Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa September 2013 | Page 34

SMART MOVES
rands a month to energy bills, are usually used
to replace this lost heat in the winter.
Eskom says that insulating a ceiling using
blanket insulation can make a home up to 5°C
warmer in winter and 10°C cooler in summer,
dramatically cutting the cost of heating and
cooling. Blanket insulation, like a solarpowered geyser, will also pay for itself over
time. Depending on the size of a home, at a
cost of around R60m2, including installation,
it would probably take insulation in the region
of two years to pay for itself. After that,
homeowners or tenants will save thousands of
rands in heating and cooling.
Replacing traditional incandescent light bulbs
with energy-saving light bulbs can also lead to
great savings over time. The most common
energy-saving bulbs are compact f luorescent
lamps (CFLs), ha logen bulbs and light
emitting diode lights (LEDs). LEDs are the
most energy-efficient and most durable option,
using 90% less energy than CFLs and lasting
up to 20 years. They are, however, also the most
expensive option: a standard LED candle bulb
costs in the region of R150.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are
up to 75% more effective than incandescent
bulbs and last 8-10 times longer. Replacing
incandescent bulbs with fluorescent bulbs in an
area where lighting is required for long periods
of time can save R152 a year, according to
Eskom’s calculations.
You can reduce power bills by reducing hot
water usage, too. The American Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that
letting a hot water tap run for five minutes uses
as much energy as it takes to light a 60-watt
lightbulb for 14 hours. Showering and bathing
use the most hot water in the average home, so
the bathroom is the best place to start when it
comes to reducing the energy you expend on
heating water.
A low-f low showerhead is an inexpensive
water saver that is easy to install. The amount
of water used is reduced either through aeration
or by reducing the size of the individual streams
of water, meaning less water has to be heated.
Fitting a low-f low showerhead can save in
the region of R110 a year. To do so you need
to unscrew the old showerhead, thread a new
32

September 2013 SA Real Estate Investor

rubber washer onto the shower head
mount, and screw in the new lowflow shower head.
L ow-f low show erhe a d s a re
a v a i l a bl e at mo s t b at h r o om
equipment and DIY shops and
cost bet ween R100 and R800,
depending on their features and the
materials they’re made from.
Another major source of domestic
water use is toilet flushing. While
this doesn’t contribute to your
energy bill, it does contribute to
your water bill – and your carbon
footprint. Older toilet cisterns hold
9-12 litres of water, while modern
toilet cisterns hold about six litres,
meaning you stand to save more
water if you have an older toilet.
Converting your toilet to a dualflush (long and short flush options)
or multi-flush (flushes as long as you
hold the handle down) can result in
savings of up to 20% on your water
bill, according to sectional title
expert Rob Paddock.
Installing a dual f lush system
costs in the region of R1 500, while
converting your toilet to a multif lush system is quite simple and
inexpensive as an existing toilet can
be retrofitted at a cost of between
R100 and R450.
A very inexpensive alternative
is to place a bottle or bag that
displaces water in your cistern. You
will save the amount of water the
bottle or bag displaces.
These seemingly small amounts
add up over time and, combined
with savings from solar-powered
water heating and ceiling
insulation, can add signif icant
value to an investment property,
p ay i n g of f h a nd s ome ly b ot h
in cost savings and a dramatic
increase in perceived value.

RESOURCES
Sotheby’s Realty

www.reimag.co.za