From a much-needed vacation or a long trip for work, taking a trip means making preparations for your home comfort system. You can't use it as long as you’re not home, so you can make adjustments as necessary to limit your energy use. Just the same, you shouldn't just leave it off for the entire time you're gone.
Instead, it’s best to leave your HVAC system on and just raise or lower depending on the time of year. That way you can lower 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 most energy-efficient thermostat settings for different times of year.
This Is Why You Shouldn’t Leave Your Thermostat Alone
While you may be inclined to leave your HVAC system off before a trip, this can end up causing costly problems by the time you get back. This is especially true if the weather will be severely hot or cold while you’re out of town.
For instance, turning the HVAC system down in the summer can produce very high humidity. Not only will your home feel like a swamp when you come back, but it could have also encouraged mold/mildew growth or pest infestations.
And in the winter, leaving the furnace off could lead to pipes freezing or even bursting. It’s never fun to come home from a vacation only to find substantial water damage nearby a broken pipe.
Best Thermostat Settings While at Work
You can optimize the temperature even if you’re coming and going to work. Considering you’re out of the house for about 8 hours or longer, it doesn’t help your monthly energy bill to keep an empty home the same temperature as when you're home. In general, it’s recommended to turn up the thermostat by 5 degrees or so. This means that if you prefer a comfortable 72 degrees, try adjusting it to 76-77 while you’re out.
But you can save even more if you’re willing to further adjust the temperature. As stated by the Department of Energy, you could save around 10% on your HVAC spending by making an adjustment of 7-10 degrees.
Ideal Thermostat Settings While on Vacation in Summer
If you leave for a longer trip in the hottest part of summer, you can make more significant adjustments. This helps you avoid using too much energy while still safeguarding your home from the problems that come with leaving it without air conditioning. Around 5 degrees is suitable for short trips while around 10 degrees is worthwhile 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 Vacation in Winter
To figure out the most energy-efficient thermostat setting for a winter getaway, just lower the temperature by the same amount you would adjust it in summer. 68 is a common winter thermostat setting, so turning it down to 63-58 will protect your plumbing while restricting how often your furnace operates.
Smart Thermostats Are Even Better: Benefits of Smart Thermostat Installation
A great way to optimize your home’s HVAC system while away from home is with a smart thermostat. This innovative type of programmable thermostat uses intelligent software to understand your preferred comfort habits. It gradually understands these preferences and makes automatic adjustments to the schedule for higher energy efficiency. And with Wi-Fi connectivity, you can remotely access your HVAC system with a mobile device or tablet.
Smart thermostats are stuffed with features to help you save on your energy bill. For instance, certain models can monitor electricity prices to bolster heating or cooling when prices are lower. They can be used with high-efficiency, variable-speed equipment to refine how long your HVAC system needs to run. It’s the ideal 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 reduce your costs, in essence getting a smart thermostat for free. The next time you are away from home, you can appreciate true peace of mind that your HVAC system won’t stir up any trouble while you’re away.