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Sunshine State Stats, August 2018

August 2018 was similar on average to August 2017. The average temperature was 83°, while August of 2017 had an average temperature of 84°. The average high this year was 91 – just one degree lower than last year. Though it seemed like it rained every darn day, rainfall for August of 2018 was 4.88 inches compared to last August at 7.91 inches.

 

SECO Energy Sunshine State Stats breakdown August 2018

 

There were 556 cooling degree days and 0 heating degree days for August 2018, while last year there were 595 cooling degree days with 0 heating degree days. The Degree Days are based on how much warmer or cooler the average temperature at a particular location is than 65°F. In other words, if the average temperature is 60° degrees outside on a particular day, there are 5 Heating Degree Days for that day in that location.

 

September 2018 is… well… still hot with highs in the high 80s and low 90s. Rainfall is forecast to be heavier than normal compared to 2017. Thankfully, Fall is around the corner bringing cooler temperatures, allowing your air conditioners to get a much-needed break.

 

If you want to check historical usage, log into SmartHub to view past bills and charts. If your usage is high, SECO offers several energy-efficiency tools to help you identify energy wasters. Take the Home Energy Assessment to receive a detailed email tailored to your home’s features and lifestyle. The energy-saving advice will provide low-cost ways to decrease your usage – and your electric bill.

 

To easily calculate how much energy your appliances, lighting, electronic devices, and other energy-using items in your home consume, use the Energy Estimator. If you want a member of our Energy Services team to come to your home to perform a free energy audit, contact us today to book an appointment.

Sunshine State Stats, July 2018

July 2018 was pretty darn hot with nearly daily rain showers. The average high was 90°. The average temperature was 82°, while July of 2017 had an average temperature of 84°. The average low was 75°, compared with an average low of 76° last July. Rainfall for July of 2018 was 7.45 inches compared to last July at 7.91 inches.

 

Sunshine State Stats July 2018 breakdown

 

There were 524 cooling degree days and 0 heating degree days for July 2018, while last year there were 590 cooling degree days with 0 heating degree days. The Degree Days are based on how much warmer or cooler the average temperature at a particular location is than 65°F. In other words, if the average temperature is 60° degrees outside on a particular day, there are 5 Heating Degree Days for that day in that location.

 

August 2018 is forecast to be somewhat the same as last year with average high temperatures in the 90s. Rainfall is forecast to be heavier than normal compared to 2017. The continuation of afternoon showers could give your HVAC units a much-needed break.

 

Hurricane Season Update: Chances that the global climate pattern El Niño will develop this fall were increased in the most recent forecast, boosting confidence in revised predictions for a below-normal hurricane season. The federal Climate Prediction Center’s July El Niño forecast is giving it a 65 percent chance of appearing in the fall, and about a 70 percent chance of a winter formation.

 

For Florida, the periodic warming of the equatorial Pacific Ocean can mean a less active hurricane season with fewer of the powerhouse Cat 5 tropical cyclones known to build during the peak months of August through October.

 

If you want to check historical usage, log into SmartHub to view past bills and charts. If your usage is high, SECO offers several energy-efficiency tools to help you identify energy wasters. Take the Home Energy Assessment to receive a detailed email tailored to your home’s features and lifestyle. The energy-saving advice will provide low-cost ways to decrease your usage – and your electric bill.

 

To easily calculate how much energy your appliances, lighting, electronic devices, and other energy-using items in your home consume, use the Energy Estimator. If you want a member of our Energy Services team to come to your home to perform a free energy audit, contact us today to book an appointment.

Sunshine State Stats, June 2018

The weather in June 2018 was similar on average to June 2017. The average temperature this June and last June was 81°. Rainfall, however, for June of 2018 was 5.30 inches compared to last June at 14.63 inches.

 

June 2018 Sunshine State Stats breakdown

 

There were 460 cooling degree days and 0 heating degree days for June 2018. Similarly, last year there were 495 cooling degree days with 0 heating degree days. The Degree Days are based on how much warmer or cooler the average temperature at a particular location is than 65°F. In other words, if the average temperature is 60° degrees outside on a particular day, there are 5 Heating Degree Days for that day in that location.

 

July 2018’s temperatures are forecast to be above normal with lows in the 70s and highs in the low 90s. Rainfall is forecast to be heavier than normal compared to 2017. Remember that July is typically one of the hottest months of the year. The excessive heat and humidity will make your HVAC run more frequently, therefore impacting your electric bill. Remember 78 – 80° is the national standard for the HVAC in the summer. Set the thermostat higher to reduce your energy consumption. Just one degree higher can save 6 – 8% on your cooling cost.

 

If you want to check historical usage, log into SmartHub to view past bills and charts. If your usage is high, SECO offers several energy-efficiency tools to help you identify energy wasters. Take the Home Energy Assessment to receive a detailed email tailored to your home’s features and lifestyle. The energy-saving advice will provide low-cost ways to decrease your usage – and your electric bill.

 

To easily calculate how much energy your appliances, lighting, electronic devices, and other energy-using items in your home consume, use the Energy Estimator. If you want a member of our Energy Services team to come to your home to perform a free energy audit, contact us today to book an appointment.

Sunshine State Stats, May 2018

May 2018 was slightly cooler on average than May 2017. The average temperature was 77°, while May of 2017 had an average temperature of 79°. Rainfall for May of 2018 was 8.28 inches compared to last May at 2.71 inches.

 

Sunshine State Stats breakdown May 2018

 

There were 363 cooling degree days and 0 heating degree days for May 2018, while last year there were 426 cooling degree days with 0 heating degree days. The Degree Days are based on how much warmer or cooler the average temperature at a particular location is than 65°F. In other words, if the average temperature is 60° degrees outside on a particular day, there are 5 Heating Degree Days for that day in that location.

 

June 2018 is forecast to be somewhat the same as last year with average temperatures in the mid 80’s and 90’s. Rainfall is forecast to be heavier than normal compared to 2017. The hot summer weather is upon us. Remember that every degree below 78° F the thermostat is lowered will increase your cooling costs by 6% – 8% per degree.

 

Per ENERGY STAR, investing in a programmable thermostat can save you about $180 annually. Wifi models that you can program from your computer or smartphone start at under $100 nowadays. Or you could win a wifi programmable thermostat in our May Facebook incentive. Read May SECO News for details.

 

Just in time for the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season, SECO debuted an all-new StormCenter outage reporting platform. Bookmark StormCenter on your smartphone or other mobile device today.

 

If you want to check historical usage, log into SmartHub to view past bills and charts. If your usage is high, SECO offers several energy-efficiency tools to help you identify energy wasters. Take the Home Energy Assessment to receive a detailed email tailored to your home’s features and lifestyle. The energy-saving advice will provide low-cost ways to decrease your usage – and your electric bill.

 

To easily calculate how much energy your appliances, lighting, electronic devices, and other energy-using items in your home consume, use the Energy Estimator. If you want a member of our Energy Services team to come to your home to perform a free energy audit, contact us today to book an appointment.

Sunshine State Stats, April 2018

April 2018 was slightly cooler on average than April 2017. The average temperature was 72°, while April of 2017 had an average temperature of 74°. Rainfall for April of 2018 was 3.46 inches compared to last April at 2.33 inches.

 

Sunshine State Stats April 2018 breakdown

 

There were 208 cooling degree days and 6 heating degree days for April 2018, while last year there were 283 cooling degree days with 4 heating degree days. The Degree Days are based on how much warmer or cooler the average temperature at a particular location is than 65°F. In other words, if the average temperature is 60° degrees outside on a particular day, there are 5 Heating Degree Days for that day in that location.

 

May 2018 is forecast to be somewhat the same as last year with average temperatures in the 80s and 90s. Rainfall is forecast to be heavier than normal compared to 2017. Much hotter weather is coming our way.

 

Keep in mind that 78°- 80° is the national standard for thermostat settings during the summer months. Per ENERGY STAR, investing in a programmable thermostat can save you about $180 annually. Wifi models that you can program from your computer or smartphone start at under $100 nowadays. Or you could win a wifi programmable thermostat in our May Facebook incentive. Read this month’s SECO News for details.

 
 
If you want to check historical usage, log into SmartHub to view past bills and charts. If your usage is high, SECO offers several energy-efficiency tools to help you identify energy wasters. Take the Home Energy Assessment to receive a detailed email tailored to your home’s features and lifestyle. The energy-saving advice will provide low-cost ways to decrease your usage – and your electric bill.

 
 
To easily calculate how much energy your appliances, lighting, electronic devices, and other energy-using items in your home consume, use the Energy Estimator. If you want a member of our Energy Services team to come to your home to perform a free energy audit, contact us today to book an appointment.

Sunshine State Stats, March 2018

March 2018 was slightly cooler on average than March 2017. The average temperature was 65°, while March of 2017 had an average temperature of 67°. Rainfall for March of 2018 was 2.03 inches compared to last March at 0.80 inches.

 

Sunshine State Stats March 2018 detail

 

There were 84 cooling degree days and 67 heating degree days for March 2018, while last year there were 135 cooling degree days with 61 heating degree days. The Degree Days are based on how much warmer or cooler the average temperature at a particular location is than 65°F. In other words, if the average temperature is 60° degrees outside on a particular day, there are 5 Heating Degree Days for that day in that location.

 

April 2018 is forecast to be somewhat the same as last year with average temperatures in the 80s and 90s. Rainfall is forecast to be heavier than normal compared to 2017. The hot and humid summers are around the corner, so keep in mind that every degree above 78 degrees will save you 6%-8% on your cooling costs.  Per ENERGY STAR, you can save up to $180 annually by using a programmable thermostat.

 

If you want to check historical usage, log into SmartHub to view past bills and charts. If your usage is high, SECO offers several energy-efficiency tools to help you identify energy wasters. Take the Home Energy Assessment to receive a detailed email tailored to your home’s features and lifestyle. The energy-saving advice will provide low-cost ways to decrease your usage – and your electric bill.

 
 
To easily calculate how much energy your appliances, lighting, electronic devices, and other energy-using items in your home consume, use the Energy Estimator. If you want a member of our Energy Services team to come to your home to perform a free energy audit, contact us today to book an appointment.

Sunshine State Stats, February 2018

February 2018 was much warmer than February 2017. In fact, per the Orlando Sentinel, Central Florida broke the record for the warmest February in history. Temperatures started out near normal in early February. Beyond that, well-above-normal temperatures generally persisted over the region for the remainder of the month as a strong ridge of high pressure locked in place over the Sunshine State.

 

Sunshine State Stats February 2018

Per the Leesburg Airport weather station, their average temperature for February of 2018 was 71°, while February of 2017 had an average temperature of 67°. The average high was a balmy 81°.

 

February was not only much hotter than normal – it was also drier than normal. Rainfall for February of 2018 was 0.49 inches compared to last February at 1.55 inches.

 

There were 193 cooling degree days and 11 heating degree days for February 2018, while last year there were 84 cooling degree days with 32 heating degree days. The Degree Days are based on how much warmer or cooler the average temperature at a particular location is than 65°F. In other words, if the average temperature is 60° degrees outside on a particular day, there are 5 Heating Degree Days for that day in that location.

 

March 2018 is forecast to be similar but heavier rainfall than normal as compared to 2017. Since spring begins in March, it would be a good time to have your HVAC system serviced to be ready for a Sunshine State summer.

 

If you want to check historical usage, log into SmartHub to view past bills and charts. If your usage is high, SECO offers several energy-efficiency tools to help you identify energy wasters. Take the Home Energy Assessment to receive a detailed email tailored to your home’s features and lifestyle. The energy-saving advice will provide low-cost ways to decrease your usage – and your electric bill.

 

To easily calculate how much energy your appliances, lighting, electronic devices, and other energy-using items in your home consume, use the Energy Estimator. If you want a member of our Energy Services team to come to your home to perform a free energy audit, contact us today to book an appointment.

Sunshine State Stats, January 2018

January 2018 was much colder than January 2017. The average low temp for January 2018 was a chilly 46 degrees. The average high this year was only 56 degrees – last year at the same time the average high was 64 degrees. Central Florida residents experienced ten days of lows in the 30s and one day in the 20s, when snow flurries were reported at the Leesburg Airport!

 

Sunshine State Expanded stats January 2018

SECO’s residential members consumed, on average, 30 percent more energy in January this year than last year. If your bill for your January usage is 30 percent higher, that’s expected and normal given the cold weather. Heating costs can vary widely depending on your home’s type of heat unit. If your thermostat does not have an “emergency heat” setting, then you likely have electric resistance heat (also known as heat strips). This type of heating costs up to five times more to operate than a heat pump or conventional air conditioning unit.

 

Even if you didn’t raise your thermostat settings in January, your heating unit ran more frequently to maintain your home’s temperature. This is why it’s important to have your unit serviced annually by a qualified technician.

 

If your electric bill for your January usage is more than 50 percent higher than last year’s, please contact us using the form online. We can arrange for an Energy Services Specialist to visit your home and conduct a high usage investigation. This service is free to SECO members.

 

There were 292 heating degree days for January 2018, while last year there were only 116 heating degree days (HDDS). Degree Days are based on how much warmer or cooler the average temperature at a particular location is than 65°F. With nearly three times as many HDDs in January, your heating units will run more frequently to maintain your temperature setting.

 

Rainfall for January of 2018 was 3.68 inches compared to last January at 3.10 inches. February 2018 is forecast to be similar to last year but wetter than 2017. Visit our website for more information on SECO Energy’s products and services!

Sunshine State Stats, December 2017

December 2017 was colder than December 2016. The average temperature for December of 2017 was 64°, while December of 2016 had an average temperature of 67°. Rainfall for December of 2017 was 1.20 inches compared to last December at 0.45 inches.

 

There were 81 cooling degree days and 107 heating degree days for December 2017, while last year there were 125 cooling degree days with 66 heating degree days. The Degree Days are based on how much warmer or cooler the average temperature at a particular location is than 65°F. In other words, if the average temperature is 60° degrees outside on a particular day, there are 5 Heating Degree Days for that day in that location.

 

January 2018 is forecast to be colder and wetter than 2017. For those members with heat pumps, do not to raise the thermostat setting more that 1-2 degrees at a time when heating is being used. You will cause back-up heat strips (emergency heat) to engage – which could cost up to 5 times more per hour!

Sunshine State Stats details December 2017

 

Cold weather and heating will increase electric usage and bills. Per ENERGY STAR, you can save 3-5% annually on heating costs for each degree lower you set the thermostat during the winter. And you can save up to $180 annually with a programmable thermostat. 

 
 
If you want to check historical usage, log into SmartHub to view past bills and charts. If your usage is high, SECO offers several energy-efficiency tools to help you identify energy wasters. Take the Home Energy Assessment to receive a detailed email tailored to your home’s features and lifestyle. The energy-saving advice will provide low-cost ways to decrease your usage – and your electric bill.

 
 
To easily calculate how much energy your appliances, lighting, electronic devices, and other energy-using items in your home consume, use the Energy Estimator. If you want a member of our Energy Services team to come to your home to perform a free energy audit, contact us today to book an appointment.

Sunshine State Stats, November 2017

November 2017 was slightly warmer than the previous November, so members may have been running their HVAC units more frequently than last year at this time. Thus, your November bill this year may be higher than last year’s November bill. The average temperature came in at 69°, while November of 2016 had an average temperature of 68°. Rainfall came in at 1.51 inches compared to last November at 0.03 inches.

 

There were 132 cooling degree days and 7 heating degree days for November 2017, while last year there were 118 cooling degree days with 27 heating degree days. The Degree Days are based on how much warmer or cooler the average temperature at a particular location is than 65°F. In other words, if the average temperature is 60° degrees outside on a particular day, there are 5 Heating Degree Days for that day in that location.

 

Sunshine State Stats November 2017 Temperature layout

This December is forecast to be similar to last December with precipitation being higher than normal. At the time of this writing, a cold front is forecast to creep into Central Florida around December 7 with lows in the 30s. Therefore, heating costs will increase electric usage and bills. Per ENERGY STAR, you can save 3-5% annually on heating costs for each degree lower you set the thermostat during the winter. And you can save up to $180 annually with a programmable thermostat.

 

If you want to check historical usage, log into SmartHub to view past bills and charts. If your usage is high, SECO offers several energy-efficiency tools to help you identify energy wasters. Take the Home Energy Assessment to receive a detailed email tailored to your home’s features and lifestyle. The energy-saving advice will provide low-cost ways to decrease your usage – and your electric bill.

 

To easily calculate how much energy your appliances, lighting, electronic devices, and other energy-using items in your home consume, use the Energy Estimator. If you want a member of our Energy Services team to come to your home to perform a free energy auditcontact us today to book an appointment.