Cut Your Holiday Energy Bills Without Sacrificing Comfort

December in Central Florida is a welcome relief from summer heat, but your energy bills don’t necessarily take a break for the holidays. Between extra guests, holiday lighting, oven-heavy cooking, and the occasional cold snap that pushes your heating system to work, December can be surprisingly expensive for homeowners on Duke Energy Florida or SECO (Sumter Electric Cooperative) service plans.

The good news: a few smart adjustments can meaningfully reduce your energy use without making your home uncomfortable for family and guests.

Adjust Your Thermostat Strategically

More people in your home means more body heat, which means your HVAC system has to work less to maintain temperature. During parties and gatherings, bump the thermostat up a degree or two. You’ll stay comfortable and the system won’t run as often.

If you use a smart thermostat, set a schedule that accounts for when guests arrive and when the house empties out again. Duke Energy and SECO both offer time-of-use rate plans that reward shifting consumption to off-peak hours, and a programmable thermostat makes this easy.

Be Smart About Holiday Lighting

LED holiday lights use up to 75% less electricity than traditional incandescent strings. If you’re still using older lights, consider switching. The savings add up quickly when lights run for several hours each evening. Use a timer so lights aren’t running all night after everyone goes to sleep.

Watch the Oven’s Effect on Indoor Temperature

Holiday cooking means your oven is running for hours at a time. This dumps heat into your kitchen and adjacent rooms, which your AC will try to compensate for. A few tips:

• Use the range hood to exhaust hot air while cooking
• Bake early in the morning or in the evening when outdoor temperatures are cooler
• Use a slow cooker or air fryer for smaller dishes because they generate less heat than a full oven

Seal Up Drafts Before Cold Fronts Arrive

Central Florida gets periodic cold fronts in December and January. If your home has drafty doors or windows, you’re losing conditioned air, and your HVAC has to work harder to compensate. Check the weatherstripping around exterior doors and add door draft stoppers where needed. This is a simple DIY fix with an immediate payoff.

Check Your Utility’s Holiday Programs

Both Duke Energy Florida and SECO offer programs that can help reduce your bill year-round. Duke Energy’s Home Energy Check program provides a free energy audit, and their EV and Demand Response programs offer bill credits. SECO members can enroll in load control programs that provide credits in exchange for allowing brief cycling of your HVAC during peak demand periods.

If you haven’t looked at your utility’s efficiency programs recently, the holiday season is a good time to explore what’s available.

Don’t Skip Your Filter

With extra people in the house, your HVAC filter will clog faster than usual. A dirty filter forces the system to work harder and reduces air quality, which isn’t ideal when guests are sleeping over. Check and replace the filter before the holidays begin.

A well-maintained HVAC system is your most effective tool for keeping energy costs reasonable. If your system is due for a tune-up or you’d like an efficiency assessment, call Corman & Sons. We’ve been helping Central Florida homeowners get more from their systems since 1995.