ORLANDO, Fla. — As the weather gets colder, OUC encourages customers to prepare now before chilling temperatures hit Central Florida.
In particular, OUC recommends customers focus on the following safety and energy-saving tips:
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Winter safety tips:
- Never use the stove or oven to heat your home.
- Keep portable heaters at least three feet away from furniture, bedding, walls, clothing, and other flammable items.
- Do not run gasoline-powered generators in a garage or other enclosed space to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using an electric blanket to keep warm.
- Never tuck in an electric blanket if you use it on your bed.
- A slightly open faucet can prevent pipes from freezing.
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Winter energy-saving tips to lower your bill:
- Lower your thermostat: Home heating is the largest user of energy and offers the greatest opportunity for savings.
- Lowering the thermostat by just one degree can reduce your heating bill by up to 3%.
- Turn the heater down or off when no one is home.
- Use your blinds: On sunny days, open your curtains and blinds that face the sun to warm your home, and close them at night to keep the warm air inside.
- Set the thermostat fan to auto and replace dirty filters.
- Check under doors and around windows for cool air coming in, and seal these areas. Caulk gaps in windows and door frames and add insulation to reduce heating costs.
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Stay connected:
- Register for outage alerts (English and Spanish) to report outages and receive information on restoration times, crew locations, and more.
- Sign up by texting REG to 69682 or visiting OUC.com/alerts. Alerts are available in English and Spanish.
- Follow OUC on Facebook and X for the latest news.
- Report an outage and receive updates by texting OUT to 69682.
- To report an outage by phone, call (407) 423-9018.
- Visit OUC’s Outage Map for the latest information.
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