SNGPL gas load shedding in Punjab, KP and Islamabad: what it means for your geyser

Why winter is the hard season in the north

From December to February, demand for gas heaters, cooking and geysers peaks across Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Peshawar and other cities. In past winters SNGPL has restricted domestic supply to set hours in many areas to manage the shortfall. Outside those hours, pressure can be too low for a pilot to survive.

Colder incoming water also means the geyser has to burn longer to reach the same temperature, so a geyser that goes out at night may take a long time to recover once relit.

The morning problem

Many families describe the same routine: gas returns early in the morning, but the geyser stays cold because the pilot went out overnight. Someone has to get up, relight it and wait for the tank to heat. A customer in Islamabad told us he used to turn the geyser on first thing every morning while waiting for the gas to come back; now he runs it on a schedule from his phone.

Practical steps

• Find out the supply hours SNGPL has announced for your area this season, and watch for changes.
• Schedule the geyser to heat during reliable supply hours, ideally an hour before baths.
• Insulate exposed hot water pipes so heated water stays warm longer.
• Service the pilot and thermocouple before winter, when technicians are less busy.
• Fit automatic ignition so the pilot relights when supply resumes, even at night.