5 Smart Ways to Not Let Load Shedding Affect You
5 Smart Ways to Not Let Load Shedding Affect You. Load shedding has made our lives here in South Africa miserable. Almost everything we use depends on electricity, so during these times life stops. While a lot of people are directing all their fury at Eskom, justifiably so, you on the other hand can find alternative ways to do some of your daily activities.
1. Use a Generator
If you can afford it, buy a generator or UPS to give you emergency power when you need it most. With a generator, though, remember that you’re paying the initial costs PLUS fuel, hence you can take the plunge only if you’re confident that you can manage in the long run with the volatile fuel price.
2. Have an Inverter
In most cases, inverter/ battery systems offer superior performance and significant cost savings when compared to generators. Most importantly, many body corporates, home owners associations, business parks and other landlords will not allow generators to be used. You can imagine the noise and smell when 200 generators start up in a complex.
3. Invest in Lighting Equipment
Buy or make solar-powered emergency lights, you van also get a torch for when you have to go out of the house. The thing about load shedding, it makes us remember some good, old-fashioned ways like candles. Just make sure that they are out of reach for the young ones. A lamp chimney is also a cheap yet valuable investment to minimize the risk of accidental fires in case a candle falls over.
4. Have Alternative Cooking Equipment
Load shedding slots change every day, so chances are, you could be powerless at one of your mealtimes. To ensure that you can still cook or heat food and liquids during load shedding, invest in a small, yet powerful, cooking device such as a solar cooker or a 2-plate gas stove. You could also take precautions before your power goes out, such as cooking in a Wonderbag or keeping a flask full of boiled water.
5. Plan Ahead
If you work with on a computer, make sure that you save your work regularly. This can be done either manually or by setting up auto-save options in your software. You also have to make sure that your phone, laptop and other electronic devices are always charged.
