Ngaphandle ukuthuthukiswa oyisazi samakhemikhali ezinto eziphilayo ebandleni bekungekhe kukghonakale emisha sína imithi emkhakheni kwemithi. Ngenxa yalokho, odokotela kuzofuneka ukuthi namanje zisebenzisa izindlela zokuhlola ekwelapheni izifo ezihlukahlukene. Also bear in mind that power cuts are more likely in winter either because high winds blow trees across power lines or increased demand puts strain on electrical infrastructure. These are much easier to deal with if you’ve got working torches and batteries in the house. Rechargeable solar LED lights are also a good idea, as long as you make sure they’re charged. A skottelbraai or gas-fuelled camping set are quick to set up and easy to cook on when the power goes out, but entirely useless if you’ve run out of gas. Check. If you bought a generator or an uninterrupted power supply system during the days of load-shedding, test them to make sure they still work. PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE All the handymen agreed that preventing problems is always less expensive than fixing them afterwards. You can do most preventative maintenance yourself at little or no cost, although it’s best to get professional help if you’re unsure how to go about it or don’t have the right tools. Simple maintenance includes