Sick and tired of sitting in the dark? We don’t blame you.

But before you decide to go off-grid and leave Eskom happily behind you, you need to do your homework.

It’s best not to just rush out and buy a generator or install solar panels before making sure your solution is fit-for-purpose, affordable to run, and that it doesn’t break any laws or regulations.

There’s been a noticeable increase in enquiries about finance for standby or backup power systems in the wake of ongoing loadshedding, says head of financial education at DirectAxis, Shafeeqah Isaacs. But there are some important considerations before taking the plunge.

For a start, you should ask yourself if you want to go completely off-grid or if you just need to run some lights and maybe a television when the power goes out.

“The experts agree that no matter the generation option you decide on, the more electricity you need or want to generate the higher the upfront cost. That’s why it makes sense to make sure you’re using electricity as efficiently as possible and to potentially look at incrementally becoming power-independent rather than trying to go big bang all at once,” Shafeeqah says.

A quick, easy solution that most people think about is generators. Prices range from around R2 000 to R30 000 and more, so you’ll need to carefully consider your requirements.

You don’t want to rush out and buy something that delivers more power than you really need or waste money on a generator that doesn’t produce sufficient power for your needs.

These are some of the questions you should be asking, Shafeeqah says:

• Do the manufacturers guidelines/ specifications match your requirements? Overloading could affect performance, shorten the life of the generator or damage it.
• Is the generator approved for use in South African conditions?
• What does it cost to run and maintain?
• Where will you install it? Generators can be noisy and need to be well ventilated.
• Are there any installation costs?
• Does installing a generator break any conditions in your household insurance policy?

You also need to make sure you aren’t breaking the law. The two main things to consider here are installation and noise.

Standby generators, used to run a few appliances while the power is out, generally don’t need to be wired into the household circuit and consequently don’t need to be installed by a professional electrician.

Backup generators, which are wired into a household circuit and kick in when the mains power goes down, do need to be installed by a professional and must not break any municipal bylaws, which differ between municipalities.

Depending on where you live, you will need to make sure your generator does not make more noise than is allowed, or a complaint from a neighbour could land you with a fine or worse.

Another increasingly popular solution is solar or photovoltaic systems, both as a way to keep the lights on and to reduce escalating electricity costs. As the technology improves, solar is becoming more efficient and cost-effective.

Again, there are a variety of options available, depending on your needs. These vary from relatively simple, affordable options that will provide light when Eskom throws the switch to very fancy systems, with panels that track the sun and will power most appliances in a large household.

Depending on how much power you require, solar systems range from just over R60 000 for a system that produces 2kW per day to around R200 000 for one that generates 10kW a day.

One thing you need to keep in mind with solar is that the batteries used to store the energy don’t last forever and need to be replaced. This can cost as much as half of the initial outlay.

Before installing a photovoltaic system, it’s also important to make sure you’re not contravening any regulations. For example, the City of Cape Town requires all systems to be registered otherwise they could face a fine.

There are also other options, Shafeeqah says, including uninterrupted power systems (UPS) that will run some essential equipment for a while. Again, prices vary, but you should be able to find one for around R1 000.

And let’s not forget we need to find ways to save electricity – and therefore on costs – when the power is actually on. For example, you should unplug your non-essential appliances, as they can still draw current while on standby mode, and fit a geyser blanket to stop precious heat from escaping.

You might also want to fit a power surge protector. When current is restored after a cut, electrical surges can damage your appliances, resulting in costly repairs or replacements.