Money-saving tips that will keep you warm this winter

TimesLIVE

9 hours ago

Smart home systems can help you monitor your home appliances, how much power they draw and when they should best be used
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With temperatures dropping and electricity bills on the rise, one of the surest ways to tell winter is here is your bank account. Recent studies have found that household consumption can spike by at least 20% in colder months due to heating alone.
Engineering executive at CBI-electric: low voltage, Dr Andrew Dickson, says Eskom's 12.74% tariff increase means that the average family cold pay an extra R300 per month. To help households stay warm without burning through their budget, he offers 10 smart home tech tips:
1. UNDERSTAND YOUR ENERGY HABITS
If you don't know how much electricity your appliances are using, you won't know where to cut back. Take an oil heater, for example. Running a 2,000W heater for eight hours a night could use up to 16 kWh per day, costing around R260 a week at current rates. Over three months, that's more than R3,000 for just one room. Smart devices help track usage so you can cut back where it counts.
2. AVOID ENERGY OVERLOAD
Some smart home systems offer load management, which ensures that only one high-energy appliance runs at a time, reducing the peak demand. Smart automation can stagger appliance use, ensuring each runs at optimal times without straining the system.
3. SET SMART TIME LIMITS
Users can specify the operating duration of appliances, like running the geyser for only two hours to save electricity while ensuring a hot bath.
4. TIME IT RIGHT
Smart home technologies give users the ability to schedule when appliances turn on or off.
5. CURB THE WINTER SPIKE
Even with flat rates, household consumption climbs during winter as heaters, underfloor systems and electric blankets work overtime. Smart home devices can help by setting on/off schedules and limiting how long appliances run.
6. LET THE WEATHER DECIDE
Smart home technologies can respond to real-time environmental conditions, such as temperature drops, reduced daylight or even changes in humidity, to automatically control appliances. For instance, if the sun sets earlier on a gloomy winter afternoon, lights can be set to turn on.
7. CONTROL ENERGY FROM ANYWHERE:
Worried you left a device switched on? Smart home technologies allow users to turn connected appliances off with their smartphone and/or tablet from anywhere in the world.
8. STOP PAYING FOR SLEEP MODE:
When in standby mode, electronic goods like microwaves, computers, televisions and coffee machines can consume even more electricity than when they are in use, as they are often only active for relatively short periods. While the obvious solution would be to unplug all non-essential appliances when inactive, smart home tech lets users switch off any items that are pulling power unnecessarily.
9. SAFEGUARD YOUR SOLAR INVESTMENT:
As more South Africans invest in rooftop solar, not only for backup but to reduce reliance on the grid and cushion the impact of rising electricity costs, smart home technology can play a role in protecting that investment. Smart power indicators, for example, help solar PV users manage energy more effectively when grid power is unavailable, by disconnecting non-essential appliances and preserving battery life until the system recharges. They can also automate other smart devices to keep essential infrastructure, such as security systems, operational. By allowing users to switch off high-consumption appliances such as geysers and pool pumps, smart indicators help prevent system overload and extend battery performance.
10. PROTECT YOUR APPLIANCES:
Even though load-shedding has largely eased, occasional voltage fluctuations and power surges still pose a risk to household appliances, especially in areas with ageing infrastructure or after storms. Smart home technologies can help protect your devices by allowing you to set a safe operating voltage range. If the voltage falls outside this range, the system can automatically switch off the flow of electricity until it stabilises, reducing the risk of damage to costly items like fridges, TVs and Wi-Fi routers.