Airo Service on Winter FPL Bills: Heat Strips, Emergency Heat and the Cold-Night Spike

MIAMI, Fla. — November 12, 2026

Airo Service is reminding South Florida homeowners that the first cold fronts of the season often bring a surprise on the next FPL bill — usually not because the heat pump worked harder, but because the backup electric heat strips did the work instead.

Why one cold night costs more

Many South Florida homes heat with a heat pump backed by electric resistance heat strips. Heat strips are simple and reliable but use far more electricity for the same amount of heat. A thermostat set to “emergency heat,” a large jump in the set point, or a heat pump with a defrost fault can push a home onto strips for hours.

FPL’s typical residential bill in 2026 is about $136.64 per 1,000 kWh, so hours of strip heat add up quickly.

What helps

• Leave the thermostat on normal heat, not emergency heat, unless a technician says otherwise.
• Raise the set point a couple of degrees at a time instead of all at once.
• Have the defrost cycle and outdoor unit checked if the system blows cool air in heat mode.

“Emergency heat is for emergencies. We see thermostats left on EM heat after a cold snap, and the owner only finds out when the bill arrives. A five-minute check of the settings is the cheapest fix there is.” said Roman Shatokhin, Founder of Airo Service.

About Airo Service

Airo Service is a licensed and insured Florida air conditioning, heating and home comfort contractor (license CAC1824778) serving Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. The company is a Rheem Pro Partner and an authorized Trane dealer, and services water-source heat pumps from Trane, Bosch, ClimateMaster and Comfort-Aire GeoLogix in condominiums and high-rises. Media contact: (305) 846-0155.