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Is loadshedding costing you money?
How to protect your electrical items from the damage of loadshedding
Power outages cause power surges. And power surges can wreak havoc with your electronic devices. This means not only appliances and IT devices, it also means security systems and gate motors.
So, what are power surges?
When the electricity flow is interrupted and then starts up again, a brief surge of additional current is released. This is usually many thousands of amps more than your electrical circuit is designed for. So a single spike in power can damage or even burn out an electrical system.
In other words, when the power goes off and then on again, power surges can occur – which is why frequent power outages put your devices and appliances at much higher risk.
With load-shedding a thing of the present and the foreseeable future in South Africa, it’s time for us to be more pro-active about guarding our appliances and other installations that run off electricity. Either you invest in protective equipment or spend a fortune replacing item after item as they become damaged by power outages.
10 tips for guarding against the destruction of power outages
- To start with, household content insurance policies usually cover for lightening damage but not for power surges caused by outages – you should check your policy and ensure you have extra cover for this.
- Unplug all electronic devices when the power goes down so that when it comes back on they will be protected against sudden surges.
- Keep kitchen appliances such as microwave and kettle unplugged at times when you’re not using them.
- Invest in a surge protector. But first call a professional in to advise where you will best benefit from surge protection.
- Alarm systems should be checked regularly to see if they work, especially when there are frequent power outages.
- Ensure your back-up batteries for alarms and electric fencing are in good order – the more power outages there are, the more frequently these batteries get used and the sooner they need to be replaced.
- Your property is more vulnerable during load-shedding and the criminals know this – be extra alert during power outages for suspicious activities especially when arriving or leaving the property after dark.
- Install solar or battery operated lights and use during power outages – ensure that these are kept in good condition and that the batteries are recharged.
- Keep a torch in your car so that you can use it if you arrive home in the dark during load-shedding and you need to open your perimeter gate manually.
- Invest in an uninterruptible power source (UPS) especially if you’re running computers and smart TVs - it gives you around five to seven minutes of power for you to save all your work and shut down properly.
At 6th Sense we will come out and check where you are vulnerable to power surges. We will also check your security system to ensure it’s still in good running order and that your back-up batteries still have decent power. For a consultation with one of our reputable consultants call 082 501 5488 or visit us at www.6thsensesecurity.co.za.
