As temperatures have dropped below freezing several times in recent days and are expected to do so again in the coming week, local utilities are offering tips to consumers on heating their homes safely and on ways to keep their electricity bills from skyrocketing.

Cold temperatures have caused higher electricity usage in the area serviced by the Kissimmee Utility Authority. The utility reported a peak usage of 300.3 megawatts at about 7:07 a.m. Wednesday, just shy of the previous winter record of 301.2, set Jan. 22 last year.

KUA spokesman Chris Gent said consumers usually use the most electricity during the winter at around 7 a.m. because a lot of people are home cranking up the heat as they wake up. The heating systems at businesses and schools also are turned on at around that time, in preparation for incoming customers, employees and students.

The cold also increased the potential for wildfires in Central Florida, as plants, grass and weeds died in the freezing temperatures and because of the very dry air forecast for the area, prompting a red flag warning for many counties, including Osceola County.

Floridians should be aware of their potentially high electricity bills during the winter, given that most Florida homes use electricity-based systems as opposed to oil or natural gas, like many houses farther north, Gent said.

The key, according to Gent, is to keep the thermostat set to 68 degrees, being aware that every degree above that will cost 8 percent more in electricity.

“People say, ‘That’s cold in my home,’” Gent said. “You need to dress (weather appropriate) inside your house. You’re not going to be wearing your shorts and bare feet.”

Aside from wearing warmer clothing, wearing layers of clothing also will help trap body heat.

There are several other tricks to keeping your house warm without racking up a high electricity bill. First, reversing the direction of ceiling fans so that they push air up will help keep the warmer air that rises circulated around the room.

“It forces warmer air into the living space,” Gent said. “Most of the hot air in a room is at the top (at) the ceiling.”

Residents also should be aware that heat and moisture from bathing and cooking can help heat the home and that they should avoid using exhaust fans that would otherwise vent that air away. Consumers who use heat pumps should set the thermostat at a constant setting and leave it there to conserve energy, remembering to keep drapes and furniture from blocking air registers or returns.

Finally, covering bare floors helps retain heat in a home.

Gent said consumers should be wary of the potential danger of space heaters to warm individual rooms in their houses. The heaters should only be used to heat a small area and should be shut off before everyone goes to bed, Gent said. Keep them away from curtains, furniture, newspapers or other combustible materials, including rugs. These appliances also should be plugged directly into the electrical outlet instead of into an extension cord. Finally, keep the portable heaters away from areas where children play or where people might trip over or bump into them.

Some portable space heaters have been subject to product recalls. Check your brand and model number and visit www.cpsc.gov for possible information on your heater. When buying a new heater, choose a model that is thermostatically controlled.

More tips

Other cold weather safety and conservation tips, as provided by the American Red Cross and KUA, include:

• Never use the stove or oven to heat your home.

• Make sure any indoor heaters, like wood stoves or kerosene heaters, have adequate ventilation to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.

• Make sure the flue of your fireplace is working properly and remains closed when the fireplace is not in use.

• Close off any rooms that aren’t in use and close heat vents or turn off radiators in those rooms.

• Insulate your light switches and outlet plates with foam pads. Cold air can seep into the house through them.

• Use heavy curtains to keep cold air out, opening them during the day to let the sun help warm your home.

• Use fabric snakes or old carpets in front of windows and doors to help eliminate drafts.