ORLANDO, Fla. — Now is the time for homeowners to start cold weather preparations, according to staff at the Orlando Utilities Commission.
What You Need To Know
- As temperatures drop in Central Florida this week, homeowners are being advised to prepare their homes for cold weather
- Staff at Orlando Utilities Commission recommend covering exposed pipes outside and maintaining a water drip
- Space heaters and electric blankets should be turned off before residents go to sleep, an OUC official says
- Keeping garage doors lowered, and opening blinds in the daytime to let sunlight in homes also can help warm residences
A homeowner in Orlando’s Conway neighborhood said he is preparing his backyard to try to ensure the pipes don’t crack and also plans to leave on the pool fountains.
“I just take a look at the weather app, maybe like two weeks in advance, just to gauge it, and if it looks alarming, we can address it as it comes,” Joe Fister said.
Fister is a Florida native who said he will take advantage of the cold temperatures this weekend by using his fire pit and outdoor patio heater.
“Doesn’t really get too cold in Florida too often, so even though it’s kind of alarming, you gotta appreciate it when it happens,” he said.
OUC Supervisor of Sustainability Dave Mayer said anyone using space heaters or electric blankets should use them efficiently and unplug them before going to sleep.
“If you’re using a space heater, ensure that there’s a nice 3-foot buffer around that space heater,” Mayer said. “Don’t have it on carpet. Don’t have it near the wall.”
He also advises not to use kitchen appliances to keep the room warm.
“Don’t use your stove, oven or grill to heat inside your home,” Mayer said. “Not only is it a fire risk and a burn hazard, but some gases can be released, too, that are dangerous for you as well.”
OUC staff shared other tips, such as covering exposed pipes outdoors and keeping a slight trickle of water in pipes in case temperatures drop below 32 degrees.
If you have a garage, keep the doors down because that will conserve heat from inside your home.
Homeowners can conserve energy by setting the thermostat on their heating systems at 68 degrees or lower, turning the direction of the ceiling fan to clockwise, changing the air-conditioning filter, and opening the blinds to let natural light in.
“During the day when we’re getting that nice, warm sunlight coming in our east- and west-facing windows, make sure to keep those windows open so you get that natural sunlight and that heat coming in,” Mayer said. “But at night, make sure you’re closing your blinds, your drapes, to retain that heat inside your home.”
Additional information can be found on the OUC cold weather website, Mayer said.
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