JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A spokesperson for JEA said the city-owned utility is closely monitoring the weather, with forecasts calling for a severe cold front with temperatures dropping to subfreezing levels Saturday through Monday.
JEA crews are prepared to respond to any outage or system issue that might occur, the spokesperson said.
There is a big difference between a drip and a stream. The water needs to consistently move through the pipes. (WJXT)
Working alongside partners who are also preparing for freezing temps across Florida, JEA has its facilities prepared and is managing fuel supplies carefully.
JEA wants to share the following advice for customers to prepare their homes for the extreme cold:
Protecting Your Pipes
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Drip outside faucets in a steady stream to prevent pipes from freezing.
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Let water drip slowly from inside faucets, both hot and cold.
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Wrap any exposed pipes and backflow preventers located outside or in unheated areas.
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If a washing machine is in an unheated room such as a garage, disconnect both the hot and cold water lines. Place both in the drain pipe behind the washing machine. Drip both faucets at a steady stream.
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Know the locations of water shutoff valves and sewer clean-outs.
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See video below on protecting pipes in a freeze:
Myers Vasquez, JEA public information officer, explained how crews are preparing.
“We prepared our facility to withstand the extreme temperatures, so they’re ready to go. We are managing our fuel supplies closely and we have extra crews on standby to be able to tackle anything that may come our way.”
On Saturday, temperatures will drop from the low 40s during the day to teens and low 20s at night, with winds of 20 to 40 mph and stronger gusts expected.
Vasquez warned, “There are areas, historic areas with trees that are close to power lines. So any tree close to a power line is a concern, especially in wind. So if you see any tree lines touching or any down lines in that sense, don’t go near them, call JEA. And we’ll take care of it.”
If residents experience power outages, JEA urges them to call 904-665-6000 or report outages via the JEA app or website.
Vasquez added, “We will respond as quickly as possible to that. They also can report outage on our app and on the website. So, depending if it’s a transformer or it’s aligned, it all depends on that. But like I said, we have extra crews on standby to be able to answer those calls.”
Energy Conservation
Heating accounts for up to 50% of a typical home’s energy consumption. During these extreme conditions, JEA recommends:
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Set your thermostat to 68°F or lower and only adjust 1-2 degrees at a time to avoid activating heat strips, which are costly to run. Set your thermostat even lower at night and when you’re away.
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Consider using space heaters in occupied spaces while turning down the thermostat to avoid the costs of heating your entire home. Keep safety in mind: Never leave a space heater unattended, on while sleeping or close to flammable items. Make sure the space heater has “tip-over protection.”
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Seal drafts around windows and doors to keep cold air out.
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Open blinds and curtains during daylight hours
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Consider bundling up in sweatshirts, sweaters and/or blankets to stay warm.
All heaters need space. (U.S Fire Administration)
JEA knows that dealing with extreme cold likely means more energy use for customers, who could face some sticker shock when they receive their next bill.
The utility shared the following payment options to help with higher bills:
- JEA MyBudget: A levelized payment program that takes a rolling average of your last 12 bills so that your monthly payment will be about the same every month. Learn more
- Payment Extensions and Arrangements: These tools give customers more time to pay their balance due. Payment extensions push out a customer’s due date, while payment arrangements allow customers to pay their balance due over monthly installments. Learn more
- Access to Community Resources: We can point the way to third-party groups that offer utility bill assistance. Learn more
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