Joburg winters are cold but dry — bright days, sharp nights, the odd cold snap. A few small habits now save you money and hassle later. Here are the three that matter most.
Your geyser is winter's big spender
Set the thermostat to around 55–60°C and, if you have a timer, heat around your shower times rather than 24/7 — it's the single biggest saving. Keep showers short and fix a dripping hot tap quickly. And watch for warning signs: rusty water, knocking, a damp patch, or an isolator that keeps tripping. Tell us straight away — the geyser is ours to maintain, and a small valve caught now beats a burst later.
Heat the room without the risk
Plug electric heaters straight into a wall socket — never a multiplug — and keep them a metre clear of curtains and beds, switched off when you sleep or leave the room. Run gas heaters only with a window cracked, and never overnight. Skip paraffin heaters indoors, and never use the stove or oven to warm a room — that's a carbon-monoxide risk.
The truth about load shedding this winter
Good news first: national load shedding has been suspended for over 300 days, and Eskom expects the grid to hold through winter. Two caveats — a return to cuts isn't impossible if the grid comes under strain (it would be announced first), and parts of Gauteng still see short, localised load reduction at the morning and evening peaks. So a power-off isn't always load shedding: check your prepaid balance and trip switch first, and keep a power bank and a torch handy.
Renting with us already? Just reply to your latest Amatle email to report anything that needs attention this winter.