Few things are more frustrating than watching prepaid tokens evaporate. The good news: the cause is almost always a handful of usual suspects — and sometimes a fault you can fix. Here is where your power is really going.
The big one: your geyser
The geyser is typically 30–40% of a household's electricity. A healthy geyser is bad enough; a faulty one is worse. A stuck thermostat that never switches off, a perished element, or a hot-water leak can burn power around the clock. The single best test: switch the geyser off for a day and watch your usage drop.
The other heavy hitters
- Space heaters and oil heaters in winter
- Tumble dryers
- Pool pumps running too many hours
- Old, failing fridges and freezers
- Kettles (small, but constant)
When it is a fault, not a habit
If your usage jumped suddenly with no change in lifestyle, suspect a fault: a stuck geyser thermostat, an earth fault leaking current, or a failing element. An electrician can meter individual circuits to pinpoint the culprit rather than you guessing — see fault finding.
How to cut it for good
Target the geyser first: a GeyserWise controller heats only around your routine (25–35% saving), and a solar geyser or heat pump cuts far more. Add a geyser blanket and switch old downlights to LED conversion. Ask us to find your power drain.