There is no point bewailing the fact that we’re not going to see light at the end of the tunnel because Eskom doesn’t have all its ducks in a row. The onus is on us all to prevent our bills from growing, and I’ve listed below some healthy energy-saving tips for the home, so that we don’t get a shock every time an electricity bill lands on our doorstep!
By Sarah Poulsom, Hirsch’s Hillcrest
There are a number of ways that one can reduce energy consumption when using household appliances. Of course, there are the obvious ones like switching off all appliances instead of leaving them on in “standby” modes because they consume energy although they are not in use.
Allan Hirsch has been in the appliance industry for over 33 years and is passionate about energy efficiency. He explains, “Greater energy savings can be attained in a number of other ways that a lot of consumers are not aware of.” Here are some of them:
Ovens
All ovens have door seals which help retain the heat generated by the elements, which are one of the biggest users of energy. If seals are broken or torn, the heat escapes and the heating process takes longer, thus using up more energy. Time is also wasted because it takes longer for the oven to reach the desired temperature. Inspect the seals on a regular basis in order to ascertain if they are worn.
Fridges
Fridges also have seals which are commonly referred to as “door rubbers”. If these are not sealing properly or are damaged, the fridge temperature will be lost. The result is that the fridge will “run” for longer periods than it normally would and this will result in energy wastage. The longer we leave the door open, the more energy is going to be used to get the fridge back to the desired temperature. The tip here is to keep the door open for the least amount of time possible. When going away on holiday, always turn the thermostat down to minimum. Some fridges have a “vacation” mode, which will also reduce energy consumption.
Washing machines
When washing clothes, put a full load in the machine whenever possible. Washing takes a long time and uses a fair amount of energy. Guard against overloading, though, as this will damage the machine. Hot washes should be limited because elements that are responsible for heating the water use a lot of energy. If cold washes are done more often, wash out the machine once a month by letting it go through a “hot” cycle, empty. One can also use a “short wash” or “30 min” cycle if your washer has this function.
Dish washers
Correct use of a dishwasher can also help save energy. Always ensure that the unit is fully loaded. Using a less intensive wash will also help save energy.
Tumble driers
Regular cleaning of filters in tumble dryers is not only good for the machine, but it also helps save energy. Tumble dryers should be serviced at least once year.
Kettles
When boiling water, only boil as much as is needed because heating elements draw a lot of energy.
Airconditioners
The word from our Aircon expert, Hirschair’s Vis Moodley, is that to be 100% efficient from a power-saving perspective, aircon units must be kept clean and dust free. “Dirty filters will prevent sufficient air flow coming through, thus wasting power.” Don’t ever leave doors and windows open when the aircon is on, as this makes the unit work twice as hard trying to keep the air cool. Vis also suggests that when purchasing an aircon unit, one should consider buying a unit with an inverter type compressor. “They save up to 35% on energy consumption over a period of 5 years and this will balance the cost of the unit,” he explains.
Geysers
By switching off the geyser over peak electricity demand times, you’re assisting Eskom by load shifting, but saving little from a cash perspective. The only way to reduce electrical consumption on a geyser to a point that will save you money is to reduce the amount of water that is heated and drawn off, i.e. reduce your hot water consumption and reduce the temperature setting of the water on the thermostat. The ideal setting is 50 to 55 degrees in summer and 60 to 65 degrees in winter. Incidentally, it is not detrimental to the geyser to switch it on and off all the time.