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20 Oct, 2026 – PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — A new local push toward residential energy efficiency is giving Pinellas Park homeowners a reason to look more closely at where their homes may be losing cooling, comfort and energy before committing to a major HVAC or insulation upgrade

In June 2026, the City of Pinellas Park and Duke Energy launched a joint awareness campaign encouraging local residents to complete a free Home Energy Check and receive personalized recommendations for reducing energy use and costs.

For TLS Air Conditioning & Insulation, which has served more than 54,000 homes across Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida, the campaign reinforces a lesson its HVAC and insulation teams have encountered repeatedly in the field

PINELLAS PARK, Fla. TLS Air Conditioning & Insulation urges Pinellas Park homeowners to check their ducts, attic insulation and airflow before they replace a working air conditioner. Nearly 80% of the area’s yearly cooling demand falls between May and October, and a hidden problem shows up fast under that load.

The Florida Climate Center’s 1991–2020 normals for the St. Petersburg station, the nearest long-term record, show that 2,947 of 3,701 yearly cooling degree days fall from May through October. That is 79.6%. Cooling degree days measure how much air conditioning a climate demands.

ENERGY STAR estimates that a typical home loses 20% to 30% of its duct air through leaks, holes and poor connections. Those leaks can cut a system’s efficiency by as much as 20%. A new air conditioner does not fix a leaky duct.

Key Findings at a Glance

Public data and local policy documents provide a revealing picture of the energy environment facing Pinellas Park homeowners:

• 54,000+ homes served by TLS Air Conditioning & Insulation across Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida

• 3,701 annual cooling degree days at the nearby St. Petersburg climate station in Pinellas County

• 2,947 cooling degree days between May and October alone

• Approximately 79.6% of annual cooling degree days occur during those six months

• 90.6°F is the normal August daily high at the nearby St. Petersburg station

• 76.3°F is the normal August daily low

• 27.42 inches of normal rainfall falls during June, July and August

• Those three months account for approximately 51.1% of normal annual rainfall

• 69.0% of Pinellas Park housing units are owner-occupied

• 22.5% of Pinellas Park residents are age 65 or older

• ENERGY STAR reports that 20% to 30% of duct air in a typical home can be lost through leaks, holes and poor connections

• U.S. Energy Information Administration data show that air conditioning accounts for approximately 28% of Florida household site energy use, versus about 9% nationally

The individual figures come from different sources, but together they describe a local housing environment where cooling performance, moisture control and building efficiency have unusually high practical importance.

1. Pinellas County’s Cooling Demand Exists in Every Month of the Year

The nearest long-term climate normals available from the Florida Climate Center come from the St. Petersburg station in Pinellas County.

The station records 3,701 annual cooling degree days under the 1991–2020 climate normals.

Monthly cooling degree days are:

1. January — 53

2. February — 71

3. March — 138

4. April — 247

5. May — 417

6. June — 513

7. July — 561

8. August — 572

9. September — 511

10. October — 373

11. November — 155

12. December — 91

Cooling degree days are not the number of days an air conditioner operates.

They are a standard energy and climate measurement used to represent the amount of cooling demand associated with temperatures above a reference base temperature.

2. Nearly 80% of Annual Cooling Degree Days Occur From May Through October

The annual number becomes even more useful when the months are grouped.

From May through October, the St. Petersburg climate station records:

May — 417

June — 513

July — 561

August — 572

September — 511

October — 373

Combined:

2,947 cooling degree days

Out of an annual total of 3,701.

That means approximately:

79.6% of annual cooling degree days occur within a six-month period.

This concentration matters because a home’s weakest component can become much more visible during sustained seasonal load. For example, a bedroom receiving marginal airflow may feel acceptable during a mild week in February but become persistently uncomfortable in August.

A small duct leak may also matter more when the AC system is operating for longer periods and the attic surrounding that duct system is significantly hotter than the conditioned interior.

This is why TLS recommends diagnosing comfort problems under the conditions in which they actually occur rather than making assumptions based only on equipment age.

3. Pinellas Summer Nights Stay Warm

The same climate normals show that cooling demand does not disappear after sunset.

Normal daily temperatures for nearby St. Petersburg include:

1. June:

89.6°F high / 74.6°F low

1. July:

90.3°F high / 75.9°F low

1. August:

90.6°F high / 76.3°F low

Warm overnight temperatures matter to building performance.

Roofs, attic materials, walls and other building components absorb heat during the day. The structure does not instantly return to outdoor nighttime conditions when the sun sets.

4. More Than Half of Normal Annual Rainfall Falls in Three Summer Months

The same climate station records:

June — 8.86 inches

July — 9.73 inches

August — 8.83 inches

Combined:

27.42 inches of normal rainfall in three months

The annual normal is 53.62 inches.

That means approximately:

51.1% of normal annual rainfall occurs during June, July and August alone.

• This does not mean rainfall itself directly causes a home’s AC problem. It illustrates something broader about the local climate:

• Pinellas homeowners are managing heat and moisture at the same time.

• Residential air conditioning in Florida does two major jobs.

• It lowers temperature, but it also removes moisture from indoor air.

• That is why two homes set to the same thermostat temperature can feel very different.

• One may feel comfortable.

• The other may feel clammy or heavy because relative humidity remains elevated.

• For TLS, indoor humidity is therefore not merely a lifestyle preference. It is a useful diagnostic measurement when evaluating cooling performance.

Air Conditioning Represents a Much Larger Share of Household Energy Use in Florida Than Nationally

U.S. Energy Information Administration data provide another useful perspective.

In the 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey, air conditioning accounted for approximately:

28% of Florida household site energy use,

compared with

9% across U.S. households overall.

That means the share of site energy associated with air conditioning in Florida was roughly three times the national share in that dataset.

For Pinellas Park homeowners, this is why cooling efficiency deserves attention beyond the equipment nameplate.

The total cooling result depends on how much heat the home gains, how effectively the HVAC system removes that heat and how much of the produced cooling actually reaches occupied rooms.

Six Questions to Ask Before a Major Upgrade

1. Is the AC itself underperforming?

2. Does cool air reach every important room?

3. Has someone inspected the ducts?

4. How deep, complete and intact is the attic insulation?

5. Is indoor humidity under control? A thermostat reads temperature, not moisture.

6. Will the upgrade fix the cause or only the symptom?

TLS follows one rule: Measure first. Diagnose second. Upgrade third. A full check can cover airflow, duct leakage, attic insulation depth and coverage, room-to-room temperature gaps, indoor humidity and AC size. Not every home needs every test.

What 54,000+ Florida Homes Have Taught TLS

TLS Air Conditioning & Insulation says its experience across more than 54,000 homes in Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida has reinforced five practical principles.

1. Similar symptoms can have different causes.

“High bill,” “hot room” and “AC runs all day” are complaints, not diagnoses.

2. HVAC efficiency and delivered comfort are not identical.

Equipment can produce cooling correctly while the home distributes or retains it poorly.

3. Attic performance and cooling performance are connected.

The air conditioner and building envelope affect the same thermal balance.

4. More equipment is not automatically the answer.

Correct sizing and diagnosis matter more than simply increasing capacity.

5. The best upgrade is the one that corrects the actual weak point.

About TLS Air Conditioning & Insulation

TLS Air Conditioning & Insulation is a family-owned Florida home-comfort company. Founded in 2015, it has served more than 54,000 homes across Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida. Services include AC repair, maintenance, installation and replacement, attic insulation (blown-in, batt and removal) and duct sealing. Thomas Hoerig leads the HVAC side. Seth Hoerig leads insulation.

Florida HVAC License: CAC1822364

Florida Electrical License: EC13016589

Media Contact
Company Name: TLS Air Conditioning & Insulation – Pinellas Park
Contact Person: Media Relations
Email: Send Email
Phone: (727) 624-1856
Address:6210 44th St N ste 21
City: Pinellas Park
State: FL 33781
Country: United States
Website: https://tlsenergysavers.com/pinellas-park/