Tips on how to save on your Water and Lights Bill.
- Turn off non essential appliances such as microwaves,toasters fans and any appliances that have a standby mode as this can contribute up to 10% of your electricity bill.
- When taking a break from your computer turn off/ or dim the screen
- Led or Downlights are cheaper to replace, last longer ,and save you money from month to month.
- Connect a water timer to your sprinkler system and never forget to turn off the water ever again.
- Ensure the geysers temperature has been adjusted to suit your household , and that it is insulated.
- turn off lights when you leave the room.
- Dimmer switches help regulate the light level and reduce electricity consumption (e.g. for recessed downlights).
- Make the most of natural light entering the house.
- Don’t let the hot water tap run whilst shaving or washing; rather fill the basin.
- Don’t allow a hot water tap to drip; all you need to do is replace the rubber washer.
- Match the size of the pot to the size of the stove plate/element.
- Make sure that the bottom of a pot has good contact with the stove plate and is not warped or uneven in any way.
- Make sure that the stove plates are kept clean.
- Use cold water to fill the kettle.
- If you are making one cup of tea/coffee, boil only enough water for one cup (don’t boil a full kettle unnecessarily).
- Be sure that the dishwasher is full, but not overloaded, when you run it. Half loads cost you twice as much.
- Instead of using the pre-rinse cycle, scrape food soil off plates and rinse briefly with cold water before placing in the dishwasher.
- Swimming pool pumps use up to 20% of total electricity consumption in the home. Simply reduce the time interval for running the pump by up to two hours a day (e.g. 6 hours instead of 8 hours) in summer. Keep cutting back to establish the minimum amount of operating time required to keep the pool clean.
| Action | Approximate electricity saving (2008) | |
| 1. Adjust the thermostat setting on the geyser to 60oC | R44.00 | |
| 2. Insulate the geyser (geyser blanket) and hot water pipes and then adjust the geyser’s thermostat setting to 60oC | R275.00 | |
| 3. Shower instead of bathing (based on one shower or bath per person per day) | R162.00 | |
| 4. Fix one leaking hot water tap (leaking at one drop of 1ml every two seconds) | R328.00 | |
| 5. Don’t use the hot water tap for small amounts of cold water (based on four draws of 1 litre of water per day) | R29.00 | |
| 6. Fit a low-flow showerhead in the shower | R110.00 | |
| 7. Insulate the ceilings in your home | R184.00 | |
| 8. Use an electric blanket instead of a heater in the bedroom | R26.00 | |
| 9. Air-dry laundry outside (as opposed to using a 2kW tumble dryer for two hours each week) | R72.00 | |
| 10. Switch off the lights in just one room when it is not occupied | R52.00 | |
| 11. Use fluorescent lights in places that require long hours of light such as in the garage and kitchen | R152.00 | |
| 12. Regularly service the pool pump and clean the filter | R470.00 | |
| TOTAL SAVING | R1 904.00 p.a. |
Source: Eskom brochure, 2008