Every year hundreds are lost in fires in our informal and formal settlements, especially in winter.

South Africa has seen a marked increase in the amount of home-based fires in and around the country. According to Eyewitness News, a total of 172 people have lost their lives due to fires with subsequent figures being nowhere near as close as this since 2005. Most of those informal settlements are in the Western Cape. 

With 1195 fires in 2021 and hundreds of lives lost due to negligence, raising awareness of the vital importance of fire safety has never been more crucial. Understanding all safety measures when using gas, paraffin, electricity, or candles is a preventative step to ensuring you keep both your investments and your family safe this winter.

Electricity - Safest option but not always available

Obviously, electricity is a safer option, but the real problem lies with access to it. Whether it be load shedding or poorly maintained grids, we are at the mercy of intermittent and unreliable power distribution for the foreseeable future. Power surges caused by the constant flipping on and off the of the substations means that your appliances, and your home by extension, may be at constant risk

Because of this, there are some important safety measures that you need to follow. Knowing that some people in both formal and informal settlements sometimes use small single or double plate stoves to warm up the house, there is added risk of a fire extending to other people's homes as well. Never use a stove as a heater. You are simply asking for a fire hazard.

Beyond this, practice good habits such as ensuring all unused appliances are switched off at the wall. Do not pull plugs out by the cord. Instead, ensure that you have a steady grip on the plastic cover before removing it. If you have children around the house, always cover the plugs and never leave electrical wires exposed.

Gas - always be aware of gas being used in your home

Most fires break out due to leakages or failures in the system. Always have your gas cylinders installed and maintained by a certified and qualified technician. A very specific and easily identifiable smell is added to LPG. If you smell gas, immediately turn off all gas supplies and open all doors and windows.

Always store your gas cylinders in a well-ventilated area and make sure it is away from any dry leaves or vegetation. Unvented gas heaters should not be used in small-enclosed areas like bedrooms due to the chances of carbon monoxide poisoning. 

Candles - a fire hazard

Using candles is never actually a preferred choice but we often have to use them during load-shedding. In areas that have limited access to electricity, this is the norm. As such, candles have become a source of many fire outbreaks in numerous informal settlements and have left a lot of people homeless.

When using candles always remember to keep burning candles away from curtains, decorations, and combustible materials and never leave them unattended. Blow them out if you leave the room.

Place burning candles in sturdy, non-flammable holders. Be careful around children, never leave them alone with a lit candle, and never allow them to move around with or handle a lit candle. 

Paraffin - Safe to handle - NOT child friendly

Parrafin is used for both stoves and heaters. The problem comes with handling and storage issues. Paraffin can be easily mistaken for water by anyone, especially children, so never store paraffin in bottles that can be mistaken for consumables. Always keep paraffin out of reach from children at all times.

Don’t forget to switch off the paraffin stove or lamp before you head to sleep. In fact, do not leave it unattended at all. Never mix paraffin with any other flammable liquid, especially petrol and always buy your paraffin from a reputable dealer. This is because impure paraffin can cause an increase in harmful emissions that could result in further health problems. 

Considering using gas? You can order your gas at Simsgas and have it delivered at the comfort of your own home.

Contact SimsGas and start enjoying the benefits of efficient, sustainable, and cost-saving LPG today.

We will deliver to your home or business, so order today!

Johannesburg Phone: 011 494 4232
Durban Phone: 031 902 6533
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Or fill in your gas supply query here: http://ow.ly/B7YH30mIb8h 

In this day and age, we know it is never a practical idea to have your household working solely on the grid due to our Loadshedding problems. Not to mention high electricity bills and the consideration of our environment which is increasingly becoming a concerning factor.

Realistically, we have very limited options to use to keep our homes warm. Using wood may seem like a good idea aesthetically yet it is not as practical as gas. To make our lives a little easier at a reasonable price, let's look at gas as the plan A and make electricity plan B and wood plan C. 

Gas is cheaper than Electricity

With everything becoming so expensive, electricity bills rising, and the arrival of winter, we are once again forced into the position where we have to tighten our belts for economic uncertainty. If you swap to using LPG, this may not be the case.

The fact of the matter is gas is far cheaper than electricity. As rates continue to increase, the only concern you will have is needing to refill your gas canister every so often.

On the other hand, South Africans understand all too well that one of our biggest issues is unexpected power cuts regardless of the season. Even your dinner plans could be disrupted at a moment's notice. With the added benefit of gas, you can continue cooking your meal and keeping the house warm regardless of the load shedding.

One of the other important aspects of using gas instead of electricity (and even wood in some cases) is that it's far more sustainable and better for the environment wholesale. This is because gas releases 60% less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere per capita.

We’ve worked out a price comparison for your convenience (Calculations use Rands per kilowatt - R/Kw.)

• Wood burning stoves/fireplaces – R0.80 – R1.00
• Gas fireplaces/heaters – R1.00 – R1.19
• Air-conditioners – R1.05 – R1.28
• Paraffin oil heaters or stoves – R1.25 – R1.65
• Electric heaters – R1.75 – R2.13

Moving from wood to gas

While comparatively similar in cost to using wood, gas has other benefits over the above which make it the preferred choice.

A gas fireplace means convenience first and a mess never. Forget the process of preparing wood and finding a place to store all these cumbersome logs and invest in a clean and sustainable gas fireplace. With gas, all you need to do is push an on or off button and enjoy your evening with your family without all that extra hassle.

Using gas is extremely safe. Especially if you are using it correctly! So the main priority is getting a proper installation done by a certified gas technician or distributor, having regular checks on your gas appliances, and refilling your gas cylinder by contacting us at SimsGas.  

Remember! It is important to buy your gas from a licensed gas provider, contact SimsGas now for a quote! 

Contact SimsGas and start enjoying the benefits of efficient, sustainable, and cost-saving LPG today.

We will deliver to your home or business, so order today!

Johannesburg Phone: 011 494 4232
Durban Phone: 031 902 6533
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Or fill in your gas supply query here: http://ow.ly/B7YH30mIb8h 

Most homes have 2 to 3 appliances that rely on gas, some even have more appliances due to load shedding. Having the third-hand experience of reading and hearing stories about houses or schools burning down from gas leakage, how sure are you that you don't have one yourself? 

SimsGas offers you not only approved gas but also vital tips for gas safety. Here are the signs and symptoms to look out for in case you have a gas leak in your home.

Signs to look out for when you have a leakage 

We usually say when there is a leakage you can tell by the smell, but do you know which smell to look out for? Well, gas suppliers have tried to make it a little easy for households to detect gas leakages by adding a chemical called Mercaptan to gas to give it a noticeable odour. This makes it easier to detect a gas leak in its early stages. If you notice an odour that resembles rotten eggs or sulphur contact your gas installer IMMEDIATELY.

Another sign is discoloured flames when you activate one of your stove plates. A gas furnace is engineered to produce a hot blue flame while it is activated. A yellow flame may indicate a ventilation issue with your appliance. When you are unsure about the colour of the flames, contact a professional to check if there is any major problem.  

The causes and solutions

Have your gas lines inspected on an annual basis. It is extremely common for the gas connection to become loose between a gas line and an appliance.

Another cause can be poor ventilation, as gas appliances are set up with ventilation fans and pipes to remove harmful carbon monoxide that is produced during the standard heating process. If your appliances are working properly the harmful gas will automatically be distributed by a fan and diverted to outdoor air. However, as your gas appliances reach the middle or end of their lifespan, the exhaust pipes may also become clogged and cause a gas leak.

The gas lines connected to your house need to be maintained every now and then as they also have a lifespan. The pipes may start to corrode and produce a gas leak if not preserved or replaced. So to ensure safety, get your gas line checked regularly to know if and when you need to replace them. 

Ways to prevent a gas leak in your house

Prevention is better than a cure! So start buying Carbon Monoxide Detectors and have them installed near each bedroom in your house. Detection of any trace amounts of this gas will result in the alarm going off, alerting everyone to get to safety as soon as possible.  

Another thing to consider - Do not start your car engine until the garage door is completely open because once a car engine ignites, carbon monoxide from the exhaust quickly fills up the room and can lead to quick suffocation. 

Remember it is important to buy your gas from a licensed gas provider, contact SimsGas now!

Contact SimsGas and start enjoying the benefits of efficient, sustainable, and cost-saving LPG today.

We will deliver to your home or business, so order today!

Johannesburg Phone: 011 494 4232
Durban Phone: 031 902 6533
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Or fill in your gas supply query here: http://ow.ly/B7YH30mIb8h 

Wintertime changes one's mood from spending time outdoors to spending the cold days tucked inside making heartwarming meals and sipping hot chocolate by the heater while binge-watching on your favourite series. Take a look at some meals we think would be perfect for a gas stove this frigid winter.

Old fashioned beef stew
Sundays are for home-cooked meals and much-needed family time.

Ingredients 

• ¼ cup flour
• ¼ tsp grounded pepper
• 1 Pound of beef meat, cut into cubes 
• 5 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar 
• 1 cup red wine
• 3 ½ cups beef broth 
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 chopped onion
• 5 peeled and cut carrots
• 2 peeled and cut potatoes
• 2 tsp salt  

Preparing 

• Mix your flour and pepper in a bowl, and add the beef to coat well. 
• Heat 3 teaspoons of oil in a large pot at medium heat. Add the beef pieces and cook till they brown on all sides
• Remove the beef and place aside, and add vinegar and wine to the pot. Cook over medium to high heat while scraping the browned bits from the cooked beef, add the beef back in, and beef broth with bay leaves. Let it boil and reduce the heat to simmer.
• Cooking until the beef is tender for about an hour, add the onions and carrots then simmer and cover. After 10 minutes add potatoes then let it simmer till the vegetables are tender for the next 30 minutes or more. All broth or water if the stew gets dry as the veggies tender.

Tripe (Mala mogodu/ulusu)

Something you not only keep you warm but the house warm when preparing 

Ingredients 

• 1 kg cleaned beef/mutton tribe 
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 2 Stock Cubes (any stock cubes of your choice) 
• 1 Green Pepper 
• 1 tsp Chilli salt and pepper
• Coarse salt and water for cleaning  
  
  

Preparing

• Even though you bought an already cleaned tribe, you may want to clean it again. Rub your tribe with coarse salt then, throw it in a pot with water to boil for 10-15 minutes. Then wash your tribe thoroughly in running cold water till you are happy with the texture, and chop it into tote size pieces to prepare for cooking.
• Add your tribe to a pot, season with your chilli salt and pepper, and fill the pot with enough water to boil for the next hour to tender.
• Add your onion, green pepper, and stock cubes. Allow to simmer for another 45 minutes, and keep your stove at medium heat. Keep checking and stir every 15 mins.
• Serve while it is still hot      

Creamy Garlic Prawns

Steamy, creamy prawns anyone?

• 25g butter 
• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 2 cloves of crushed garlic
• 1 tbsp plain flour 
• 1 cup mussel chicken liquid stock
• 2 tbsp white wine
• ½ cup of cream
• 750g peeled uncooked prawns 
• 1-2 tsp dry mustard powder 
• 1 tbsp coarsely chopped parsley
• Salt to season
  
  

Preparing 

• Heat butter and oil and add garlic to your frying pan at medium temperature, when the butter has melted add flour. Stir till the mixture is smooth and bubbles.
• Slowly add stock as you stir, making sure that your mixture is smooth and doesn't have lumps. Stir till the sauce thickens then add mustard with salt and pepper.
• Add your prawns. Stir and simmer for the next 5 minutes or more till the prawns are cooked. Add parsley and your meal is ready to be served. 

Order your gas now, so you don't run out while cooking. The early the better! 

Contact SimsGas and start enjoying the benefits of efficient, sustainable, and cost-saving LPG today.

We will deliver to your home or business, so order today!

Johannesburg Phone: 011 494 4232
Durban Phone: 031 902 6533
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Or fill in your gas supply query here: http://ow.ly/B7YH30mIb8h