Quality Cool Air warns East Texas homes face higher winter power bills

The Palestine HVAC contractor is warning homeowners and businesses that higher Oncor delivery rates, rising national electricity prices and the end of a federal HVAC tax credit will make winter heating costs harder to control in East Texas. The company is urging preventive maintenance and system checks before the 2026-2027 heating season.

Why it matters: - East Texas households are heading into winter with higher electricity costs from multiple directions at once. - Heating and cooling are among the biggest controllable line items in a home energy bill, so small efficiency losses can translate into bigger monthly costs. - Businesses face the same pressure, especially properties that run HVAC systems and refrigeration for long hours.

What happened: - Quality Cool Air, a Palestine, Texas HVAC contractor, issued a winter energy cost advisory for homeowners and business owners across East Texas. - The advisory focuses on higher Oncor delivery charges, rising national electricity price forecasts and the end of the federal HVAC tax credit. - The company has served Palestine and the surrounding region since 1989 and is based at 2214 W. Reagan St. in Palestine.

The details: - The Public Utility Commission of Texas approved Oncor’s base rate review on April 17, 2026, authorizing an increase of about $560 million over Oncor’s 2024 test-year adjusted revenues. - Those new rates took effect June 1, 2026. - Oncor estimated the base rate change adds about $4.64 per month, or roughly 3%, for a residential customer using 1,000 kWh per month on a retail plan priced at 15 cents per kWh. - On Aug. 1, 2026, Oncor added a temporary surcharge to recover the difference between rates in effect from Jan. 1 through June 1, 2026, and the newly approved rates. - Oncor estimated that surcharge at about $3.63 per month for the same 1,000-kWh customer. - On April 23, 2026, Oncor filed its first request under the Unified Tracker Mechanism, a Texas legislative process for reviewing certain transmission and distribution investment costs in one proceeding. - If approved as filed, that request would add about $3.85 per month, or about 2.5%, for a residential customer using 1,000 kWh per month. - Oncor reported a 2026 capital expenditure budget of about $9.0 billion, about 25% above its actual 2025 capital spending. - The company said delivery charges are collected by retail electric providers and passed through on customer bills, so the increases apply in the Oncor service area regardless of retail plan. - The U.S. Energy Information Administration projected average U.S. residential electricity prices of 18.2 cents per kWh in 2026 and 18.7 cents in 2027, up from 17.3 cents in 2025. - The EIA also said residential electricity use in the third quarter of 2026 rose 6% from a year earlier because of hot summer cooling demand. - The EIA projected wholesale electricity prices across its 11 tracked trading hubs would average $52 per megawatt-hour in 2026, 11% higher than in 2025. - The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, or Section 25C, previously allowed homeowners to claim 30% of the cost of qualifying improvements, including up to $2,000 per year for qualifying heat pumps and up to $600 each for qualifying central air conditioners and gas furnaces. - The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed July 4, 2025, ended the credit for property placed in service after Dec. 31, 2025. - Equipment installed in 2026 does not qualify for the credit. - Heat pumps can use far more electricity when they rely on auxiliary heat strips during cold weather or when a system is not operating properly. - Seasonal inspections can identify issues such as dirty filters, low refrigerant, poor airflow, faulty sensors, duct leaks and malfunctioning backup heat controls. - For gas or propane furnaces, a seasonal inspection can also check burner operation, the heat exchanger, venting and safety controls. - Quality Cool Air recommends homeowners replace or clean filters, review thermostat programming, inspect ductwork, schedule a professional inspection before the first hard freeze and keep outdoor units clear of leaves and debris. - The company advises homeowners with aging equipment to weigh repair history, major component failures, system efficiency and a professional load calculation before deciding on replacement. - Quality Cool Air said commercial properties should also schedule preventive maintenance before winter rather than wait for equipment failures. - The company says its service area includes Palestine, Elkhart, Frankston, Montalba, Grapeland, Jacksonville, Athens, Tyler, Crockett and Corsicana, along with other East Texas cities. - Customers outside the Oncor service area should check with their own electric provider for rate changes. - Quality Cool Air holds Texas air conditioning and refrigeration contractor license TACLA29739C and is a member of the Palestine Chamber of Commerce. - The company’s residential services include repairs, maintenance, installations, replacements, furnace repair, ductwork, thermostat installations, inspections and emergency HVAC service. - Quality Cool Air also offers a Comfort Club maintenance membership with two preventive maintenance visits per year. - Homeowners and business owners can call (903) 723-2600 or visit the company's website for more information. - The company also listed its Facebook page and BBB profile as additional resources.

Between the lines: - The advisory is as much a budgeting message as a maintenance reminder. - Higher delivery charges and the loss of the federal tax credit make efficiency improvements more financially urgent, especially for households considering a replacement system. - The company is steering customers toward preventive service and system evaluation instead of waiting for emergency breakdowns during cold snaps.

What's next: - Quality Cool Air is encouraging homeowners and business owners to schedule evaluations before winter demand peaks. - Customers outside Oncor territory should monitor their own utility notices for rate changes. - Households considering replacement equipment will likely need to rely more on long-term operating cost and system condition than on federal incentives. - The company says homeowners should base replacement decisions on a professional assessment rather than age alone.

The bottom line: - East Texas residents face a colder season for their budgets even before temperatures fall, and the cheapest kilowatt-hour is still the one a heating system does not waste.