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Same-day help with burst and leaking pipes on the way!
Boitumelo
Community Coordinator

Though one of the most important parts of any home, water pipes are mostly unseen and unconsidered – until something goes wrong. Picture a burst or leaking pipe and that image is immediately accompanied by one of soaked carpets and ruined upholstery, unwashed children and an abnormally high water bill.

 

Thankfully, Standard Insurance Limited hopes to make most of these plumbing-associated disasters a thing of the past.

Policyholders in the major metropolitan areas of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal can now fast-track their claims for burst and leaking pipes by using our mobile banking app. Within the very same day, the problem will be attended to*, allowing you to quickly get back to focusing on the steps that will get you to your next.

 

It’s important to remember, however, that there may be times when a responding service-supplier plumber may find that a problem requires work that can’t be completed within the specified time. In such cases, the plumber and homeowner will organise a suitable arrangement.

 

There are various causes for pipe failure and leaks. Some of the most common are:

 

  • Temperature changes. In winter, water in pipes can freeze; as it freezes, it expands and can fracture a pipe. Solving this problem involves wrapping “pipe bandages” around the pipes to maintain temperatures. Some householders use pool noodles to achieve the same effect. Cutting and opening a pool noodle along its length makes it easy to effectively insulate a pipe.
  • In older homes, pipes are often galvanised or made of iron, causing corrosion or lime-scale build-up.
  • Tree roots. Roots can grow into the pipes and fracture them.

 

 

How to minimise the chances of a pipe bursting or leaking:

 

  • Checking to see if water in your area is ‘hard’ or ‘soft’. Hard water, which can cause lime build-up, is identifiable by white lime deposits on shower heads, taps and in sinks. Filters are available to catch the minerals that cause the build-up.
  • Clearing minor blockages with commercial liquid pipe cleaners. These are often made of chemicals, but environment-friendly options are available.
  • The best way to avoid pipe problems is to regularly have pipes inspected. Most plumbers do this by physically inspecting pipe joints and using detectors to check for leaks in underground pipes.

 

Natasha Pershad, Head of Claims: Homeowners Comprehensive Insurance at Standard Insurance Limited, advises that if the worst does happen and a leaking or burst pipe results in water pouring into the house, or unexplained pools of water suddenly appear in the garden, the water should be switched off at the mains. In most South African homes, this is attached to the water meter situated near the boundary of properties. She adds that the homeowner is responsible for repairing all leaks on the property or in the house. Leaks from pipes on the pavement, however, are the responsibility of the municipality.

 

* This offer excludes after-hours claims for now. In such cases, problems will be attended to the next day.

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