Brevard County's November 2025 Cold Snap: Lessons Learned

An Unusual November for the Space Coast

Brevard County experienced unusually cold temperatures in November 2025, catching many homeowners off guard. While cold snaps aren’t unheard of on the Space Coast, this one arrived earlier and stayed longer than typical, pushing heating systems that hadn’t been tested since last winter.

What We Saw in the Field

Our technicians responded to a surge of heating-related service calls during and after the cold snap. The most common issues:

Heat Pumps That Weren’t Ready

Many Space Coast homes rely on heat pumps for heating. Systems that hadn’t been serviced in over a year struggled to switch efficiently from cooling to heating mode. Some had low refrigerant that went unnoticed during mild fall temperatures but became obvious when the system needed to produce real heat.

Thermostat Confusion

A surprising number of calls turned out to be thermostat-related. Homeowners who hadn’t switched to heating mode, had dead thermostat batteries, or had programmable schedules still set for summer accounted for roughly 15% of our cold-snap calls.

Emergency Heat Overuse

When heat pumps can’t keep up, many systems switch to auxiliary or emergency heat — electric resistance heating that can triple your energy costs. Several homeowners ran emergency heat for days without realizing it, resulting in shocking electricity bills.

Lessons for Next Time

Test Your Heating Before You Need It

In October, switch your thermostat to heating mode and let it run for 30 minutes. This confirms everything works and gives you time to schedule service if it doesn’t.

Schedule Fall Maintenance

A fall tune-up ensures your heat pump or furnace is ready before cold weather arrives. Our technicians check refrigerant levels, inspect the reversing valve, clean coils, and verify proper heating operation.

Know Your Thermostat

Understand the difference between normal heat pump operation, auxiliary heat, and emergency heat. If your thermostat has an “EM HEAT” indicator that’s constantly lit, your system needs attention.

Have a Backup Plan

Space Coast cold snaps are typically short-lived, but they can be intense. A space heater for critical rooms and extra blankets provide a safety net if your system needs repair during peak demand.

Be Ready for the Next One

Cold snaps on the Space Coast are becoming more variable and harder to predict. The best defense is a well-maintained heating system, tested before you actually need it. Schedule your fall maintenance now while availability is good.