Chances are that if you live in South Africa, and it's 2019, You have experienced load shedding. In South Africa, forward-thinking customers have an uninterrupted power supply that will automatically kick in when the power goes out. With our country being what it is, with ageing power stations and incredible stress on the grid, we predict that it will get used on a regular basis. Here at BigWinUPS, in the wake of hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas and parts of the southern coast of the US, we came across some great information about how to prepare for power outages during hurricanes and thought that it would be a good idea to share some of our tips and tricks to make sure that you are prepared during load shedding. Suzelle DIY’s fabulous guide aside, here are BigWinUPS’s before, during and after load shedding tips.
The first thing to remember is that there is no such thing as being too prepared!
Before
Make sure you have a stash of emergency essentials ready to go:
Torch and batteries (that arent flat!). Get a couple of them and make sure that you put them in places that you can find in the dark. It may also be handy to get a hand crank torch which doesn't need batteries. At BigWInUPS, we have head torches (also super useful for braaing and camping!) and small torches on our keyrings.
Non-perishable foods: Keep a stash of tin foods that don't need to be refrigerated. Sometimes KOO is the best you can do!
Bottled water: Ask any Capetonian- keeping a few 5L bottles of water in your garage is a good idea. When they expire use in your car or pour in the pool- another thing Capetonians may be very familiar with!
Extra batteries. We cannot stress this enough. Get a big pack from Makro, and win again when you have torches that work, AND when the DSTV remote stops working and the sport is *just* about to start!
Charge your power bank. I think this one is something we do anyway because lots of us are waiting for our upgrade and have temporary landlines
Check your back up power systems. During load shedding, safety systems such as alarms and your TV need a way to stay powered, so consider investing in systems that have a battery back-up option.
Know how to operate your generator. With a generator, you can power up your home and business. However, they must be operated safely. Generators need to be used with adequate ventilation, also never plug your generator directly into wall sockets and always let it cool off before refuelling.
Get a UPS. Often this is the most expensive option but depending on your needs and budget, you can get a silent (you don't want to make the neighbours mad!) and environmentally friendly customized solution from running your entire house to just your TV and a few lights.
Download a load shedding schedule app: We love EskomSePush, which gives you daily updates and forecasts for potential power cuts. Also, check out our Facebook, we are power outage hawks!
During
Use torches, not candles. Nobody wants a fire too.
Keep the fridge door closed: use empty plastic bottles filled with water as a way to keep the fridge cool, and can be used as drinking water when it eventually melts!
Turn off appliances and switches that were on before the power went off. You don't want to be fast asleep and be woken up by the TV blaring at midnight after the power comes on!
Make sure you have a buddy system so that you know where everyone is if its dark
After
Throw out spoiled food
Wait a few minutes to turn everything back on
Restock your emergency supplies.
We hope these tips and tricks for load shedding and if you have any tips or tricks that you and your family use, let us know in the comments!
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