Just in case you did not know these basics, here is a quick reminder from Barry Bredenkamp, Energy Efficiency & Corporate Communications for SANEDI

Rethink your lighting

While turning off lights when you leave a room is a great habit, what about changing the lights themselves? Newer lighting technology such as LEDs have proved to be vastly more energy efficient than older bulbs.

Be cautious of how you cook

Microwaves sometimes have a bad reputation, but in fact they cook food quickly and more efficiently than a traditional oven – especially if your oven is more than five years old. Consider using your microwave rather than your oven or even better - bring out the braai!

Use your water appliances wisely

If you have a dishwasher, use it. Handwashing a 12-piece dinner service by hand requires 2.5 kWh of electricity and 103 litres of water. The same load in a dishwasher will use only 1.05 kWh of electricity and 12 litres of water, while taking a fraction of the time.

When it comes to washing of clothes, use a 40°C wash cycle rather than 60°C. This offers a 30% electricity saving. Even better, you can save another 20% of power by skipping the pre-wash cycle and letting clothes dry naturally rather than tumble drying them.

Keep that fridge cold

There’s a lot you can do to ensure your fridge is running optimally, thereby reducing your household energy consumption. Importantly, the seals of fridges and freezers must work properly to ensure no warm air gets in and your appliance doesn’t have to work overtime to stay cool. Also, remember to defrost your freezer regularly, as ice build-up prevents the freezer from operating efficiently. Try and limit opening and closing the fridge too often.

Think before you buy

Home appliances are ever-improving as manufacturers strive to play their part in combatting climate change. Added to that, minimum energy performance standards and associated labelling help consumers make better purchasing decisions. When purchasing new appliances, ensure that they carry the Energy Efficiency label, preferably with an A-rating.