Colorado Springs Utilities officials have some tips for how residents can prepare their homes for extreme cold weather.

The state is bracing for a cold snap that will bring freezing temperatures and subzero wind chills this weekend and early next week, prompting Colorado Gov. Jared Polis to verbally issue a disaster declaration officially activating the Colorado State Emergency Operations Plan, a statewide framework for coordination and action during times of drastic emergencies and recovery.

Gov. Polis issues disaster declaration for dangerously cold weather

The declaration allows the Colorado National Guard to help those in need of resources during the polar vortex expected to settle across the state.

Highs in Colorado Springs are forecast to run in the teens and single digits from Saturday to Monday, according to the National Weather Service in Pueblo. Overnight lows and wind-chill values throughout the weekend are expected to dip below zero, with wind-chill values anticipated to drop to as low as minus-15 degrees.

Temperatures will be back in the low 30s by Tuesday, which is forecast to be sunny, according to the agency.

Here’s how the Pikes Peak region is preparing for this weekend’s polar vortex

Colorado Springs Utilities officials on Friday said the city-owned agency takes proactive steps to ensure safety and keep heating costs low during extreme cold weather events like the one expected this weekend.

The utility routinely purchases natural gas throughout the year and stores it underground to help mitigate high natural gas prices and fluctuations in prices, Utilities’ Chief Operations Officer Somer Mese told reporters during a press conference Friday morning. She was joined by officials from the Pikes Peak Regional Office of Emergency Management and the Colorado Springs police and fire departments, who all offered safety tips and resources ahead of the polar vortex event.

Here’s how the Pikes Peak region is preparing for this weekend’s polar vortex

The utility plans to operate this weekend a propane air plant that produces a synthetic form of natural gas to supplement the agency’s distribution system, Mese said. It will manage gas costs by reducing the amount of natural gas Colorado Springs will need to buy on the market.

The utility is trying to avoid purchasing gas throughout the weekend to help mitigate heating costs, she said.

Colorado Springs Utilities staff are prepared to respond to outages or other emergencies that could happen as the result of extreme cold weather.

Officials offer the following tips to prepare your home:

1. Residents should lower their thermostats to help heating systems maintain comfortable indoor temperatures without working too hard. 

Mese advised people should set their thermostats no higher than 68 degrees when at home and no lower than 60 degrees when away from home or sleeping, to help keep pipes from freezing.

“I know everyone likes a toasty 72 (degrees), but the reality is, if you don’t change that your furnace is going to work harder and it’s actually going to cost you more, because when you use more gas it’s less efficient. So turn it down a little bit,” Mese said.

Residents should also consider investing in a smart thermostat, officials said. Utilities offers its ratepayers $50 rebates on qualifying models.

2. Residents should check and replace their furnace filters often. Dirty furnace filters can stress heating systems and make them less efficient, officials said. People should change their furnace filter on a monthly basis if possible, Mese said.  

3. Avoid frozen pipes. Residents should especially pay mind to plumbing located on exterior walls. Mese suggested residents open cabinet doors, especially on exterior walls, to let heat penetrate into the cabinets and prevent pipes from freezing.

People can also buy insulation from a local hardware store to protect pipes and water lines from freezing.

Letting faucets drip can also protect exposed pipes, Mese said. Residents can avoid wasting the dripping water by catching it in a bucket and using it for other purposes, like watering plants.

4. Keep safety in mind. Residents should not heat their homes with ovens, stoves, barbecue grills or propane-powered devices, as they can be fire and carbon monoxide hazards, Mese said.

If a power outage occurs, residents should contact their specific utility provider or visit its website for more information on the outage(s):

• Colorado Springs Utilities: csu.org/Pages/StormCenter.aspx or 719-448-4800.

Customers should use Colorado Springs Utilities’ online outage map at csu.org for electric outage information and status updates.

Do not call the general number, 719-448-4000, unless reporting a downed electric line, a tree into an electric line or another utilities-related emergency that poses a safety risk, officials said.

• Mountain View Electric: mvea.coop/outage-center/outage-reporting/ or call 800-388-9881.

• City of Fountain Utilities: 719-322-2010.

• Black Hills Energy: blackhillsenergy.com/outages or 888-890-5554.