ORLANDO, Fla. – As the temperatures reach almost triple digits, Central Florida power companies are providing tips on staying cool without breaking the bank.
Officials from the Orlando Utilities Commission told News 6 they are regularly checking systems and being proactive this summer to prevent power outages.
"We do have a very large monitoring system that does look at the service in our territory, and address it if there are any issues," David Mayer, from the Orlando Utilities Commission, said.
Mayer said the more your air conditioning unit has to run, the higher your power bill will likely be.
"Making sure your A/C filter is cleaned and being changed regularly," Mayer said.
He said it's important to pay attention to your thermostat setting.
"Making sure you’re keeping your A/C at a conservative temperature, as close to 78 degrees as possible. When you’re away from home more than a couple of hours, we recommend raising the temperature about 2-3 degrees," Mayer said. "It’s going to be warm mornings, noon, night, early morning, all day long, so unfortunately get used to it."
We found people in downtown Orlando sharing how they beat the heat.
"I’ve got my shades on, my shorts on and my short sleeves," Nicholas Raselius said.
Shawneece Hunt and her husband have a food truck downtown. Here's how she said they stay cool:
"Lots of water, we’ve got to stay hydrated because you’re right it’s very hot, we’ve got the exhaust fans going," Hunt said.
The OUC shared a few tips with News 6 on how to keep your homes cool. Read more here or here.