JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Now is the time to prepare for the expected freeze happening across the First Coast this week.
First Coast News is On Your Side with hot tips from JEA on staying warm in cold weather to save you money on your utility bill and some headaches in the long run.
While covering your outdoor plants, don't forget that protecting your outdoor spigot is said to be one of the best ways to avoid damage like a burst pipe. Disconnect the garden hose and either cover it, or have it drip water. JEA says the magic number is five drips per minute to keep it from freezing.
Also, drip your inside faucets and if you're going away for a while, open the cabinet doors under your sink to allow heat to reach the pipes. JEA also advises making sure the flue to your chimney is closed.
The biggest money-sucker in cold weather is heating. According to JEA, heating usually accounts for up to half of your home's energy consumption and if you turn up your thermostat too much too quickly, it could cost you.
"We recommend just increasing your thermostat by just one or two degrees at a time," said JEA spokesperson Karen McAllister. "If you increase it more than that, you may trigger your heat strips, which is much more costly for your utility bill. It makes your system work harder."
McAllister says they recommend keeping your thermostat set at 68 degrees in the winter.
"Every degree above that will add, raise the heating portion of your utility bill by five percent," McAllister said.
Find more cold weather tips from JEA here. You can also have a JEA worker come do a free efficiency assessment of your home to see how you can be more energy efficient and save on your bill.