Between daily load shedding, water outages, and increasing utility bills – most South Africans have considered “going off the grid.” We asked some of our experts for the steps needed to start the off-grid process. These steps would not only benefit your utilities bill, but also the value of your home: energy efficiency has become a buzzword for house hunters. |
Step #1 - Find a source of power
This can be either gas, solar or battery.
Gas – bottled LPG gas is an affordable option and rather easy to implement. Any gas installation needs to be installed by a pro as a Certificate of Compliance needs to be issued on completion.
Solar – this is a form of renewable energy and a popular choice in South Africa thanks to our high solar concentration. Attempting a DIY solar-powered system is not recommended, and it is best to leave this to the pros.
Battery – although a popular option for restaurants and shopping centres, it is a very expensive source of power and not always viable for a homeowner. However, smaller battery backups for WiFi, TV and power cables are not exorbitant.
Step #2 - Find alternate sources of water
Water tanks – this water can be either grey water (water left over after bathing, washing clothes etc.) or rain water stored in a tank. Grey water can be pumped back in to flush toilets, while rainwater can be filtered and used for personal hygiene and washing dishes – and it is completely free.
Boreholes – this is the process of having your property’s underground water table surveyed and then drilling down into that water table. A borehole pump is then installed into your borehole which then pumps water from the water table either directly to your household plumbing or water storage tanks.
Step #3 - Plant a garden
Going off-grid is a HUGE step toward self-sufficiency, and you can take it further by growing your own fruit, vegetables and herbs. Don’t know where to start? Get one of our landscaping pros to get it started in your garden in the most optimal spot.
Suzette Meyer is the lead author and content creator for Kandua.com, South Africa’s #1 marketplace for home services. She researches and writes the Kandua Advice articles, Cost Guides, and the Kandua Email Newsletter, drawing on the expertise of Kandua’s base of over 40 000 pros across more than 100 services, and the data gathered from the 100 000+ home service projects facilitated through the platform.
Home improvement can be daunting, and it is often difficult to find out if you are paying a fair price for your products and services. Suzette has made it her mission to help homeowners with advice on all aspects of home repair, maintenance and improvement, including how to choose the right handyman and how to make smart upgrades that improve your resale value or save costs.
