ESKOM: You could save up to 10% on your electricity bill without spending a cent – follow this checklist
Hot water:
- Turn down the thermostat on your electrical element geyser to 60°C
- Don’t use hot water for tasks you can accomplish with cold water – such as rinsing dishes and vegetables
- Only use hot water for cleaning tasks that really need it, like washing your hands
Fridge freezer:
- Set your fridge to 3°C – any lower and it will use more electricity than necessary
- Make sure the seals of your fridge and freezer doors are intact
- Don’t open the door unnecessarily
- Place your fridge somewhere cool – away from sun-facing walls and windows, and as far as possible from the stove
- Defrost your chest freezer twice a year; upright freezers should be defrosted three times a year
- Don’t overfill your fridge or freezer; only use 90% of its capacity
Less is more… Using less energy in your home means a lower electricity bill – and more money in your pocket at month end
Stove and oven:
- When you cook in the oven keep the oven door closed until the food is done; opening the door unnecessarily causes heat loss and the stove has to use more energy to maintain the selected temperature
- When cooking on your stove, match the pot with the size of the stove plate
- Never use your stove for small tasks like boiling water for tea and coffee
- Use your microwave for small and medium amounts of food
- Place frozen food in the fridge to defrost – avoid defrosting food in the microwave
- Use your pressure cooker or slow cooker to prepare meals that have to cook for a long time, such as stews and casseroles
Small appliances:
- Use specialised appliances for specialised tasks – for instance, always make toast in a toaster and never in the oven
- Only boil the amount of water in your kettle that you need for the number of cups of tea or coffee you are making
Dishwasher, washing machine and tumble dryer :
- Only use your dishwasher and washing machine when you have a full load
- Connect your dishwasher and washing machine to a cold tap
- Avoid using your tumble dryer; when the weather is fine, hang washing on the line to dry
Living rooms and bedrooms:
- Always switch off lights in unoccupied rooms
- Unplug all appliances you are not using
- Don’t leave computers, TVs, DVD players, ipads and cell phones on standby – if you do, these appliances use up to 50% of the power they normally use
- Keep curtains and blinds open during the day to optimise natural light and postpone switching on artificial lighting until it gets dark
In summer:
- Open windows and doors to allow cool breezes to circulate through the house; delay switching on your air-conditioner
- If you have to switch on the air-conditioner, keep it at a comfortable 23˚C; ideally, the difference between inside and outside temperatures should not be more than 10˚C
In winter:
- Delay switching on your space heater by dressing warmly, wearing a beanie and gloves, wrapping yourself in a blanket, putting a hot water bottle on your lap, and drinking your favourite hot drinks
- When you do switch it on, make sure your space heater is controlled by a thermostat; this is a built-in device you can set to switch the space heater on and off at a predetermined temperature
- Only use your space heaters in the rooms you and your family occupy – it costs you money to heat up an empty room
Via Eskom