Quick answer
A leaking geyser comes from one of four places: the pressure-control or T&P safety valve, the cylinder itself, the element gasket, or the inlet and outlet fittings. Work out which one and you know whether this is a valve swap or a full replacement. Water dripping only from the overflow pipe outside is a valve. Water in the drip tray or staining the ceiling is the cylinder or the flange, and that one does not get better on its own.
Common causes
- Worn pressure-control or T&P safety valve dripping from the overflow pipe — the most common cause and the cheapest fix
- Corroded cylinder venting into the drip tray, usually after year eight in hard-water areas
- Perished element gasket leaking from the flange, often alongside an earth-leakage trip
- Loose or wrongly-torqued inlet/outlet compression fittings, common shortly after an installation
- Failed vacuum breakers on the hot or cold line weeping onto the cylinder from above
What you can do now
- 1Isolate power to the geyser at the DB board before touching anything else
- 2Close the cold-water inlet isolation valve to stop the cylinder refilling
- 3Check whether the water is coming from the outside overflow pipe or from the drip tray — that single observation tells the plumber which repair to quote
- 4Place a bucket and towels under any active drip and move anything valuable out from under the ceiling below
- 5Do not refill or re-energise the geyser — a dry element burns out in seconds
When to call a professional
Call owner-run Apple Plumbing the same day for any continuous drip lasting more than a few hours, any water staining the ceiling, or visible corrosion on the cylinder. A PIRB-registered plumber will isolate, identify the failed component, and repair or replace it. If the cylinder itself has gone, the replacement must be issued with a Plumbing COC confirming SANS 10254 compliance — drip tray, vacuum breakers, safety valve and isolator all included.
Typical cost in Johannesburg
Valve swap R950–R1,500 · Element + gasket R1,200–R1,800 · Full geyser replacement R7,500–R14,000
Indicative ranges only. We provide written, itemised quotes before any work.
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