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Categories10 Tips to Save Electricity in South Africa
By powersaving.co.za, 04.08.08 | Comments
With the cost of electricity in South Africa having gone up 45% (wow, thanks Eskom), if you haven't started reducing your electricity consumption already, you'll really want to right now! This articles is from PowerSaving.co.za:
Here are ten things you could do to reduce the impact of load shedding on your household as well as use less electricity. They are listed roughly in order of cost/benefit (the most benefit to you at the least cost listed first).
Cost key:
Low: <R1000
Med: R1000 – R5999
High: >R5999
Benefits |
Cost
|
|
| Take a shower instead of a bath. | Showering uses less hot water which reduces your water heating bill. | Zero |
| Set your geyser thermostat to a lower temperature. | Reducing it from 70 C to 60 C can reduce your water heating costs by 14%. (Please note that the temperature should not be set below 55 C to avoid conditions conducive to bacterial growth and diseases such as Legionaires' disease). | Zero |
| Set your pool pump to run for a shorter period each day | Pool pumps consume a lot of electricity. A 10% reduction in the time they run per day, will translate directly into a corresponding saving. Also set it to run at non peak times of the day (eg. noon and midnight) to reduce the load on Eskom during peak times. | Zero |
| Install areated shower nozzles | These devices insert air bubbles into the flow or reduce the size of the water droplets leaving the nozzle. The result is you use up to one third less hot water without it feeling like you are using any less water. | Low |
| Install a geyser blanket, and insulate hot water pipes. |
Hot water in the geyser will stay hot longer, and you will use less electricity heating it up. | Low |
| Use a battery powered inverter to power low energy lighting. | Don’t be left in the dark during load shedding. A standard 105Ah deep cycle battery will power five 11W bulbs for 10 hours. |
Medium |
| Use gas heaters in winter. | Load shedding won’t leave you shivering. Almost 30% of your winter electricity bill is used for heating if you use electric heaters. |
Medium |
| Install ceiling insulation. | It will cost less to keep your house warm, and it will warm up quicker. | Medium |
| Use gas for cooking. | Load shedding won’t leave you hungry. Electric stoves take longer to reach temperature and it’s more difficult to adjust their heat. Gas heat can be adjusted instantly. |
Medium |
| Install a solar water heater or a heat pump to heat water. | Reduce your water heating bill substantially. | High |
About The Author:
The South African public are suddenly faced with the fact that they can no longer rely on electrical power from the public utility.
This site is intended as an aide to the average home owner who is forced to scramble for solutions to many unfamiliar problems.
More info: Power Saving in South Africa