Between a tropical vacation or a long trip for work, traveling means making preparations for your HVAC system. You can't use it while you’re not home, so you can make adjustments as necessary to conserve your energy use. At the same time, you don’t want to just leave it off for the entire time you're out of the house.
In general, it’s better to leave your HVAC system on and adjust the temperature depending on the season. That way you can minimize energy costs without worrying about getting back to an uncomfortable home. We’ll explain why you should avoid turning your HVAC system off as well as the ideal thermostat settings for various times of year.
Here’s Why You Avoid Leaving Your Thermostat on Hold
While you might be inclined to shut your HVAC system down before a trip, this can end up stirring up big problems by the time you return. This is notably true in case the weather will be severely hot or cold while you’re away from home.
For instance, turning the HVAC system off in the summer can lead to very high humidity. Not only will your home feel like a swamp when you have returned, but it might have also encouraged mold/mildew growth or pest infestations.
And over the winter, letting your house get cold can lead to pipes freezing up or even bursting. It’s never fun to get home from a vacation only to come across substantial water damage nearby a broken pipe.
Ideal Thermostat Settings While at Work
You can adjust the temperature even as you come and go to work. Since you’re not home for 8 hours or more, it doesn’t make sense to keep an empty home at the same temperature you’d usually have. As a general rule, it’s encouraged to raise the thermostat by 5 degrees or so. That means that if you prefer a comfortable 72 degrees, think about increasing it to 76-77 while you’re gone.
But you may save even more if you try further adjustments to the temperature. As reported by the Department of Energy, you could save nearly 10% on your HVAC spending by raising the temperature by about 7-10 degrees.
Energy-Efficient Thermostat Settings While on Vacation in Summer
If you're on a longer trip in the middle of summer, you can make larger adjustments. This ensures you don’t waste energy while still protecting your home from the problems that come with leaving it un-air conditioned. Around 5 degrees is suitable for short trips while closer to 10 degrees is ideal if you’ll be out of town for 2 weeks or longer. If you like keeping the house at 72 in the summer, 78-82 will offer the best results.
Ideal Thermostat Settings While On a Trip in Winter
To try and find the most energy-efficient thermostat setting for a winter getaway, simply lower it by the same amount you would adjust it in summer. 68 is a common winter thermostat setting, so adjusting to 63-58 will keep your plumbing safe while minimizing how often your furnace operates.
A Smart Thermostat Can Help: Advantages of a Smart Thermostat
One of the best ways to manage your home’s HVAC system while out of the house is using a smart thermostat. This advanced type of programmable thermostat utilizes intelligent software to track your usual comfort habits. It applies these preferences and makes automatic adjustments to the schedule for maximum energy efficiency. And with Wi-Fi integration, you can remotely adjust your heating and cooling using a smart device like a phone or tablet.
Smart thermostats are packed with features to help you save energy and lower costs. For example, specific models can monitor electricity prices to increase heating or cooling when prices are lower. They can be used with high-efficiency, variable-speed equipment to refine how long your HVAC system has to run. It’s the perfect tool to streamline how you use your comfort system. If you’re planning on investing in a smart thermostat, there are different ways you can bring down your costs, effectively getting a smart thermostat for free. The next time you leave for vacation, you can receive true peace of mind that your HVAC system won’t stir up any trouble while you’re away.