As we brace ourselves for a potentially icy winter, millions of South Africans are preparing for the possibility of up to 16 hours of daily loadshedding in the months ahead. With many of us turning to alternative heating sources such as gas, paraffin heaters and open fires, safety becomes paramount to prevent becoming part of South Africa’s winter home fire statistics.
While power surges and related fires are often a concern, they only account for 8.2% of King Price’s fire claims from October 2019 to March 2023. Home heating, on the other hand, emerges as 1 of the leading causes of house fires, particularly if you’re not vigilant about how you warm your home. So, how can you ensure a warm and safe winter? We spoke to Wynand van Vuuren, our client experience partner at King Price Insurance, for some valuable insights.
5 tips for keeping warm and safe in winter:
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Retain heat at home
Your first step to safety is retaining as much warmth as possible. Keep your curtains shut and ensure all windows are tightly closed. Close the doors to rooms that are not in use, and seal door cracks with rolled-up towels.
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Inspect your heat sources
All heating equipment could pose a risk if not properly maintained. Check that your gas heater’s pipes are secure and maintain at least a 1m distance from anything that can burn. Use only 1 heat-producing appliance per outlet and plug power cables directly into wall sockets instead of extension cords.
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Manage your lights, plugs, and surges
Try to avoid using candles for lighting. In case of a power outage, resort to flashlights or LED lights, or consider investing in rechargeable bulbs. Implementing surge protection at all plug points can protect your appliances from being damaged by power surges post-loadshedding.
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Ensure generator safety
Never operate a generator indoors, in a garage, or shed, even if doors and windows are open. Carbon monoxide poisoning claims numerous lives each year. “Don’t just purchase a generator from your local hardware store and plug an extension cord into a wall socket. That’s back-feeding and it’s risky,” warns Van Vuuren. “All generators and alternative power sources must be professionally installed by an electrician to avoid potential fires and appliance damage.” Always insist on a certificate of compliance from the electrician installing your generator, inverter, or solar system.
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Review your insurance cover
It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Ensure that your buildings and home contents are appropriately covered. This includes insuring your home contents for their current replacement value, not their purchase price. Here’s a useful home contents inventory to help you evaluate your possessions correctly. As for your buildings, make sure your insurance cover is sufficient to rebuild your home, including all fixed fittings, from the ground up if necessary.
You can read more about insurance for your buildings at home here, and about insurance for your home contents here. We’ve even made a handy check list so that you can value your home contents correctly to ensure that you’re not under-insured. You find it here.
And, you can click here or WhatsApp us on 0860 50 50 50 for a commitment-free quote to insure your home and its contents.
