Durbanville Homeowners Switching to Gas Geysers Urged to Insist on a Digital Certificate of Conformity

Durbanville homeowners considering a gas geyser after this year's electricity and LPG price increases are being urged to check that their installer is registered with SAQCC Gas, and to insist on a digital Certificate of Conformity before the job is signed off. The Durbanville Plumbers, a plumbing business serving Durbanville and Cape Town's northern suburbs, has set out what the regulations require, how to verify an installer and what to check before a unit goes up.

The City of Cape Town's 2026/27 residential electricity tariffs took effect on 1 July 2026. The City's published figures show increases of between 5.92% and 6.14% for Domestic customers, depending on consumption, and up to 6.41% for Home User customers. LPG has risen too. The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources raised the maximum retail price of LPG by 79 cents per kilogram in the Western Cape from 2 September 2026, and announced a further increase of 48 cents per kilogram in the province from 7 October.

With both energy sources costing more, whether gas saves money depends on each household's tariff and hot-water use. The compliance rules, however, are the same for every home.

What the regulations require

Regulation 17 of the Pressure Equipment Regulations, 2009, states that no person may install or remove a gas appliance or gas system unless they are an "authorised person". The regulations define that as someone registered as competent for that scope of work by an organisation approved by the chief inspector. In South Africa, that organisation is the South African Qualification and Certification Committee (SAQCC Gas), which registers gas practitioners.

The same regulation requires the authorised person to issue a certificate of conformity after a gas installation is completed, modified or altered, and on a change of user or ownership. The Liquefied Petroleum Gas Safety Association of Southern Africa notes that the certificate "is often required for insurance and property sale transactions."

Paper certificates are no longer accepted

SAQCC Gas moved certificates to a digital system in 2021. From 1 April 2023 it no longer recognises any Certificate of Conformity issued on paper. SAQCC Gas said the change followed an increase in certification-related fraud, and that only a registered gas practitioner can issue a certificate.

Homeowners can confirm an installer's registration on the SAQCC Gas website, saqccgas.co.za. Installers can also show their registration card on site through the SAQCC Gas App. The card shows the installer's scope of work and the date the registration expires.

What the certificate should show

The certificate format set out in the Pressure Equipment Regulations records:

• the installer's name and registration number
• the address of the installation
• the gas supplier, the type of gas and the amount of gas stored on the premises
• a signed declaration that the installation is safe

Homeowners should check that these details match their property before the installer leaves.

Indoor and outdoor units are not interchangeable

Gas water heaters are sold as indoor or outdoor models. Manufacturer Dewhot explains that indoor models are fitted with a flue that carries exhaust gases outside, while outdoor models have no flue and can only be installed outdoors. SANS 10087-1 requires a gas water heater installed in a bathroom to be flued to the outside, with permanent ventilation.

SANS 10087-1 also sets minimum distances between an LPG cylinder and doors, windows and airbricks, drains and manholes, the property boundary, and sources of ignition such as a distribution board. On narrow side passages, common on smaller stands and in townhouse complexes, these distances can rule out the most convenient spot. Placement should therefore be measured on site before a unit is chosen.

Gas geysers are sized in litres per minute

An electric geyser is sized by how many litres it stores. A gas geyser is rated by how many litres of hot water it can deliver per minute. Dewhot's sizing guidance says a 12-litre model is usually enough if only one shower runs at a time. It recommends a 16-litre model for two standard showers or a bath and a shower, and a 20-litre model for two large shower heads.

A checklist before installation

• Ask for the installer's SAQCC Gas registration number. Check it on saqccgas.co.za or the SAQCC Gas App, including the scope and expiry date.
• Confirm whether the unit is an indoor (flued) or outdoor model, and that it suits where it will be mounted.
• Agree on the cylinder position before work starts, measured against the SANS 10087-1 distances.
• Insist on a digital Certificate of Conformity when the work is finished. Do not accept a paper certificate.
• Keep a copy with the home's documents and send one to the insurer or broker.

About The Durbanville Plumbers

The Durbanville Plumbers is a plumbing business serving Durbanville and Cape Town's northern suburbs, including Sonstraal Heights, Kenridge, Eversdal and Vierlanden. It provides gas geyser installation in Durbanville, geyser repairs and replacements, leak detection, blocked drain clearing, CCTV drain inspections and general plumbing for homes and businesses. More information is available at plumberdurbanville.co.za.