How to heat your home on a budget this winter

The onset of winter weather will inevitably cause an uptake in power consumption that Eskom, an already struggling power utility, simply cannot handle. The latest StatsSA report reveals that electricity generation (production) decreased by 1.1% year-on-year in March 2022, which does not bode well for the coming winter months.

Adrian Goslett, Regional Director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa, explains that homeowners could try and find ways to reduce their household’s electricity consumption in the months ahead to take some much-needed pressure off the grid and help minimise the occurrence of future load shedding.

“Winter means darker and colder days, which translates into increased consumption of lighting and heating solutions. This escalates further now that many of us work from home – instead of heating one workspace for multiple people, individuals working from home now plug in their heaters across multiple households,” notes Goslett.

To try and minimise the extra demand this might put on the national grid, Goslett encourages those who work from home to limit their reliance on heating solutions by upgrading the insulation of their home – especially if they have built on a drafty workspace as a temporary fix during one of the hard lockdowns.

“Installing insulation is the best way to prevent heat loss in the winter and retain cool air in the summer. Be sure to install the correct insulation value to handle the heating and cooling requirements of your particular climate zone. Those in Johannesburg, Pretoria, or the Western Cape, for example, will need insulation that is at least 135mm thick. This lowers to 100mm in a humid climate such as KwaZulu-Natal,” Goslett explains.

How to work out what you pay for electricity

There are two costs you need to be prepared for when buying and using an electric heater – the cost of the heater and the cost of electricity.

Electricity is charged per kilowatt (kW) used per hour. 1 kilowatt is 1 000 watts. On the packaging and labelling on your heater you will find the watts the heater uses, for example 1 500W. If your appliance has only volts (V) or amps (A) listed on it ask the manufacturer or retailer how many watts the heater uses.

When you know the wattage your heater uses, multiply it by the cost of electricity and the time you use the heater for.

1Life shares the following estimate examples of what you can expect to pay when using different types of heaters.

Kilowatts used: Divide watts by 1 000

425 ÷ 1 000 = 0.425

Cost for 3 hours a day for 30 days: Multiply kW x cost per kW x hours x days

0.425 x 197.02 x 3 x 30 = 7536c or R75.36

It is important to note:

The more watts your heater uses, the higher the electricity cost.

Higher or warmer settings on heaters usually use more watts. Turning your heater up may give you more warmth but it could double your costs.

The more hours your heater is on the more watts it uses and the more you will pay for electricity.

Low wattage heaters cost less to run, but may not warm the room as much as you would like.

Remember, warm winter blankets and hot water bottles do a good job of keeping you warm. Use these more and heaters less to save electricity.

Beyond this, Goslett also encourages homeowners to conserve energy wherever they can. “Capitalise on any sunny days by hanging the washing out to dry so that you do not have to make use of a tumble drier. Before switching on a heater, put on additional layers of clothing or make use of a blanket. These small changes in habit could make a big difference when regularly applied to how we consume electricity in general.”

As a final word of advice, Goslett suggests that homeowners consider other forms of heating solutions that do not rely on electricity, such as a wood burning stove or an indoor fireplace. “Installing these could also add value to the property as these tend to be popular features among buyers,” he adds.

“No matter what energy-saving techniques you choose to implement, I encourage all homeowners to consider switching to more renewable energy solutions, such as solar power, or to reduce their electrical consumption in other ways. Not only will this take the strain off the national grid, but it will also lead to a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle which will create a better world for us all,” says Goslett.

Source: https://www.property24.com/articles/how-to-heat-your-home-on-a-budget-this-winter/31030?SourceFeed=News24&utm_source=news24.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=news24-article