It's no secret that blackouts and other power Despite the general frustrations, load shedding also has a disastrous effect on numerous electrical appliances, including refrigerators and freezers. Load-shedding has had a negative impact on us as both individuals and food businesses. outages are plaguing South African families due to widespread load shedding once again 1. Rotational load shedding severely reduces the life span of many electrical appliances.
Among the recent power outages, you may have already experienced the effects of a powerful surge on your appliances. Damage to refrigerators and freezers that no longer function correctly is one way this is expressed 2. As a result, food spoilage occurs at an increasing rate, resulting in food losses and hazards. As perishable food items spoil, we are compelled to restock, which may result in businesses incurring losses or an increase in household food insecurity.
Load shedding can strike unexpectedly, and Eskom's Twitter notifications may not give us much time to prepare. As a result, the dreaded affliction of rotational load shedding has now crept up on you, as the lights fade and electrical appliances shudder to a standstill. Given the threats that load shedding can pose to your electrical appliances, here are 4 considerations to help protect them 1:
- Unplug appliances1. When not in use, disconnect your appliances from the power source since a power surge cannot damage an unplugged appliance. This also has advantages in terms of energy conservation and safety. Unplug or turn off appliances during load shedding to protect them from damage if a surge occurs, since energy surges that damage appliances typically occur when power is restored.
- Install surge protectors1. While it is advisable to turn off all plugs prior to load shedding, this is not always possible. Electrical surges, commonly observed when power is restored, can damage appliances. To better protect your appliances, consider getting a surge protector for your electric mains board, as well as surge protector plug adaptors (or strips). Surge-resistant plugs are simple, inexpensive devices that can save you a lot of frustration in these dark times. These can help protect plugged-in appliances by simply plugging them into a power strip (plug adapter) with a built-in surge protector. However, certified electricians should install surge protectors on electrical wiring/DB boards. The surge protector diverts surplus energy into its grounding wire if the power levels exceed acceptable levels. Plugs ease the electrical load back into your appliances, mitigating the electrical surge received by your appliance.
- Invest in a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) 1. Load shedding has a severe impact on productivity, as many of us now rely on the internet for work. A UPS is a viable solution for equipment such as your router, modem, and access points, letting you to continue functioning even when load-shedding occurs. With a UPS, you can also safely shut down and disconnect your appliances when the power goes off, protecting your devices from power surges 3.
- Check your insurance policies 1. Alright, so this one can be a little tricky. Despite your best attempts, appliances will occasionally "die" due to power outages.
- Citiq Prepaid advised keeping up-to-date home insurance as a safety net in case of unexpected damage 1. To avoid losses, they advise checking your insurance policy for coverage for power surge damage and to consult with your brokers about the possible consequences of power outages.
- According to King Price insurance 3, appliance damage caused by load-shedding power surges should be claimed from your municipality rather than your insurance company. Depending on the terms of your policy, you may be able to make a claim from your insurer for damages connected to the contents of your refrigerator and freezer.
Food deterioration claims have increased due to damaged fridges and freezers that cause food to defrost or spoil before planned consumption 4. While your fridge and freezer should be fine without power for load shedding time periods, some stand to lose a lot if the outage lasts longer or kills their appliances.
Trying to stay ahead of the load-shedding schedule can be a productivity lifesaver. This includes charging your laptop in advance, using surge protectors on your appliances, and having frozen gel packs on standby. Lastly, if you work in a potentially affected industry, check in on your team to see who will be affected and when, so you can divide and conquer avoiding excess efficiency losses in the day.
References
- Citiq Prepaid. (n.d.). 5 ways to protect your appliances against electrical surges during load shedding. Retrieved November 24, 2021, from https://www.citiqprepaid.co.za/5-ways-to-protect-your-appliances-against-electrical-surges-during-load-shedding/
- Machaba, N. (2021, November 19). Load-shedding affects business | Mpumalanga News. https://mpumalanganews.co.za/403660/load-shedding-affects-business/
- King Price. (2019). Insurance and load-shedding: what you need to know - COVER Magazine. Cover. https://cover.co.za/insurance-and-load-shedding-what-you-need-to-know/
- Caboz, J. (2020, February). Load shedding is ruining TVs, monitors, routers - and food. Business Insider SA. https://www.businessinsider.co.za/santam-king-price-outsurance-pineapple-king-price-dialdirect-say-load-shedding-is-ruining-tvs-monitors-and-routers-with-insurers-hit-by-a-rise-in-claims-2020-2
By Jesse Kelfkens
