Rainheads – Dammed if You Do

05 Jun Rainheads – Dammed if You Do

IMPORTANT CLAIMS HANDLING UPDATE
Any blog post in the Metropolis Solutions Blog Archive that includes any direct or indirect reference to insurance claims handling of any nature whatsoever, including any reference to existing and/or potential claims, was posted prior to 01.07.21, is for general information only and may also no longer be applicable due to recent changes in Federal Financial Services laws concerning claims handling. Please note that Metropolis does not hold an Australian Financial Services (AFS) Licence for claims handling and therefore qualified expert assistance on any insurance related matter, including Victorian Plumbers Warranty, should now be sought from a suitable lawyer or other expert holding an AFS claims handling licence. Metropolis Solutions can still consult on insurance claims handling matters, but only in the instance where we are directly engaged to do so by your authorised legal representative.

It’s pretty clear that while the engineering and plumbing boffins in our Dam Buster sister company have been thinking of nothing else for as long as they can remember, rainheads have otherwise seriously slipped under the radar of just about everybody else in Australia.

In October 2014 the Victorian Building Authority released a memo to all licenced plumbers in Victoria entitled “Overflow provision for box gutters”; it can be found at this web address – http://www.vba.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/24510/Overflow-provisions-for-box-gutters.pdf

The opening sentence of this alert to all plumbers reads:

“The VBA has identified several instances of plumbing practitioners failing to install appropriate overflow provision in box gutters and rainheads.”

We would politely suggest that the word “several” should have been followed with the word “million”!  The reality is that non-compliant rain heads are absolutely everywhere.

The same VBA alert goes on:

“Plumbers are reminded that roof drainage systems need to be designed and installed with appropriate overflow provision.  Failing to install appropriately sized and positioned overflow devices can lead to serious damage to buildings and contents, often resulting in hefty insurance claims.”

Up until now the VBA and other State regulators have been very soft on rainheads and it hasn’t featured highly on their most common audit items.  Part of this may be that there wasn’t even a compliant solution available to fix the problem.  However, with the introduction of the Dam Buster with its integrated weir and overflow chute, the game has now changed forever.

The Dam Buster makes all other rainheads obsolete and once you’ve looked closely at one of these quality, fully compliant, patented and hydraulic engineer certified Australian-made products, as a plumber we’re confident that you’ll never risk your reputation or insurance again by going back to a non-compliant option.

The problem for plumbers right now is that non-compliant rainheads are very easy to spot and you’re going to be dammed if you do continue to install them – in fact your average Plumbing Auditor or Investigator travelling at 60km/hr in a Toyota Camry Hybrid eating their lunch is going to be able to pick it up from 100m away.

Now that there is a clear-cut compliant alternative it’s only a matter of time until non-compliant rainheads become a routine audit item for the VBA and for all other State regulators across the country.  So don’t be caught out having to return to a job and fork out of your own pocket for a compliant rainhead when you can now get it right the first time,  keep your customers happy and bypass all the dramas.

The Dam Buster rainhead is available in a range of sizes in plain zincalume, the most popular Colorbond colours, or powder-coated to suit.  Its dead-set easy to specify using the Dam Buster Design Guide and it’s even easier to install to either new buildings or retro-fit situations.  The Dam Buster is a quality product through and through with a beautiful simple industrial design utilising the latest innovative sheet metal techniques.

Orders should be emailed to [email protected] or [email protected]