You could save up to 10 per cent on your electricity bill without spending a cent – says Eskom.
Follow this checklist:
1. 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.
2. Fridge and 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 per cent of its capacity.
3. Living rooms and bedrooms:
· Always switch off lights in unoccupied rooms.
· Unplug all appliances you are not using.
· Don’t leave computers, TVs and DVD players on standby – if you do, these appliances use up to 50 per cent 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.
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