How to protect appliances, yourself when the power goes off

You can minimise your risk of damage to electric appliances during power outages by taking a few safety precautions, says an insurance expert.

According to Dial Direct spokesperson Maanda Tshifularo, load shedding is “a complete burden on individuals and businesses alike”.

However, with adequate planning, its impact can be minimised.

“And, on the bright side, it disconnects us from the world for a while and affords us more quality time with our loved ones.”

The insurance company took the opportunity to share nine points people could implement to protect themselves.

• Get a few high-wattage solar powered lights for your garden, and a few LED lights for inside. Light is a deterrent to would-be burglars.
• Keep your cellphone charged, or invest in a portable phone charger, so that you can still call for help if you need to. Remember that the Namola emergency app, which has been downloaded more than 250 000 times and is free to all South Africans, can connect you with help – and share your location – in an instant.
• If you need to manually open and close your gates when you get home, try to have someone come and meet you at your entrance, or arrange for an escort from your security company.
• Use padlocks, burglar bars and deadbolts to provide an extra level of home security that isn’t power-dependent.
• Put the proposed power outage times somewhere handy so that your family will have enough time to prepare for the power outage.
• Alarm systems, garage doors and electric gates generally rely on electricity so make sure that these items all have good back-up batteries.
• Keep a torch or a solar battery-powered light that is charged beforehand in multiple, easily accessible locations around your home. Be sure to also have plenty of spare batteries.
• Your fridge and freezer supplies should be okay without power overnight if you do not open and close it repeatedly. If you’re worried about certain food items, prepare an ice-box for these.
• If possible, invest in a backup power supply for your house – be it a generator, battery system, solar panels or a combination of these – to keep essential lights, appliances, electric gates and security systems running.

Tshifularo said most insurance companies saliently made sure their covers did not include the incidences relating to power surges, especially where theft-related claims were concerned.

“But we believe that load shedding is beyond the control of our customers, and therefore, they should not be penalised for it,” he said.

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