DIY Plumbing-What is Legal.
Plumbing Projects You Can Tackle Legally
Do you know that almost all the municipalities now require a plumbing COC (Certificate of Compliance) before they will approve the sale of any house in their area? The question is what DIY plumbing work can you do yourself that is legal and will not affect your COC?
Plumbing affects our lives more than many of us realize. We need the water supply (so we can drink, wash and clean ourselves, our homes, and our belongings); to get rid of waste and sewage; and we need to be able to channel water away from the house and in addition to making use of water in the garden.
While plumbing in our homes and other buildings must be installed by a qualified and registered plumber, there are plumbing projects that you can do yourself. Most of these tasks relate to maintenance, and by taking the DIY plumbing route, you can save yourself a lot of money. But you do need to know how to do the job correctly and be sure that you are not contravening the law.
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Examples of DIY Plumbing You Can Do
Once the plumbing system has been installed, with a little savvy any homeowner will be able to keep it going and make minor upgrades like changing tap (or faucet) washers, flushing out blocked drains, and even changing tap valves and tap parts.
Seemingly more complicated plumbing-related projects will entail installing new showers and shower sets; removing old sinks or basins and fitting new ones; possibly even replacing an old bath in the bathroom.
You may also want to replace shower mixers and shower heads in the bathroom, or tap mixers in the bathroom or kitchen. If you buy good quality products from companies like Cobra or Delta, they will usually include DIY instructions.
Plumbing You Cannot Legally Do
First of all, for both health and safety reasons, nobody without a plumbing qualification may install a plumbing system. It is also essential that only qualified and registered plumbers install hot water cylinders.
Burst pipes
Drips and Leaks
Taps and pipes do develop leaks over time. Even if you are not able to do permanent repairs, take immediate action. Since washers, and seals are cheap, keep spares on hand.
Taps drip for various reasons, but usually because they need new washers. To change a washer, turn off the water supply to the tap (probably the stopcock which controls the water, coming into the house); turn the tap on and allow all excess water to drain from it.
Loosen the tap head and all covers which protect the head. Use an adjustable spanner to unscrew the head from the body of the tap. If the O-ring in the head is damaged it will also need to be replaced.
Unscrew the brass nut on the washerplate and replace the washer, ensuring that the smooth side of the washer is on top. Tighten the brass retaining nut.
Screw the head back to the body of the tap, making sure that the tap is still in the fully open position before you tighten it with a spanner. Close the tap before turning the water supply back on.
Replacing the washers on mixers is similar to replacing them on ordinary pillar taps, even though they have two mechanisms per unit.
Pipes will drip when they are cracked or rusted. Unless the pipe needs to be replaced, you will probably be able to seal the leak with two-part epoxy putty.
Turn off the water supply and turn on all taps connected to the damaged pipe before repairing it with putty.
If you do not have the equipment or know how to repair copper pipe, a temporary solution is to slit a short piece of hosepipe and wrap it around the damaged section, securing it with hose clips.
Do not be tempted to live with this for too long as it will not last!
Advice requested. I live in a Sectional Title estate. The developers installed another apartments geyser in my ceiling. Therefore I have 2 geysers in my ceiling, theirs and mine. The geyser to the other apartment burst last month, resulting in damage to my ceilings. The body corporate insurance now wants me to pay the excess for the ceiling replacement. I disagree as the source of the damage is connected illegally in my ceiling.
In my humble opinion the owners of the other apartment should pay the excess, even though we all understand it burst due to no fault of theirs, and the geyser should be installed in the ceiling or externally to the unit that it supplies. I cannot have 10 geysers for example installed in my ceiling, and then I be held liable for the excess each time one of them bursts.
Advice anyone?
Hi would you kindly advice, my back opposite have a pool, so they installed a pipe into my yard that takes out water from their pool to my yard, that cause water inside my yard, i cant even use my gate because water is always there.
I am a single mother of 3 living in the rural area in limpopo. i honestly do not have the money to pay a plumber but i still need to install plumbing in my home as using buckets for waste water and water supply is hard for my children. what are legal implications of doing the entire system myself?
Sorry the pipes have concrete in them which causes terrible blockage.Who is responsible for fixing this?
Hi there
I live in a complex with semi-detached homes and the our plumbing pipes are have concrete in them for quite a few homes. This is from when the complex was built. I’d like to know who is responsible for fixing this? Your advice would be appreciated. Thanks
Hi There.
I have worked as a plumber for a registered plumbing company for 2 years. I have completed courses on plumbing through AITF (international training facility) receiving a certificate with a silver seal.
My questions is if I were like to service my own customers and start my own handyman services, may I assist with doing DIY plumbing? Even though I am not yet qualified?
Thank you
Hi, I live in a home that was built in 1964. We have just has our first water leak so I got a plumber out to cut out and replace the damaged section.
The old pipes are of the galvanized type. I wish to replace all the external pipes to the house with Polycop pipes.
Is that acceptable?… and may those pipes be installed above ground, mounted to walls instead of been buried below ground?
Hi Penny
We are building a new home. Can we do our own plumbing and have it inspected and signed off by a qualified plumber? We are also registered with the NHBRC. Thank you
Regards
Linda
Good day,
I just want to find out how does a person go about moving a kitchen/bathroom gully? The kitchen will still remain in the same place, but an additional room will be built alongside the kitchen. I know the gully may not be inside a building, will a plumber be able to assist in this regard? Must an application to move the gully be handed in at the local municipality? We will also be placing extraction fans in the bathroom and kitchen to help with the ventilation.
Thank you in advance
Janine
A question to solve what the regulations really are. I am getting contradicting info from the plumber & the municipality & then the regulations say it must be authorised.
My toilet pipe comes out of a wall 10cm above ground onto a patio & from there has an ‘ artificial ventilation shuut going up above the roof (drainage goes underground) There is a window & an air duct in the bathroom. Do I really have to have the vent there? Do I need it at all? Municipality says must be there, plumber says dont need it, regulations say artif, vent needs permission. What now? House was built in 1990
Hi John, Polycop is only for cold water, but they do now make one for hot water ask at your plumbing supplier.
I really don’t know. Perhaps someone at IOPSA can advise.
For how long is a qualified plumber’s work usually guaranteed for a brand new home?
Can Polycop pipe be used for hot and cold water supply in a house.
A solar geyser (water heater) is one of the options. In terms of hot water supply Requirements for water installations in buildings shall be in accordance with SANS 10252-1 (that governs installation) and SANS 10254 (2012) that governs geysers – “This standard applies to all water heaters that fall within the scope of SANS 151, including the storage tanks of solar water heaters that fall within the scope of SANS 1307, and the storage tanks for heat pump systems.” It details all the allowable options. But you’d be best off with a solar geyser.
I would just like to know if a solar geyser is a must have if u building a new house like a plot and plan. And what if I don’t have money for a solar geyser
All plumbing must be done by a qualified and registered plumber who will sign off the work. You could do some of the work yourself, but only if a plumber oversees and approves what you do. I am not in position to advise on pressure testing.
Hi guys just want to get some clarity on Plumbing that you can actually do yourself legally.
I am busy extending my house building myself.(moving the kitchen & adding new bathroom and bedroom.) do i need to get an approved plumber to do the new water pipes to the new relevant rooms or can I do this myself as I have experience in this.
Adding to this i am also relocating my gulley to the other side of the house, as i understand only complete new systems have to be pressure tested that connects to your main line. I will only add a joint to my existing line that is still in my yard. Must this new section be pressure tested?
All plumbing work should be done by a qualified, registered plumber. You might be able to do some of the work yourself, but you will have to have it overseen by a qualified, registered plumber who would ultimately sign off the work and take responsibility for it. This would obviously reduce the cost. The same applies to electrics. The fact that the house will be timber frame makes no difference.
Thanks for a great site with
I plan to owner build a small house in the Western Cape in a few months time.
If I understand it correctly, it would not be acceptable if I install the new water pipes myself (excluding the geyser and external work like the municipal connection)? It will be a timber frame construction.
Thanks.
Pieter I suggest you find out if you are allowed to build flats on the property. There are density issues that are linked to zoning (local authority by-laws). It is not simply a matter of allowable sewer connections.
Hi, I want to buy myself a erf and develop it. With it I also want to build extra flats on the erf. How many sewer connections are allowed for a 800m^2 size erf?