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Utility Reminds Customers about Home Heating Safety Tips

ORLANDO, Fla. – As the weather gets colder, OUC encourages customers to take time now to prepare before chilling temperatures hit Central Florida. In particular, OUC recommends customers focus on the following safety and energy saving tips:

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.
• To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, do not run any gasoline-powered generators in a garage or any other enclosed space.
• 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.

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: Open your curtains and blinds that face the sun on sunny days 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.

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.

At OUC, safety is our top priority. Should an outage occur, our crews are fully prepared and will work as quickly and safely as possible to restore power to everyone affected once conditions permit.

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About OUC—The Reliable One
For more than 100 years, OUC—The Reliable One has provided exceptional value to its customers and community through the delivery of sustainable and reliable services and solutions. The utility provides electric, water, chilled water, lighting and solar services to more than 400,000 accounts in Orlando, St. Cloud and parts of unincorporated Orange and Osceola counties. As OUC prepares for the next century, it remains committed to a goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 while supporting the Central Florida community with conservation, sustainability and energy efficiency resources. Visit www.ouc.com to learn more.