Geyser Not Heating? Plumber vs. Electrician — Who to Call First
A 30-second decision tree that saves you a wasted callout fee. If water is hot but leaking, it is a plumber. If cold and no trip on the DB board, it is probably an electrician.
Your geyser failed. Cold shower at 06:00. Do you call a plumber, or an electrician? Wrong answer = R500 callout wasted.
The 30-second decision tree
- Check the DB board. Is a breaker tripped? Electrician.
- Is there water on the floor or a drip down the wall? Plumber.
- Water is cold, no tripped breaker, no leak? Electrician first — probably a failed element or thermostat.
- Water is warm but weak, or comes out discoloured? Plumber — could be sediment, a failing thermostat, or a blocked outlet.
Don't forget the CoC
If the geyser or any connected plumbing is touched, you need a Certificate of Compliance. Your home-owners insurance will ask for it the next time you claim. A registered plumber/electrician should issue one as part of the job — confirm this before they leave.
Rent vs. owned
If you are renting, call your landlord before you call anyone. Geysers are almost always the landlord's responsibility. If they take more than a business day to respond, most leases let you arrange it yourself and deduct from rent — but get it in writing first.
Handi has verified geyser specialists who do same-day callouts in most Gauteng suburbs. Search "geyser" and sort by rating.