What to Do when Your Geyser Is Overflowing
We’ve all heard the horror stories of burst geysers and the resulting damage caused to family homes. Which, in itself, is enough reason for all of us to keep an eye on our geysers. Rather keep it in top shape than deal with a burst geyser, right?
Now, a common thing with geysers is water dripping from the overflow pipe. Why does this happen? Is it normal? And when should you start being concerned? First of all, an intermittent drip is normal, as the geyser heats up and cools down. However, if you notice that water is constantly and steadily dripping from the overflow pipe and it totals more than a couple of litres a day, it could indicate a problem:
- The pressure-control valve might be faulty
A steady leak or drip may indicate that the pressure valve or float valve must be replaced or serviced. A professional plumber should be able to replace the valve in no time, depending on how accessible your geyser is. If the water overflow is too bothersome or causing problems, switch off your geyser at the main distribution board first and only then turn off the water supply to the geyser.
- The thermostat might be faulty
This is more urgent and dangerous, but less likely to be the cause of the geyser pouring on the overflow. The reason is that thermostats are designed to stop working in the “off” position. However, if it fails and defaults in the “on” position, the geyser will overheat and can burst. A sign of the geyser overheating is hot water or steam escaping from the overflow. If you notice this happening, switch your geyser off immediately, using the switch on the main distribution board. Also run a hot water tap for a few minutes to cool down the water inside the geyser. Call a plumber right away.
Alpha Plumbing offers 24-hour plumbing support. And, because we know emergencies happen, we do not charge extra after-hours rates when you’re dealing with a crisis. Call us.
