Deck the Halls, Not Your Electric Bill: Holiday Energy Tips for Tampa Bay Homes

The holidays are expensive enough without an electric bill that makes your eyes water. The good news for Tampa Bay homeowners: December is actually our best opportunity of the year to meaningfully reduce HVAC energy consumption — if you know how to take advantage of it.

With TECO’s storm surcharge still running and outdoor temperatures sitting in the 70s during the day and 50s at night, there’s real money to be saved this month. Here’s how to do it.

Take Advantage of Tampa’s Mild December

Most of the country is blasting heat and sealing every window against the cold in December. We’re not. Tampa’s mild weather — daytime highs in the 70s, overnight lows in the 50s — means your HVAC system should barely need to run at all during much of the month.

Practical steps to maximize natural comfort:

• Open windows in the evening and early morning when temperatures drop into the comfortable 60s — let outdoor air do the conditioning work for free
• Raise your thermostat set point a few degrees; 74–76°F is perfectly comfortable in December and requires minimal runtime
• Use ceiling fans to improve air circulation and make 76°F feel like 72°F without touching the thermostat

Your system’s biggest enemy this time of year isn’t cold weather — it’s leaving it programmed like it’s August when the climate is calling for something much gentler.

Understanding Your Current Bill

If your TECO bill still looks higher than expected despite the mild weather, the storm surcharge is likely a significant factor. Following Hurricane Milton, TECO implemented a storm cost recovery charge of approximately $19.95 per 1,000 kWh of usage per month, and that surcharge has continued through the holiday season.

What this means practically: every unit of electricity you save has a slightly higher return right now because the surcharge is tied to consumption. Cutting your usage by 10% saves you not just 10% of your base rate, but 10% of the surcharge too.

It also means this is a particularly good time to avoid unnecessary energy-intensive habits — running space heaters, leaving decorative lights on all night, or letting the dryer run extra cycles all add up faster than they used to.

Smart Thermostat Strategies for the Holidays

The holidays bring changes to your home’s normal rhythm — guests staying over, big gatherings, time away for travel — and your thermostat strategy should reflect that.

For holiday gatherings: A house full of people generates a surprising amount of body heat. Lower your thermostat 2–3 degrees before guests arrive rather than waiting for the system to catch up after the room warms up. You’ll use less energy and your guests will be more comfortable.

For time away: If you’re traveling for the holidays, don’t leave your system running at normal set points. Set it to 80°F cooling / 60°F heating while you’re gone — this maintains safe conditions for plants and pets while dramatically cutting runtime.

For overnight comfort: December nights in the 50s mean you may not need the AC at all. Consider switching to fan-only mode or opening a window rather than running full cooling cycles.

Holiday-Specific Energy Drains to Watch

Your HVAC isn’t the only system working harder this month. A few holiday-specific energy habits are worth adjusting:

• LED holiday lights vs. incandescent: If you’re still running traditional incandescent string lights, swapping to LEDs cuts lighting energy by up to 75% — and they generate less heat, which slightly reduces your cooling load
• Cooking and oven use: Holiday cooking adds significant heat to your kitchen. Running the range hood and keeping interior doors open helps distribute that heat rather than making your AC work to remove it
• Portable space heaters: These are serious energy hogs — a single 1,500-watt space heater running for 8 hours costs roughly $1.50/day at current TECO rates, plus the surcharge. If one room feels cold, check your vent registers before reaching for a space heater

Schedule Your Off-Season Tune-Up

December and January are the quietest months for AC service in Florida — which makes them the best time to schedule preventive maintenance. You’ll get better availability, and you’ll head into the spring cooling season knowing your system is ready.

A professional tune-up typically includes:

• Cleaning condenser and evaporator coils
• Checking refrigerant levels and inspecting for leaks
• Inspecting electrical connections and testing capacitors
• Lubricating moving parts and checking belts
• Testing system performance and efficiency

An annual tune-up keeps your system running at peak efficiency — which directly reduces the energy costs you’ve been working to cut all month. Schedule your AC maintenance appointment with Bart DePury Air Conditioning today, and start the new year with a system that’s ready to handle whatever Tampa Bay weather comes next.

From our family to yours — happy holidays, and may your electric bill be merry and bright.