With continued cold temperatures and winter precipitation in the forecast, KUB is prepared for extended winter weather and advises customers to prepare for the wintery forecast. 

Bitterly cold winter weather makes heating units run longer to keep homes at a comfortable temperature, which can significantly impact a customer’s bill. KUB suggests customers keep the thermostat set between 65 and 68 degrees and dress in layers, and lower the thermostat when away from home or sleeping. Remember, even if you lower your thermostat, your heating unit will still run more during extremely cold weather to keep your home at the temperature you set. Also make sure you’re not losing heat through leaks and drafts. Insulating and sealing your windows and doors can stop heat loss. Rolled-up towels can help as a short term solution for leaks and drafts. 

Winter weather can also cause electric outages and costly damage from frozen/broken water pipes. To minimize a customer’s risk, KUB recommends that customers disconnect hoses and cover outside faucets. Open cabinet doors under sinks and vanities to keep warm air circulating around pipes, and let faucets drip into a open drain. Customers should also locate and test their home’s water cut-off so that if pipes do freeze, they can shut the water off immediately. Remember to never thaw a frozen pipe with an open flame or torch. Breaks to home water lines should be repaired as soon as possible by a licensed plumber. 

KUB has crews prepared and ready to respond to any utility event that could be caused by the upcoming winter weather systems. In the event of an outage, customers are asked to call 865-524-2911, or log in to www.kub.org on a computer, tablet, or smart phone, to report the outage. Do not report your outage via social media. Customers experiencing an outage who log in to www.kub.org will be able to view outage updates including the estimated restoration time. To see outage information throughout the KUB service territory, check the KUB Online Outage Map. 

For more tips on how to prepare for cold weather, visit www.kub.org.