Save energy with these hacks

Unplug, go ice cold, use windows, defrost smartly and filter your lint.

These are the only phrases you need to remember to hack your electricity usage and bills before the looming tariff hike kicks in.

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) is expected to make the tariff hike announcement today (Tuesday 1 March) after it postponed the announcement last week.

Eskom was already granted an 8.6 per cent increase this year, but asked for a further 8 per cent increase to be approved, bumping it up to 16.6 per cent.

The entity said it needs this to recover R22.8 billion, of which R11 billion is believed to have been lost to lower-than-anticipated revenue.

(Cheer yourself up with some good news)

These five tips, or hacks, will help residents absorb the tariff hike by lowering their average monthly energy usage:

• Unplug: Unplug appliances you don’t use, but go further than unplugging the toaster after use and look at unplugging your laptop or cell phone charger after the device has been charged. If it’s plugged in, it’s using electricity.

• Go ice cold: Some washing machines use up to 90 per cent of electricity fed to it to heat water. Most clothing can be washed in cold water, so opt for that. Hang on to your dirty laundry until you have a full load to wash.

• Use windows: An air conditioner uses three times the electricity to cool a room than would be used to warm the same space. Crack a window or use an energy-efficient fan.

• Defrost smartly: This’ll help both your meal planning and your electricity bill. Defrost the food you’ll prepare for dinner by placing it in the fridge in the morning instead of defrosting it in the microwave at night.

• Filter your lint: Clean the lint filter of your tumble dryer after every use, which will maintain its airflow and maximise its drying efficiency. Or skip tumble drying, especially in summer, by drying clothes outside.

If you’re willing to take it a step further, the following five tips might cost you an initial investment, but help in the long run:

• Replace your shower head with a low-flow version, which uses less water per minute.

• Replace the bulbs in your house with low-energy versions, but also turn off lights while they’re not in use.

• If you have a relatively modern PC or laptop, explore its energy consumption options (some offer energy-saving features)

• Don’t overstock your fridge, as this uses more electricity, but also switch on its energy-saving features, if it’s fitted to your appliance.

• Wait until you can fill your dishwasher before running a cycle, and make use of the short wash cycles or rinse-only cycles to save some electricity.

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