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There’s never been a better time to consider the amount of energy your home consumes daily.
Compounded in South Africa by the anguish of being caught unprepared during a cycle of loadshedding, growing global pressure around sustainability and just how much we as a species consume means there are very few households around the world that haven’t had to reconsider the amount of energy absorbed on a day-to-day basis.
While most major home appliance brands have long-since been working towards offering products that consume altogether less energy per cycle then previously, any number of small adjustments to how we conduct ourselves within our daily lives have the potential to significantly reduce the amount of energy consumed at home.
- Unplugged
It’s generally good practice during periods of loadshedding to unplug major appliances from the wall socket. This serves to protect them against any potential damage once the power returns with a surge. Why not keep them unplugged until you need them, though? Though minimal, items like mobile phone chargers, hairdryers and desktop computers still draw current when not in use, so keeping as many plug sockets as possible vacant throughout the day will ultimately help to minimise consumption.
- Stove Savvy
Though many modern households have switched to a gas-fuelled stove tops, this potentially power-hungry appliance can be supressed. While replacing old and deformed pots and pans will help to focus the heat onto a new flat surface, try to match the size of the pot, especially, with the stove plate being used. Making use of a lid to help with the heating process will also go a long way towards minimising the amount of energy required. Depending on your preferences, most modern microwaves and appliances like an air fryer are known to be generally more efficient than a traditional oven.
- Home Habits
Unlike some Northern Hemisphere markets that can go months without seeing the sun, most South African homes enjoy the benefit of sunshine throughout the year. The trick then is to be able to adequately harness this potential. While keeping a watchful eye on any maintenance issues that might allow unwelcome cold air in will help, look to ways of keeping the heat of the day within the walls of your home. This could include closing doors, windows and curtains, timeously.
- Light Fantastic
A popular inclusion within the planning stages of most new home builds, besides the fact that LED lighting technology is known to be up to 80% more energy efficient than outdated incandescent items, they can also last up to 25 times longer. This means less opportunity for dad to fall off a ladder while attempting to swop out an expired bulb.
- Geyser Guile
Significant in both the role it plays in our lives and the amount of energy it consumes, there are nevertheless several modern technologies that can aid with the all-round efficiency of a geyser. While wrapping this item in a blanket is a simple solution, look to incorporate a modern, programmable thermostat control panel that allows for the scheduling of a heating cycle, as opposed to trying to maintain a constant temperature throughout the day. This technology also allows the consumer to set the maximum temperature to no more than 60-degrees Celsius.
- Go Solar
The incorporation of even a modest solar panel system to supplement the daily generation of energy can not only substantially reduce overall consumption, but also decreases your home’s reliance on an uninterrupted power supply from the national utility. On a sunny day in South Africa, solar radiation can be up to 1000 watts of power per square meter. This energy can be captured by a solar power system which typically consist of PV panels, inverters, installation hardware, performance monitoring equipment, as well as solar batteries for the storage.
For more information, visit our website here to find new ways to consider how to save energy in your home.