From a relaxing vacation or a lengthy trip for work, taking a trip means making preparations for your home comfort system. You can't use it if you’re on a trip, so you can adjust it as needed to limit your energy use. Simultaneously, you don’t want to just shut it down for the entire time you're out of the house.
For the most part, it’s better to leave your HVAC system running and just raise or lower depending on the time of year. That way you can minimize energy costs without worrying about returning to an uncomfortable home. We’ll review why you shouldn’t turn your HVAC system off as well as the ideal thermostat settings for summer and winter.
Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Leave Your Thermostat Alone
While you might be tempted to turn your HVAC system off before a trip, this could end up causing annoying problems by the time you return. This is especially true in case the weather will be severely hot or cold while you’re gone.
For example, turning the HVAC system off during the summer could lead to very high humidity. Not only will your home feel like a swamp when you have returned, but it may have also encouraged mold/mildew growth or pest infestations.
And in the winter, letting your house get cold can lead to pipes icing over or even bursting. It’s never fun to return home from a nice trip only to discover extensive water damage nearby a broken pipe.
Energy-Efficient Thermostat Settings While at Work
You can optimize the temperature even when you're just going to work. Considering you’re away for about 8 hours or longer, it doesn’t help your monthly energy bill to keep an empty home heated or cooled as if you were there. As a general rule, it’s recommended to adjust the thermostat by 5 degrees or so. That means that if you prefer a comfortable 72 degrees, think about raising it to 76-77 while you’re gone.
But you may save even more if you're open to further adjusting the temperature. As reported by the Department of Energy, you might save nearly 10% on your HVAC expenses by increasing the adjustment to 7-10 degrees.
Best Thermostat Settings While on Vacation in Summer
If you're on a lengthier trip in the heart of summer, you can make more significant adjustments. This ensures you don’t waste energy while still protecting your home from the hassles that come with leaving it without air conditioning. About 5 degrees is suitable for short trips while a larger adjustment of 10 degrees is ideal if you’ll be away from home for 2 weeks or more. If you enjoy 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 figure out the most energy-efficient thermostat setting for a winter trip, just lower the temperature by the same amount you would adjust it in summer. 68 is a frequent winter thermostat setting, so lowering it to 63-58 will prevent ice from forming on pipes while minimizing how often your furnace operates.
A Smart Thermostat Can Help: Benefits of a Smart Thermostat
An ideal strategy to manage your home’s HVAC system while away is with a smart thermostat. This advanced type of programmable thermostat employs intelligent software to track your usual comfort habits. It gradually understands these preferences and makes automatic corrections to the schedule for higher energy efficiency. And with Wi-Fi integration, you can remotely control your HVAC system using a mobile device or tablet.
Smart thermostats are packed with features to help you save on your energy bill. To provide an example, some models can observe electricity prices to boost heating or cooling when prices are more affordable. They are compatible with high-efficiency, variable-speed equipment to optimize how long your HVAC system needs to run. It’s the ideal tool to enhance how you use your comfort system. If you’re considering investing in a smart thermostat, there are multiple ways you can bring down your costs, in essence 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 gone.
