Load shedding remains a tough reality for many South African households, particularly in Gauteng. While these planned power outages help manage the national grid, they often trigger electrical surges when electricity is restored. These sudden voltage spikes can cause significant damage to your appliances and electronic devices. Understanding how to protect your appliances during these periods is essential for every homeowner.
Here are practical and expert-backed tips on how to shield your appliances from power surges during load shedding and avoid costly repairs.
What Causes Power Surges and How to Protect Your Appliances From Power Surges During Load Shedding
Power surges typically arise when the electricity supply is abruptly cut and then switched back on. During load shedding, Eskom disconnects power in certain areas to balance demand, and when the electricity returns, sudden voltage spikes can occur. These surges overload electrical circuits and can damage the delicate internal components of your appliances.
Eskom’s official fact sheet on surge protection notes that such spikes are “one of the most common causes of damage to household appliances.”
Proven Ways to Protect Your Appliances From Power Surges
1. Unplug Your Appliances During Load Shedding to Protect Them From Power Surges
One of the simplest and most effective ways to safeguard your appliances is to unplug them when the power goes out. Physically disconnecting devices cuts off electricity completely, preventing any potential surge damage when the power comes back on.
OUTsurance advises, “Switch off your appliances at the wall during load shedding or a power outage and manually switch back on when the power is back.”
2. Install Surge Protection Devices (SPDs) for Whole-Home Protection
Surge Protection Devices fitted at your main distribution board (DB) serve as a frontline defence, absorbing voltage spikes before they reach your appliances. Eskom recommends having SPDs installed by a qualified electrician to shield your entire home from sudden surges.
OUTsurance also emphasises that “installing a power surge protector to your DB Board offers a higher level of protection and covers all appliances connected to the DB box”.
3. Use Surge-Protected Power Strips to Protect Your Appliances From Power Surges Individually
For an affordable layer of protection, use power strips that have built-in surge protectors. These are ideal for safeguarding specific high-value electronics such as computers, TVs, and entertainment systems. When selecting these strips, look for products with higher joule ratings, which indicate their ability to absorb larger energy surges.
Citiq Prepaid notes that “the quickest and least expensive solution for protecting appliances is plugging them into a power strip with a built-in surge protector”.
4. Consider an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) to Shield Sensitive Devices
A UPS not only provides backup power during outages but also filters out power surges, making it ideal for protecting sensitive electronics such as computers and modems. Although more costly than power strips, a UPS delivers dual benefits: continuous power and surge protection, which is especially useful for home offices or remote work setups.
5. Check Your Insurance Policy for Coverage Against Power Surge Damage
It’s important to verify whether your home insurance covers damage caused by electrical surges. Given the rise in claims related to load shedding surge damage, insurers like OUTsurance urge homeowners to confirm that their policies include such protections.
Take Proactive Steps to Protect Your Appliances From Power Surges
Understanding how to protect your appliances from power surges during load shedding isn’t just about avoiding repair bills—it’s about preserving the comfort and convenience of your home. The sudden failure of essential appliances like fridges, televisions, or washing machines can be both disruptive and costly.
By unplugging devices during outages, investing in whole-home surge protection devices, using surge-protected power strips, considering UPS systems, and reviewing your insurance coverage, you can significantly reduce the risk of damage caused by electrical surges.
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