With May being South Africa’s Energy Month, the City of Cape Town has requested that geyser owners turn them down to 60°C. According to the City, doing so will help to reduce the evening peak and will also decrease the monthly electricity bill.
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According to the City, residents can help conserve energy at no cost at all by doing the following:
Turn your geyser down to 60°C
Your hot water electricity bill will be reduced by 5% if you reduce the temperature of your geyser from 70°C to 60°C. 55°C is a good option in some cases, but not below that for health reasons.
Use less hot water
- Allow the hot water to run only when necessary.
- Instead of hot water, wash your hands with cold water.
- When washing, use a sink plug.
- Instead of bathing, take a shower. If you take a short shower, you will save up to 80% on water and use five times less electricity than heating bath water.
Switch off your geyser when you go away for a few days or more
The element heats up a few times a day if you leave it on. When you get back, give the geyser a couple of hours to heat up again.
Switch your geyser off during peak hours
Less demand on the national electrical grid helps reduce the risk of load shedding. During the winter months, peak demand comes in the morning from 6am to 8am and in the evening from 5pm to 9pm. In the summer months, demand stays high all day long between those peaks (mostly from air conditioning).
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Picture: Unsplash
