Take care with record cold

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Take care with record cold

Opinions

Friday, 08 January 2010 19:00

It was a wintertime phrase immortalized in song, and maybe a bit cliché, “but baby, it's cold outside.”
Florida shivered during record cold temperatures during this week, and yet another blast of cold air is blanketing the Sunshine State this weekend. The highs for Central Florida are not forecasted to make it out of the 40s, with lows in the 30s. Yeah, you want to crank up the heat, who wouldn't? But we believe homeowners and renters have to do their part to make the best conservation efforts possible to avoid putting too much strain on the power system and therefore, be left in the cold.
According to media reports, both Progress Energy Florida and OUC, which both serve areas of Osceola County, reported power outages Thursday in Brevard and Volusia counties because of a spike in electricity demand.
Cold temperatures Thursday morning sent Kissimmee Utility Authority customer demand for electricity soaring to an all-time winter record. KUA responded to two outages on Thursday morning, both caused by overloaded equipment according to a press release. One outage affected 73 customers in Buenaventura Lakes; the other affected 14 customers along Smith Street. The utility offered these tips to customers for warmth and energy conservation. We think following such suggestions will leave residents warm and toasty.
• Keep the thermostat on your heating system at the lowest comfortable setting. KUA recommends setting the temperature at 68 degrees during the day. Each degree you raise your thermostat will cost you approximately 8 percent more.
• Cover bare floors. Carpeting adds to comfort and heat retention, especially if there is little or no floor insulation.
• Wear layers of clothing rather than one heavy piece. Layers efficiently trap body heat and provide greater comfort. Additionally, the layers can be removed to maintain comfort as the body warms.
Forecasts call for temperatures to climb back in the 70s next week. In the meantime, let's all do our part to conserve.