Holiday Energy Savings Tips for Brevard County Homes

Holiday Hosting and Your HVAC System

Having friends and family over for the holidays means more people, more cooking, and more doors opening and closing. Each person generates about 100 watts of body heat, and a full kitchen can raise your home’s temperature several degrees. Your AC may run more than usual — even during Florida’s “winter.”

Smart Thermostat Strategies

When Hosting Guests

Lower your thermostat a couple of degrees before guests arrive. The additional body heat and cooking activity will bring the temperature back to comfortable levels naturally, and your AC won’t be fighting against the extra heat load.

For Holiday Travel

If you’re leaving town, don’t turn your AC completely off. Set it to 82-85°F to prevent humidity buildup and protect your home from mold growth. A smart thermostat lets you monitor and adjust remotely.

Energy-Efficient Decorating

LED Holiday Lights

LED lights use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and generate far less heat. A string of LED lights costs about $0.27 to run for an entire season, compared to $2.74 for incandescent lights.

Use Timers

Set outdoor and indoor holiday lights on timers so they’re only running during evening hours. There’s no reason to light up your house at 2 AM.

Kitchen Efficiency During the Holidays

Use your oven strategically — Plan to bake multiple items at once rather than heating the oven repeatedly
Match pot size to burner size — A small pot on a large burner wastes energy
Let food cool before refrigerating — Putting hot containers in the fridge forces it to work harder
Run the dishwasher full — Wait until you have a full load, and use the air-dry setting

Manage Your Water Heater

With holiday guests taking extra showers, your water heater works overtime. If your system has a vacation mode or adjustable temperature, keep it at 120°F — hot enough for comfort but not wasting energy.

A Gift That Keeps Saving

Consider giving yourself the gift of a professional HVAC tune-up. A well-maintained system heading into the new year means lower bills and fewer surprises for the 12 months ahead.