10 tips to reduce your electricity demand

THE first step towards boosting South Africa’s energy security is to reduce our national demand, and with households directly consuming around 25% of the electricity generated by Eskom, it is important to do our bit in our homes.

Here are some tips to get started

1 Ensure that your electricity meter is functional. Note the meter reading and then switch off all the circuit breakers on your distribution board. If the counter increases, then you have a leak and need to call out an electrician to assess.

2 Record your electricity meter totaliser weekly, at more or less at the same time, to track your consumption. Maintain the required vigilance.

3 As they fail, replace all your light bulbs with LEDs.

4 Your geyser can use up to 50% of your electricity. By installing timers, similar to pool-pump timers, you can reduce your electricity consumption considerably.

5 When replacing an old geyser, spend a little more and install a solarheated geyser.

6 Showering for two minutes with a water-saving nozzle is a game changer – although it might not be as relaxing as a bath.

7 If you have a swimming pool, and can afford a cover, buy one. This will save significant amounts of electricity as you can reduce the amount of hours the pump is running. Reduce it by one hour at a time until the water clarity is affected. A rule of thumb – without a cover – is eight hours a day, at least, in summer and six hours a day in winter.

8 Another large electricity user is the hob and oven. If possible, replace either or both with an induction hob or gas hob and oven.

9 If you have the funds, invest in solar PV panels once you have reduced your electrical load as much as possible as described above.

10 Recent-model appliances, such as fridges, dishwashers and washing machines, are energy-economy rated and are generally very efficient. Check the energy rating and consider the best rating when replacing an appliance.