CINCINNATI — A hard freeze is expected across the Tri-State overnight. For many, that means it’s time to start cranking up the heat and bracing for high energy bills.
The cold weather on the way comes as money is already tight for many.
As Mary Jo Wickelhaus shopped at the Kroger in Newport on Monday, she said she was shocked by some of the prices.
“Just walking out of the grocery, everything is so expensive,” she said. “Medication for senior citizens is so expensive. I'm a nurse and I see patients not taking their medicine because they can't afford it. It’s really sad.”
Mark Stickling said he’s not a fan of the bills that come along with those freezing temperatures.
“With the cost of energy and everything going up and now you got to worry about your bills going up for the wintertime … I'm just not a cold weather person at all,” Stickling said.
Stickling said he’s been holding out on turning his furnace on, trying to wait as long as possible.
“I’m someone that usually waits until Nov. 1, but with the freezing nights coming up the next couple of nights I might have to,” Stickling said.
Sally Thelen with Duke Energy said there are some small things customers can do around the house that can make a big difference when it comes to their energy bills.
The first is to seal and weatherstrip the home.
“These little draft dodgers — you can buy them at any store like a big box store hardware store. You can put them right under your door frame so that you're not feeling drafts come in,” Thelen said.
Similarly, she said outlet covers actually help prevent a draft.
“Which you think, 'Seriously? We have a draft through the walls or coming in from the outside?' Well, these really will make a difference,” Thelen said.
Homeowners can also get their HVAC system checked out by an expert to ensure it's running at an optimal quality.
Changing air filters is also a must.
“You want to make sure that you've got new and clean air filters that are going to be in your unit because if they're not clean, that's going to make it work even harder, which will obviously use more energy,” Thelen said.
Of course, reducing water usage will also help lower bills. Thelen said to check the water heater and see what temperature it is set on.
“The water temperature that you set it on is really the key here. You don't want to set it any higher than 120 degrees because your biggest energy users, especially in the winter are going to be your hot water heater and your HVAC system,” Thelen said.
The Cincinnati Fire Department warns that some things people may use to keep warm could be a fire risk.
“Using space heaters, you want to make sure they are at least three feet away from anything that could catch fire, anything that’s combustible,” said Danielle Allen, a specialist with Cincinnati Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Bureau. “You don’t want them in the way of any foot traffic or any exits.”
Allen said now is also a perfect time to make sure carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are working properly.
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