Top tips to beat loadshedding

Loadshedding has become a daunting norm in South Africa. Disrupting both home and work schedules, many people have grown accustomed to this trend. While some people are forced to sit in darkness, others have improvised and worked around Eskom's scheduling, if not beating it.

These top tips will help you beat loadshedding in South Africa:

• Invest in solar power

Sourced from the sun, solar energy is one of the fastest-growing and cheapest sources of power in the world. There two main ways to use energy from the sun - photovoltaics and solar thermal capture.

Photovoltaics are mainly used for residential solar panel installations. Solar panels convert solar energy into usable electricity through a process known as the photovoltaic effect. Solar thermal capture, on the other hand, is only used for electricity production on massive scales in utility solar installations.

Solar technology not only helps homeowners have a source of electricity during loadshedding, but it also has environmental perks being since it is clean and renewable energy.

Homeowners can further install a solar geyser and get solar lamps to light up the garden which can be used inside as well to beat the darkness of loadshedding.

• Get equipped with gas

Appliances like stoves work well powered by gas. Gas stoves are becoming increasingly popular as homeowners are choosing to replace their electric stoves. They heat up much faster and can cost much lesser than electricity. With a gas stove, you can still cook or heat food and liquids during loadshedding. You do not necessarily need to replace your current stove, you can get a camping gas stove which will do the trick. Remember to keep your liquids warm in a flask.

During winter electricity bills tend to be higher since heaters are used more often. You can beat the loadshedding chills by also getting a patio or gas heater. They heat a room or outdoor area by burning natural gas. Ensure that the entire family is aware of the safety guidelines when using gas appliances.

• Battery operated gadgets

Aside from getting your home solar portable lights, you can also invest in battery-operated ones. Some will take actual batteries and others rechargeable. Rechargeable batteries are a more cost-effective option. Lanterns, torches, desk fans, and other battery-operated devices are great to keep around the house in the event of loadshedding.

• Charge your batteries in advance

While having battery-operated gadgets can make life a breeze, make sure that they are fully charged when the electricity comes back on. Eskom's loadshedding schedule allows everyone to be prepared for the two-hour outage, so ensure that you always are. If your laptops and cell phones are fully charged before the power goes out, you may even be able to continue working during the loadshedding time.

• Invest in a generator

While generators are much pricier than other alternatives, it can be a great investment if you can afford to have one. There are different types of generators. Some can power your entire household, whereas others are good enough for just your important appliances such as a fridge or television.

• Prevent your food from spoiling

Frozen water bottles are a great hack to keep your fridges and freezers cool during loadshedding. Simply fill a few 2-litre bottles with water and place them inside your freezer. Remember to leave some space so the water can expand. The frozen water will act like ice bricks to help keep your food cool during a power outage. If the power goes out for more than two hours, you can use the bottles in your fridge to keep food cold until the power comes back on.

Always turn off light switches and disconnect electrical appliances when loadshedding strikes. This will help prevent a power surge when the electricity is restored. Loadshedding is here to stay for a while. The sooner you and your family adapt and aim to beat the disruption, the easier it will become.