Become more energy efficient

Not only is Eskom becoming more and more expensive as time goes on, but it is still as unreliable as ever. The average household will be paying at least double for the same amount of electricity within three years!

For most of us converting the entire home to an alternative energy source would be prohibitively expensive, but regardless of the monetary fact everybody should be working towards this goal – as not only is it less expensive, but it is far more eco-friendly as well. Let us have a look at what uses up the most power in the home, and show some energy alternatives that are friendlier on the pocket and the environment to run:

Solar geysers = Free water

Solar power seems so far out of our reach because the average solar geyser is at least three times more expensive to buy and have installed than its electrical counterpart. ‘The solar system’ with the Eskom rebate is still comparatively expensive, but just think about the fact that apart from the annual maintenance costs, you will eventually have hot water free of charge for the rest of your life. And in the case of a blackout, you will still be able to have a hot bath.

Due to the amount of sun and cloudless days we have in South Africa, you will never be short of hot water using a solar system. The average cost of buying and installing a solar geyser in your home is about R15 000, although it can be a lot higher. After Eskom’s 15% rebate, you will actually only be paying R12 750 for the system. If you work out the amount of money you will save per month on your electricity bill, the average household would have paid back the geyser within seven years. After this, all the hot water in your home is absolutely for free.

There are companies out there however, such as Teljoy for example, which will sell you a solar geyser on higher purchase. These geysers are recognised by Eskom, and although buying items on credit is usually not a good financial move, in this case, the company has noted that your instalments will amount to the money you will save on your monthly electricity bill once the solar geyser has been installed. So for the first seven to eight years, you will be paying the same amount from your account each month as if you were still running on an electrical geyser. The good times start the minute the geyser is paid off and you no longer have to pay for hot water anymore.

Gas water heaters

This is the cheaper of the two geyser alternatives, but in the end, it leaves you reliant on the gas supply. A gas water heater works on the very simple principal of heating only the water you need. You can buy the smaller water heaters and have one placed in each room where hot water is needed, or you can opt to buy a large heater, located on the exterior of your home and capable of heating enough water for all your home’s requirements. Having spoken to a number of people who run these gas water heaters, it seems that the average household, consisting of three people, will use a 19kg bottle of gas every six to eight weeks. This works out at about R200 per month in hot water bills. To give yourself an idea of what you will save, take your existing water bill, and you can estimate that approximately 40% of the total it is from your electric geysers.

Stoves

Cooking also uses up a lot of electricity - the average family of four will cook one and a half times per day, which requires a substantial amount of electricity. You can considerably cut down on energy use if you merely replace your electric hob with a gas hob, and keep the electric oven. In these cases, a 19kg gas bottle should last the average home for approximately three months, which will cost you in the region of R100 per month.

Pools

If you have a swimming pool on your property, it is highly advisable to reduce the number of hours it runs, as they use a considerable amount of power. Most homeowners run the pool for six hours a day in winter and about 18 hours in summer – however, this can be reduced by half and not only will you still have a lovely clear, blue pool, but you will also be able to save a considerable amount of money every month. - Antonella Dési