip tray is correctly installed and placed – should you experience a burst geyser – the drip tray will help channel the escaping water to outside your roof, saving on ceiling damage.
• Another aspect to consider, if replacing a burst geyser is an upgrade to a green, sustainable energy solution. Speak to your broker about insurers who are offering clients the opportunity to replace their damaged geysers with solar or heat pump options, allowing you to pay in the difference between the insurance pay out and the cost of the green water heating system. A solar geyser can save you up to 30% of your electricity bill every month – on a R2000 electricity bill, that’s a saving of at least R600.

Heat Source Appliances

• Always check to see that switches and heat generating appliances are turned off during loadshedding so that when the power returns, you don’t have any devices coming back on that could cause a fire.
• Think about instances where you may have been cooking dinner in the oven, styling your hair with a flat iron, soldering something in the garage, heating the living room with an electric heater or ironing clothes in the laundry. It is important to switch these appliances off – immediately - as you may not remember that they were on when the power returns.

Insurance matters

“Our changed electricity and water situation brings a new set of risks and challenges for homeowners in so far as safety in and around the home goes. It is important to talk to your broker about adding any alternative solutions to your insurance so that your assets are covered and to also investigate any added risks that these solutions may bring to your household. Implement the necessary safety measures, check your policy terms and conditions and ensure that your cover is still fit for purpose given the changed circumstances,” Mandy concludes.  

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